We got a male Syrian hamster one week ago, he is now nearly 8 weeks old. He seemed very happy when we first got him but he is now bar chewing and monkey barring occasionally as well as he looks like he is just trying to get out. (trying to climb on top of his wheel and up on the sides) He also has normal behaviour like using his wheel, exploring, foraging for his food, burrowing etc. He doesn't seem to be too interested in toys though. He is in an Ikea Detolf so well above the bare minimum when it comes to space. He has lots of hideouts and an area with deep bedding for burrowing too. Please see below link for photos. (photos of different hideouts taken with toy to show more clearly, some photos of original set up with oven dried compost which we changed after 2 days due to mold growth from condensation from his breath)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/187278...57713350846897
Current hideouts:
- Glass jar in sand bath
- Clay tunnel hideout with three chambers
- Terracotta pot
- Corner of high bedding covered in moss
- Hidden area under stairladder
- Coconut
- Seagrass nest
- Wicker ball nest
- Pvc pipe
- Cork tunnel leading to his nest in burrowing area
- Long glass jar with toilet tissue
Current toys:
- Wheel (30cm)
- Wooden ball with bell
- Wooden sea saw
- Wooden chew ring
- Chew stick
- Bridge from driftwood
- Ramp from branches
He has a water dish, gets food sprinkled through his cage when his stash is gone and he gets some fresh fruit/veg and/or mealworms daily too.
I've spot cleaned once where he's peed but besides his sandbath jar he also pees in his burrowing area (a different spot every day) so I don't want to clean it too often as it ruins his burrow.
Any advice appreciated! Thank you