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Originally Posted by Serendipity7000
Wow that was quick  All sounds normal - they do poop a lot out of the cage when they're babies and before they're tame - I think it's partly nerves and partly not having got into more grown up habits
Is he in the cage on the photo? I am sure there is a hamster front left corner in the little bowl! I be the has enjoyed exploring.
Yes maybe another go or two. When you move him over people say to move ALL the old bedding across - it really helps. As the new cage is bigger you could leave the bedding in there you have and spread all the old bedding on top of it - pressing it down if it's a bit deep.
The wheel looks good for now - but as Cypher says it can be best to get it set up for the long term- when you start moving things round and changing them in the cage they can get quite stressed and it could set back trust/taming again or make them a bit reclusive.
Adding something new is usually accepted quite well - but taking something out or moving things around really upsets them. I've found they actually get attached to favourite toys! Our hammy loved his little rainbow bridge.
On the other hand you wouldn't need to change much when getting a bigger wheel if you just do the changes at one end - eg remove the green shelf and put the wheel back left corner- then maybe a new house front left corner so it;s not too open - and leave everything else as it is. If you give them a bigger house they usually move in but he'd still like the old house as a hidey place (or food store maybe).
I have some photos somewhere of how to hang a wodent wheel from the top bars. Rodipet still sell the 11" wodent wheel but the postage from Germany is about £8 on top of the wheel cost. The only other place that sells them in the uk is petplanet and they're nearly always out of stock.
When you move him I would try and put things in a similar layout, so his house could maybe do to go under the pink shelf where you have the toilet - same orientation as now. You'll need to wait and see where he chooses as his pee corner - they will only use the litter tray if it's in the corner they choose. But then you can just move the litter tray where he has chosen.
After you move him in he may have the heeby jeebies for a few days and will need leaving alone for 2 or 3 days - although you could talk to him through the bars. If he wants to come out then let him out of course. It could take a good two weeks before he's adjusted to the new cage fully so best not to make any changes in that time.
I am sure he will love the cage. |
No their is no hamster in the bowl, I think it's just a reflection. I had only just set the cage up when i took the photo. I will add as much bedding as i can for him, I've already put some wood shavings down (same substrate as his old cage), put some carefresh ultra on top of that which is around 5 inch of substrate, so i'll add as much of his old substrate as poss as i think the recommended is around 6 inch?
I will put his old house in the same corner, i was thinking of doing that anyway, it might be more familiar for him. How can you tell where they pee? Do you feel for damp substrate/bedding and have a good sniff? lol.
Thank you for the tip on the wheel, hanging it upside down sounds like a good idea, would probably allow more room for other toys etc. I'll see how he goes with the pink shelf, theirs a little bowl up their which i put a few treats in, I think he could smell them because he did try get up the slide but the slide up to the pink shelf is quite steep, and he couldn't get up bless him, so he climbed along the back of the cage and got up that way, but if he doesn't bother with it much when we put him in I might take it out and put the wheel somewhere their.
I have a 8 and half inch comfort wheel at the moment, is that ok for him? He's only 8-9 weeks old at the moment so he's still quite small. I know the minimum wheel size is 8 inch as anything less can arch their backs, is 11" recommended or is that just if they get quite big?
He lives in our living room, so the heating is on quite regular, plus with our bodyheat, TV etc it more or less always stays warm in here but will certainly keep an eye out for that. He will have a lot more substrate than his older cage once he's in, so they'll be plenty of room for him to burrow himself anywhere and everywhere.