Stop blocking your tubes! >_<

capricorn30 · 08-10-2011, 11:10 AM

Hey all, I got my new syrian, Magic, a couple of weeks ago now and moved him into my empty bin cage. The cage is 2 storeys with a curved tube leading to the top where the wheel is because while the bottom storey has enough floor space for a syrian, the roof isn't high enough for an appropriately sized wheel. (will have to try and find pics for better explaination...)

It took some coaxing to show Magic how to use the tube, but for the first couple of days I could hear him on the wheel at night and he seemed quite settled and content. However since then he's taken to piling up the shavings in the bottom part of his cage and actively shoving them up the tube until it's packed full. He's only a baby and takes lots of naps instead of being totally nocturnal, and sometimes I have to unblock his tube 2 or 3 times a day!

I'm not quite sure what to do about it because clearly it keeps him amused, but I worry that he might not be getting enough exercise from being seperated from his wheel since I can't be there to unblock the tube all the time... That being said, whenever I do unblock it he's very tentative and nervous about going up and other than a quick sniff or two I've not actually seen him USE his wheel when he's been awake and the tube's been clear since he arrived.

I've tried putting food up there for him, which he just pouches and takes back down and I've tried putting some of his scented bedding up too, incase it doesn't smell like him and it made him wary but that didn't help either.

Sigh, for such small fluffballs they are a lot of trouble! I just want him to be happy, but can a ham be happy without wheel access? Any ideas or suggestions?

Gillzy · 08-10-2011, 11:30 AM

Why don't you replace it with a ladder? They like to stuff tubes. Sen used to do this too. Ladders are probably a better bet. A ladder/ramp type thing. You could even make one out of lolly sticks, if you're strapped for cash.

MzWiz0915 · 08-11-2011, 01:42 PM

they love to stuff tubes, I think it's a security thing, but I could be wrong. It's you think he can't unblock the wheel then maybe you need to redesign your bin cage. Pictures would help the HC community to give suggestions

Gamina · 08-11-2011, 01:50 PM

Cat used to block his tubes up all the time! He would always unblock them if he wanted to get somewhere though...

Teddybearhamster420 · 08-11-2011, 01:59 PM

Scented bedding? (Sorry to jump out of it here) But what do you mean by that?

capricorn30 · 08-12-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teddybearhamster420

Scented bedding? (Sorry to jump out of it here) But what do you mean by that?

As in some shavings that he's been active and running around on, and a little of the paper from his nest, just incase it smelled too 'alien' to him up there.

I'll snap a few pictures and head over to Housing for some more advice.