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Old 03-06-2021, 06:45 AM   #1
Tommyshelby
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Join Date: Feb 2021
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Default hamster pee???

hello,

My hamster isn't using his multi-chamber house anymore, instead, he likes to use tunnels/burrows.

What should I do?

When he was using his multi-chamber it was easy for me to clean, he would pee in his litter bowl. Now the cage is spotless because he spends most of his time underground lol
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Old 03-06-2021, 07:04 AM   #2
RolyRocks
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Default Re: hamster pee???

My Syrian would always use his litter tray but my dwarf pees in different places, it depends where he's sleeping. Sometimes it will be in his house, other times by his coconut, occasionally in his sandpit, he's not really fussy where he does it! It does make spot cleaning a little harder but I guess they go where they wanna go!
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Old 03-06-2021, 09:54 AM   #3
Ria P
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommyshelby View Post
hello,

My hamster isn't using his multi-chamber house anymore, instead, he likes to use tunnels/burrows.

What should I do?

When he was using his multi-chamber it was easy for me to clean, he would pee in his litter bowl. Now the cage is spotless because he spends most of his time underground lol
Is your hamster a Syrian or a dwarf?
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Old 03-06-2021, 04:08 PM   #4
Tommyshelby
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Quote:
Originally Posted by RolyRocks View Post
My Syrian would always use his litter tray but my dwarf pees in different places, it depends where he's sleeping. Sometimes it will be in his house, other times by his coconut, occasionally in his sandpit, he's not really fussy where he does it! It does make spot cleaning a little harder but I guess they go where they wanna go!
Mine never does it in his sand pit always done it in his toilet or in a corner in his multi chamber. It's weird I'm going to investigate a bit and see what his doing tomorrow morning.


@Ria P - he is a dwarf or a hybrid I think. He is small 😅
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Old 03-06-2021, 04:43 PM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tommyshelby View Post
@Ria P - he is a dwarf or a hybrid I think. He is small 😅
I find that Syrians use toilets and always pee in the same spot but dwarfs.....they pee wherever they feel like it with their wheels being a favoured spot. We have five dwarfs and i don't worry about their peeing habits because dwarfs change their habits so often. Sometimes they sleep in their house, often underground, near their wheel and most of the time i haven't got a clue where they are sleeping or peeing.

I rely on my nose when it comes to cleaning. If something smells bad i clean it, usually when the hamster is out of the cage.

As long as your dwarf is healthy and happy i wouldn't worry and let him get on with his life. He may decide to move back in his house again but burrowing and building tunnels is what they naturally do.
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Old 03-07-2021, 05:06 AM   #6
Tommyshelby
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
I find that Syrians use toilets and always pee in the same spot but dwarfs.....they pee wherever they feel like it with their wheels being a favoured spot. We have five dwarfs and i don't worry about their peeing habits because dwarfs change their habits so often. Sometimes they sleep in their house, often underground, near their wheel and most of the time i haven't got a clue where they are sleeping or peeing.

I rely on my nose when it comes to cleaning. If something smells bad i clean it, usually when the hamster is out of the cage.

As long as your dwarf is healthy and happy i wouldn't worry and let him get on with his life. He may decide to move back in his house again but burrowing and building tunnels is what they naturally do.
Thank you, it's a relief knowing this is normal behavior for my dwarf 😁

I did a bit of investigating.. and I think I figured out the problem.

I was over feeding him. I found around 5 stashes of food. I think he was just looking for places to store his food.

Anyway I cleared all the hordes of food, removed the multi chamber and gave him a shoe box instead. He now stores his food in the shoe box so I can see how much food he has in storage 😁 he sleeps with his food 🙃

Shoe box > multi chamber house
Just want to clear up why I removed the multi chamber hide out. I removed it because I feel the small rooms in the multi chamber are too small for him and one bigger room (the shoe box) is better for him as it's one big room.
My hamster wasnt sleeping in the multi chamber either, he was tunneling out of the multi chamber. Now he sleeps in the shoe box, and when he wants to burrow he does it outside the shoe box.

I'll add pictures later tonight when he wakes up 😊
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Old 03-07-2021, 08:34 AM   #7
Ria P
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Ooops! I'm surprised that your dwarf is still "talking" to you.

