Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000
It doesn't seem as if they are the kind to let the hammy roam free. I would be tempted to say their hamster had died and keep it! (Which is not really ethical or good for the pet sitting business plus it's lying). The cage is very tiny and not big enough to fit a wheel in, which is important. It is probably for space and cost reasons they have them in small cages. It's a tricky one because even if you gave them your Zoozone 2 they may just say they haven't got space for it and want her back in her old cage.
What conditions were they in when they arrived? (Enough bedding? Somewhere to nest? Something to chew on? Able to have normal behaviours? If not then it doesn't meet the welfare needs.
The 2006 Animal Welfare Act says there's a need to provide for the five welfare needs:
need for a suitable environment
need for a suitable diet
need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
It may be a bit borderline - I'd say a cage that size for a Syrian doesn't allow for normal behaviour patterns and could cause suffering. Having a wheel isn't considered essential but being able to exercise (normal behaviour patterns) is essential. So if they let the hamster free roam daily it's probably not a welfare issue. But they would probably have told you if that was the case.
Three years old is very old and she sounds quite well and active but had responded positively to the upgrade. It wouldn't do any harm to ring the RSPCA and ask for advice. I wouldn't make a bin cage - they may refuse to take it. The RSPCA may advise on how to deal with the situation with some authority - eg they may give you the authority to be able to say that unless the hamster has xyz you unfortunately will not be able to return it. That would be hard to have to say. But without some authority you can't really do that. The only consolation is- if the hamster is 3 and seems in good health then maybe they do give it lots of time and attention and out of cage time.
I would be tempted to say you had to move her to a larger cage because she became so stressed after they left and she is now settled in that cage and enjoying the wheel and say you will let them have the Zoozone 2 if they will agree to let her stay in it as it's better for an older hamster as they start to struggle with levels and tubes and are better with more floorspace. But they probably won't want to spend any money on lots of bedding, wheel, toys etc so there's no guarantee it will remain a suitable environment. So I'd ring the RSPCA and ask for some advice on how to handle this. Yes they are busy and may not have time to come and look, but they do rely on animal rescues to take a lot of pets they can't house so they will probably at least advise you on how to handle this.
If you've already advised them about cages and they're not interested then asking advice from the RSPCA may be the way to go.
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Thanks for the very helpful reply. I think the rats meet most of their welfare needs, their cage is big enough, they have sufficient bedding, food and chew toys. The hamster had sufficient bedding (sawdust), a tiny house with no nesting material and no chews/toys or anything else except a water bottle. I think she spends her whole time trying to chew her way out, as the bars are very chewed and all the exits are taped/fixed shut.
I did think about telling them she had died, but she belongs to a boy who looks around 9 or 10 and he is absolutely devoted to her and his mother said he will be devastated when she dies.
Re her age the mother told me she was 3 years old, but I noticed this morning that she has put two and a half on the booking form, either way she is a good age for a hamster. She is happy and friendly so has not been mistreated except for the tiny cage.
I will ring the rspca and see what they say. If I do end up giving them a cage, I will also include a wheel and some toys. It will cost me quite a bit of money, but I would rather do that and help the hamster. I would imagine as soon as she dies a replacement hamster will end up in the tiny cage, so in a way I will be helping two hammies.