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Old 02-20-2024, 09:47 AM  
Jeir
Adult Hamster
 
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 255
Default Re: My new hamster is demanding. Help!

I would recommend against a hamster ball. Hamsters are nearly blind, and 'see' with their whiskers and nose. Trapped in a ball, every single bang against a piece of furniture/the wall, every fall down a step, is just terrifying for them. The balls are also always too small for a hamster anyway.

'Unfortunately', you seem to have gone right for hard mode with Syrians. =D Females are known to be very active, and the most naughty of them are usually the torties.

That she's not using the wheel could suggest it's too small for her. Syrians prefer a wheel to be at least 11in/28cm, but some bigger ones may need a 12inch/30cm wheel. It also may be the style of wheel; some hamsters may prefer an open wheel (e.g. Nightangel, Comfort and Rodipet wheels), while some prefer ones that are more enclosed (e.g. Silent Runner, Wodent Wheel, Trixie).

I'm not sure if your cage would allow it, but you may want to try adding even more substrate to part of the cage. If you do a websearch for 'hamster ikea cage', you'll see quite a few different cage setups that may give you an idea of how to plan it out. You could also look at SomethingAnimal on youtube; Ollie has a female Syrian and DIY cages, so how he's set them up may inspire you.

Otherwise, all I can suggest is more enrichment. More hides, more tunnels, more things to chew. Try adding variation with pinecones and tree branch pieces to climb on, as well as the usual cardboard. See if there's a particular kind of thing she likes to chew the most (such as the wood used to make the platforms) and add more of that to the cage. You might be able to mask the scent of the platform legs with something like plasticote, or else put something in front of them, like a bendybridge, to help deter her from attacking them.

Good luck!
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