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Poozle · 06-16-2017, 05:45 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the site and looking for some advice please! My daughter got her first hamster nearly 2 weeks ago for her 8th birthday. I had been to the shop (Pets at Home) a few days before hand to speak to them about what was involved and what we would need, and whether it was a suitable pet for an 8 year old, and then again a day before hand to pick up the cage they recommended (Pets at Home large hamster cage) and then one her birthday we took her in to pick her hamster and get some toys.

She picked a lovely oaty coloured female hamster who we were told was probably about 9 weeks old, and named her Nibbles. We put her in her cage and left her alone for the first 24 hours or so to get used to her new surroundings before starting to get her used to us. Unfortunately this has mainly been me doing this as Nibbles doesn't tend to wake up until around 8.30/9 at night. She is still a bit nervous but will now come out of her cage onto my hand and run up and down my arms, across my neck, and have a play on the sofa. She also likes her ball and will flow my voice from room to room in it. She is still a little skittish though and my daughter is a little wary of her as she got bitten in the first week when she put her hand in the cage having just eaten some mango. I think Nibbles thought she was food!

Anyway, it's become apparent from what I've read elsewhere online and from seeing her in it, that her current cage is too small, so I was going to order the zoo plus Alexander cage and move her into that, and I was looking for some advice on how to do this with the least amount of stress for her. Should we set it up and then put her in for a little bit and then put her back in the original cage, gradually increasing the time spent in the new cage? If so, how long a period would you transition her over? Or should we move her straight and just scatter some of the wood shavings from her old cage into the new one? Should we move her old house across or let her pick one of the ones that comes with the new cage? Am I right in thinking that whatever we do should be done when she is awake?

Another thing is that my daughter would love to have her in her room. We originally said no as we thought the noise would disturb her - the wheel in her current cage is quite squeaky and Nibbles sometimes chews the bars. If the larger cage stops her chewing the bars and we can find a quiet wheel, we may reconsider. Can anyone recommend a very quiet wheel that would work?

Final question (for the moment!) is, is it possible to use the pipes from her old cage to connect to the new cage to give her even more space. I can't tell if this is possible let from the pics of the cage!

Sorry it's such a long lost, but grateful for any advice
Thanks,
Poozle

06-16-2017, 05:45 AM
Poozle Newborn Pup Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 25	Moving to a bigger cage Hi everyone, I'm new to the site and looking for some advice please! My daughter got her first hamster nearly 2 weeks ago for her 8th birthday. I had been to the shop (Pets at Home) a few days before hand to speak to them about what was involved and what we would need, and whether it was a suitable pet for an 8 year old, and then again a day before hand to pick up the cage they recommended (Pets at Home large hamster cage) and then one her birthday we took her in to pick her hamster and get some toys. She picked a lovely oaty coloured female hamster who we were told was probably about 9 weeks old, and named her Nibbles. We put her in her cage and left her alone for the first 24 hours or so to get used to her new surroundings before starting to get her used to us. Unfortunately this has mainly been me doing this as Nibbles doesn't tend to wake up until around 8.30/9 at night. She is still a bit nervous but will now come out of her cage onto my hand and run up and down my arms, across my neck, and have a play on the sofa. She also likes her ball and will flow my voice from room to room in it. She is still a little skittish though and my daughter is a little wary of her as she got bitten in the first week when she put her hand in the cage having just eaten some mango. I think Nibbles thought she was food! Anyway, it's become apparent from what I've read elsewhere online and from seeing her in it, that her current cage is too small, so I was going to order the zoo plus Alexander cage and move her into that, and I was looking for some advice on how to do this with the least amount of stress for her. Should we set it up and then put her in for a little bit and then put her back in the original cage, gradually increasing the time spent in the new cage? If so, how long a period would you transition her over? Or should we move her straight and just scatter some of the wood shavings from her old cage into the new one? Should we move her old house across or let her pick one of the ones that comes with the new cage? Am I right in thinking that whatever we do should be done when she is awake? Another thing is that my daughter would love to have her in her room. We originally said no as we thought the noise would disturb her - the wheel in her current cage is quite squeaky and Nibbles sometimes chews the bars. If the larger cage stops her chewing the bars and we can find a quiet wheel, we may reconsider. Can anyone recommend a very quiet wheel that would work? Final question (for the moment!) is, is it possible to use the pipes from her old cage to connect to the new cage to give her even more space. I can't tell if this is possible let from the pics of the cage! Sorry it's such a long lost, but grateful for any advice Thanks, Poozle