It is eating away at me!

[FluffySiberian]

Hi all,

I am not going to go into any details about how I became aware of this or provide anymore information. I know of a hamster being kept in a small pet store cage and I would like some help to provide education. I wouldn't say the hamster was being abused or mistreated as such although improvements are much needed. The wheel is too small for a Syrian, the substrate is plain cardboard (if you can call it substrate, that is), there isn't any chews/toys and the poor thing is bored stiff. All it can do is bar chew, monkey bar and run on its wheel. What is the best way to go about this and how will I be able to present information without coming across negatively and potentially jeopardizing things? Your help will be much appreciated.

Fluffy

[JenAndPikachu]

I think it may depend on how well you know the owner. I've seen on instagram before some strangers giving hamster owners advise about not washing hamsters with water or taking them outside. Most of the time the advice is given in the nicest way, some people respond really gratefully for the advise and others get really defensive, kind of like 'its my hamster I'll do what I want'.
So yeah, I'd say depends on the relationship you have with the owner for the best approach and just try not be patronizing or anything, just like suggest the better alternatives to them and not accuse them of doing anything wrong intentionally :)

Hope this helps :)

[DrKMcK]

Why not encourage them in a nice way to explore hamster forums? You can always enthusiastically talk about how much great info you've learned on forums and how much better it is for your own hammie. Present it positively. Here's hoping it works.

[velma]

If you know the person to talk to, Could you get a cheap hamster book & print out some bits to put in it? SinNyx on here runs Little Bears Hamster rescue & she has made some great info graphic sheets. Suitable substrates, Cage size etc. If you folded them up & put them inside the book, you could say you've been having a sort out & getting rid of some stuff & knowing she had a hamster thought she might like it. The printouts just "happened" to be in there so she may as well have them too as you can always print yourself some more. Might be a softly approach to not alienate her. Hopefully she is good intentioned & just needs a point in the right direction.

[DrKMcK]

If you know the person to talk to, Could you get a cheap hamster book & print out some bits to put in it? SinNyx on here runs Little Bears Hamster rescue & she has made some great info graphic sheets. Suitable substrates, Cage size etc. If you folded them up & put them inside the book, you could say you've been having a sort out & getting rid of some stuff & knowing she had a hamster thought she might like it. The printouts just "happened" to be in there so she may as well have them too as you can always print yourself some more. Might be a softly approach to not alienate her. Hopefully she is good intentioned & just needs a point in the right direction.

Nice one Velma! Sometimes, how you say something makes all the difference. :-)

[Pebbles82]

Excellent idea Velma! Also maybe you could invite this person to come and see your hammy saying it's nice to meet a fellow hammy owner - and they might get inspiration from seeing your cage set up and think - wow I want to do this! You could explain what all his bits and bobs are like I recently got him this substrate because it is so cheap and he likes digging tunnels in it (a bit of artistic licence wouldn't go amiss if your hammy doesn't dig tunnels lol), and he LOVES running in this big wheel and exploring his cage. His favourite hidey place is here and he has a great big nest here.