Hoarding hamster

Woollywally · 12-30-2015, 05:40 AM

My baby Syrian, Brian, is storing his food in his bed. I managed to get a bit of a look last night, and noticed that there is really a lot of dry food in there, but I couldn't see very well and I'm hoping that he's not kept any of the veg I've been giving him. Will it just freak the poor little guy out if I empty it all? I don't want it going rotten in there, but I also don't want him to think that he doesn't have a private place. Am I feeding him too much if he has that much left over? I'm giving him a small handful of mix and then a few bits of different veg.
Oooh it's a minefield this hamster motherhood!

cypher · 12-30-2015, 05:52 AM

Every ham needs his (or her!) hoard

It's what they do naturally so if possible don't disturb it, they don't often hoard fresh food but if you are worried have a proper look & if there is anything off in there remove it & put some more dry food back where it was.
It doesn't sound as though you're really over feeding him, but you could cut it back a little if you think he may have a bit too much.

Jen250 · 12-30-2015, 06:02 AM

This is perfectly normal.

I would do as cypher suggested and just have a quick look when he's not in his house. He most likely won't be storing fresh food in there, but if he is, gently pick it out and replace with some dry.

Woollywally · 12-30-2015, 06:07 AM

Great! Thank you. Maybe, I'm not doing this as wrong as I thought!

Coco61 · 12-30-2015, 06:11 AM

Caring ham owners will often worry! Nothing unusual there. If you are just feeding v small pieces of fresh veg, Brian is likely to eat it up quickly. Try not to disturb his hoard. It will unsettle a baby trying to make his home. You don't want him to start peeing on it to protect it and then you will have to take that out! I know where Mocho pees- in his potty and he has an ensuite bathroom but to the front and side of his huge house that I can get to without touching the nest in the rear. This means that I don't have to check his dry store until I do a partial clean about every 2 months. Even then I put as much as I can back again.

Woollywally · 12-30-2015, 06:27 AM

I have him potty trained! He goes in his little toilet.

He does seem a happy little chap, but I guess you can't help worrying when you're trying something new, and it does really matter to me that he is happy!

Coco61 · 12-30-2015, 06:56 AM

I am on holiday from work this week. This morning hubby reported scratching sounds from inside the big house. This is Mocho on his mid morning wake up time. He might come out for a pee in his potty, have a drink and straight back to bed. Then the scratching is his snack time from the hoard. On the rare occasions I see him out at this time I might offer him a few of his favourite seeds from my hand which he will pouch and take home for the snack. He is too sleepy for me to do anything else except say a gently hello.