Hamster Central - View Single Post - Enrichment advice for very active Syrian?

TinyBubbles · 04-17-2020, 10:31 AM

I learned yesterday that it wasn't toys but a lack of "cover" that could cause this type of behavior. We got a new playpen delivered, I thought it had a strong plastic odor so I let it air out a few days (after one I couldn't smell it but I gave it a second day for my super-smeller.) I ordered some items that I thought we'd give him in the playpen but not his everyday house that haven't come in yet so I put in the hideout from his original cardboard maze and I thought it would be fun to cover his favorite things with halves of plastic Easter eggs and let him have his own version of an egg hunt. It was very apparent his stress level was through the roof. He moved one egg for a sunflower seed then ignored the rest (with mealworm and broccoli underneath) and just tried to find an escape. I had a box of tissues nearby so I quickly emptied that and added the box and my son got a hide from his cage and instantly he calmed down. Poor little guy just felt way too exposed in this giant new space.

04-17-2020, 10:31 AM
TinyBubbles Newborn Pup Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: USA Posts: 40	Re: Enrichment advice for very active Syrian? I learned yesterday that it wasn't toys but a lack of "cover" that could cause this type of behavior. We got a new playpen delivered, I thought it had a strong plastic odor so I let it air out a few days (after one I couldn't smell it but I gave it a second day for my super-smeller.) I ordered some items that I thought we'd give him in the playpen but not his everyday house that haven't come in yet so I put in the hideout from his original cardboard maze and I thought it would be fun to cover his favorite things with halves of plastic Easter eggs and let him have his own version of an egg hunt. It was very apparent his stress level was through the roof. He moved one egg for a sunflower seed then ignored the rest (with mealworm and broccoli underneath) and just tried to find an escape. I had a box of tissues nearby so I quickly emptied that and added the box and my son got a hide from his cage and instantly he calmed down. Poor little guy just felt way too exposed in this giant new space.