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Old 06-15-2017, 02:53 PM   #1
Angelisodaa
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 31
Unhappy I FEEL SO BAD about putting bambi back in her cage!

This is kind of long but please hang in there i really am at a loss and need some help. Bambi is about 3 or 4 months old. We got her on April 7th. Ever since, we have grown very close. Bambi is very sweet and basically never even shows annoyance (even when we accidentally wake her up from a nap). I have noticed one thing about her, she is very adventurous! She absolutely LOVES her ball (i know its not ideal but she loves it sosososoo much) and floor time. Whenever i put the ball in her cage for her to climb in, she jumps right in and when i put it back in for her to hop out, she never does and i end up having to take her out myself. I noticed that whenever we get close to her cage she squirms more as if shes trying to get me to not put her back. And when i do, she always stands up on her hind legs by the cage door and just looks at me until im gone. She always does this but ive noticed that recently she has been trying to get out of her cage more and more. For example she will literally chew on the bars of the cage door all. Night. Long. Keep in mind her cage is big enough(i forgot the exact measurements but i did very extensive research about cage sizes and what to put in them) and there are plenty of toys in there for her. Ive even tried to block the place shes chewing multiple times but she chews right through it every night. She has even chipped the paint off the bars quite a bit. And her cage is in a different room than the one i sleep in so its not just because im in the room.(I think im going to switch to another bin attachment instead of this cage) And if shes not chewing, she will just wait by the door with her paws tucked under her body. Even though we play with her SEVERAL times a night she never seems contend, But last night was the worst display of this behavior since we got her. What happened was i was putting her back in her cage facing away from the door and next to her water so she could drink but when she found out what was going on she BOLTED (probably one of the fastest times ive ever seen her run )to the door and desperately was searching for a way out for about 2 minutes. Ive never seen her look this desperate to get out and she looked so panicked and it made me so sad but it was like 1 am and i had to sleep so i just watched her to see what she would do this time. this next part kinda scared me: she stopped, stood there for a second on her hind legs and looked me dead in the eye and then plopped down on her behind and started cleaning herself REALLY. REALLY. REALLY fast which i know is a sign of stress so i just gave in and opened the door and she went back to normal???? I played with her for another 5 minutes, this time i gave her a treat to distract her when i went away but she didnt even pay any attention to it which was really strange considering this was like her favorite treat! I mean she prefers being out of her cage much more than a treat anyways but not to this one! So i put her back and the cycle started all over again like 5 times until i was just too tired and had to go to bed. except after cleaning herself she started chewing on the cage again because i didnt open the door. Please help me! What is going on?? Shes never acted like this before and nothing in the environment has changed. Not even room temperature. I feel like a monster watching her try to get out so desperately but doing nothing!! Especially knowing its her instinct to sleep, wake up, explore the world around her until her little legs cant run anymore and then sleep again. I know what it feels like to be deprived of something i know i was made for. I compare her need for adventure to my need for preforming, and knowing im taking that from her, and knowing that she knows it and that it bothers her absolutely breaks my heart. What do i do please help. (Note: she does not act this way during the day. If her cage is open and shes tired, she will merely look in the direction of the the open door, yawn, and then lie back down. Doesn't even sniff my hand if its in her cage or anything)

Last edited by Angelisodaa; 06-15-2017 at 10:46 PM.
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Old 07-02-2017, 11:36 AM   #2
xFluffyHamsterx
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 154
Default Re: I FEEL SO BAD about putting bambi back in her cage!

Hello! Sounds like a very active hamster you have here!! Generally, hamsters that are young have A LOT of energy. How long do you let her out for in her beloved ball? I would just like to suggest that because the ball actually restricts the hamster from exploring and using his senses in the environment that it may be best to purchase a small animal play pen (http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pe...nimal-play-pen) although when they are in this, they can easily escape so you must sit there and watch them. You can add all the toys and a lot of toys that encourage natural behaviour. As your hamster is super adventurous, she'll love this! My hamsters certainly love it. Especially if you have other pets or young children, keep the hamster in a safe place when the pen is in use. This should definitely reduce the stress, even though she loves her ball. You could probably wean her off the ball by mixing it up so a day on a day off.

I noticed that you have a really big cage for her with a lot of toys so thats excellent. Does she also have chew sticks? Something to gnaw on. Have you tried putting lemon on the bars where she bites? This usually puts them off because of the sour taste. Or you could try threading some cardboard between the bars.

This is to prevent bar chewing, however it's best to nip what is making her do it in the bud which i'm sure you're doing your best. She's probably trying to escape because she's so curious and adventurous and I'd love to see how she is when she's out of the cage without a ball. Hopefully this could be a game changer to make her stop the repercussions.

Bar chewing is often associated with boredom and attention seeking behaviour. Rewarding this behaviour with coming out of the cage will show the hamster that if it bites the bars, it will come out for play (theres lots of controversy whether hamsters are wired like other animals regarding training and being aware of what an action gets them) So perhaps putting a chew stick where she usually bar chews. Routine would also be a good one too, so maybe pick a time where she wakes up that is suitable for both of you and then begin the play then.

Hope this somewhat helps and good luck!
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Old 07-03-2017, 01:30 AM   #3
AprilPearl
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: London
Posts: 2,327
Default Re: I FEEL SO BAD about putting bambi back in her cage!

I have used that pets at home wire playpen and it was awful. Don't bother buying it! Especially since Bambi is a bar chewer. My last hamster (who was not a bar chewer) would do nothing but sit chewing the bars in that playpen with such force that the edges of the playpen lifted up enough for him to wriggle under. It is also easy for them to climb over the edges and escape.

I now have this playpen and it's much better. Because the hamster cannot see the outside, they are much less likely to try and escape. It's also more sturdy, has higher sides which cannot be climbed over unless you put something too close to the edge and they climb on, and it has no bars to chew. It's also big enough for lots of toys to go in and you can sit in there with your hamster to bond.

Skyline Ranch Arizona Indoor Run | Free P&P £29+ at zooplus!

As hamsters shouldn't be in a ball for more than 15 minutes at a time (and even then it's not ideal) a playpen or freerosming will be the best option for Bambi, because it seems like she is out for much longer than that.

You mention you have a cage which conforms to the recommended minimums, but those recommended minimums are often too small. Could you post a link to the cage that you have? It should be at least 80cm X 50cm. However, this can be too small for some hamsters. You may need to consider getting her an even bigger cage, or perhaps a tank to avoid bar chewing.

Bar chewing is bad as it can cause bar rub (where the fur is rubbed off the face and there is possible scarring) and sometimes hamsters can even pull out a tooth and have to have the tooth on the opposite side trimmed for the rest of their life to prevent it growing into the gum. But, you should NOT put lemon juice on the bars to prevent gnawing. This is very acidic and could hurt Bambi if she attempts to gnaw anyhow. I know you said dye has plenty of toys, but could you try giving her dome fit whimzees? They are safe for hamsters and most love gnawing on them. Some people even tie them to the bars. Or, you could put wooden clothes pegs on the bars. Or, even cardboard.

To keep her occupied in her cage, you could scatter feed her food, or put it inside a toilet paper roll wrapped in paper that she has to gnaw through. Also, lots of deep substrate filling up the base of your cage will give her something to dig in.

How big is her wheel? It's possible that it isn't big enough for her to comfortably run in. Syrians need a very big wheel. The 12 inch silent runner is the best option:

Silent Runner 12" regular wheel | South West Sugar Gliders
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