Completely removing all of their hoards is a no no in the world of hamsters and you would be seen as a thief or a robber.

Their nests and their hoards are very precious to a hamster, it's their security and purpose in life and best left alone as much as possible.

It's ok to prune them a little by removing the bottom part unless they're peed on of course or old fresh veg are there which would justify removing it but even then fresh dry mix should be placed in exactly the same spot.

Hopefully you got away with it this time but don't be surprised if your hamster starts peeing on his hoard now or in his nest to deter unwelcome intruders.

I made this mistake myself when i first started to keep hamsters a couple of years ago by moving a nest and the result was a very disgruntled hamster who threw a major tantrum until i put everything back the way it was and he watched my every move.

I've always used the inexpensive Ferplast guinea pig houses for all my hamsters because they have one big room with enough room for a big nest, hoard and en suite toilet and the roof lifts off to get a sneaky peek when they're out of the cage. Same as a shoebox house.

A lot of people like the multichamber houses and i had a donated Getzoo one once which i gave to the foster Robo as a present when she moved out. She used it more like a playhouse and loved running in the front door and out the roof entrance.
I find them too low and the rooms on the small side as the only house though.

Last edited by Ria P; 03-07-2021 at 02:45 PM.
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Old 03-07-2021, 02:07 PM   #8
Tommyshelby
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
Ooops! I'm surprised that your dwarf is still "talking" to you.

Completely removing all of their hoards is a no no in the world of hamsters and you would be seen as a thief or a robber.

Their nests and their hoards are very precious to a hamster, it's their security and purpose in life and best left alone as much as possible.

It's ok to prune them a little by removing the bottom part unless they're peed on of course or old fresh veg are there which would justify removing it but even then fresh dry mix should be placed in exactly the same pot.

Hopefully you got away with it this time but don't be surprised if your hamster starts peeing on his hoard now or in his nest to deter unwelcome intruders.

I made this mistake myself when i first started to keep hamsters a couple of years ago by moving a nest and the result was a very disgruntled hamster who threw a major tantrum until i put everything back the way it was and he watched my every move.

I've always used the inexpensive Ferplast guinea pig houses for all my hamsters because they have one big room with enough room for a big nest, hoard and en suite toilet and the roof lifts off to get a sneaky peek when they're out of the cage. Same as a shoebox house.

A lot of people like the multichamber houses and i had a donated Getzoo one once which i gave to the foster Robo as a present when she moved out. She used it more like a playhouse and loved running in the front door and out the roof entrance.
I find them too low and the rooms on the small side as the only house though.
I wont do it again!

What I did was I got him out and put him in a little cardboard box, it had a hideout and some chews, food in it. Then when i cleaned all the bedding I put him in. He just tunneled everywhere and had a lot of fun. I gave him some sunflower seeds too, I held it and he would come tunneling up and take it out my hand.

Then I put the shoe box in and connected it with a tunnel so he has a nice secret entrance. Then slowly I added all the rest, he napped a bit but would come out and explore
I never remove the lid, even in his old hideout when he is inside.

Edit added images
That's a big moving in meal I know, but he never stores fresh food, and he doesnt eat it all, he only eats all his broccoli he loves broccoli

Last edited by Tommyshelby; 03-07-2021 at 02:16 PM.
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Old 03-07-2021, 03:00 PM   #9
Ria P
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Default Re: hamster pee???

That looks a really nice habitat. Is it a tank?
One of my dwarfs has exactly the same hide and loves it. The little white oil burner. She keeps a whimzee in there and i put a pinch of brown linseeds on the top.
My hamsters never hide fresh food either. They eat it or leave what they don't want in the dish. Yes, broccoli is popular and cucumber.
What's your hamster's name? Have you shown a photo of him?
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Old 03-07-2021, 09:17 PM   #10
Tommyshelby
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Default Re: hamster pee???

Thanks!
It is a heavy duty trunk. It's okayish I wish it was a bit bigger

My dwarf has his whimzee in the top right or left corner usually

Here are two pics I just took, its 4am and he was bullying his egg box
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