What toys or items would you recommend for out of cage time?

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

There are so many things on the market to buy and I know there are many things I have regretted buying and I'm sure you all could say the same but what would you all recommend as being really good, I know all hams are different also - some more outgoing than others, just wondering what things are good and what would be good to encourage a ham that is a bit more laid back out of his cage to enjoy his out of cage time more. He likes to be cuddled and handled but when it comes to play pens he doesn't seem fussed! I would love to let him free roam but my room is not suitable and no where in the house really is.

[Pebbles82]

I know what you mean about buying things that turn out to be a waste of money! This is what I have for Charlie's (Syrian) out of cage time:

1) A fleece blanket (he can snuggle under it and I can use it to barricade the edge of the sofa or bed)

Something like this (I got mine from Boyes)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreamscene-...Fleece+blanket

2) Hyacinth tube - he likes hiding in this, going in and out of the holes and having a chew on it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bo...=1&*entries*=0

3) Donut bed - I put this under the blanket and Charlie crawls into it and curls up to go to sleep in it if he's feeling dopey

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Bliss-6...ds=Hamster+bed

4) Cardboard castle (fort) - I set this up on top of the double bed or on the bedroom floor. They can climb over the top but I find if I leave one section out and put toys inside he tends to explore in there.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Ham...rdboard+castle

5) Correx Playpen and large floor cushion (sometimes set up round the cage, sometimes in another room or elsewhere.



6) One of these tubes - the stretch out long and expand but I only use it squished together rather than stretched out as Charlie didn't like walking on the ridges inside when it was stretched out. But it's a good tube for getting him in and out of the cage with a treat at one end and big enough to sit in.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extendable-...words=rat+tube

7) Rat Slipper - he likes to hide in this sometimes and it's useful for carrying him upstairs as it's quite big (if I put my hand over so he doesn't try and jump out! It's fleecy inside though so needs watching for chewing.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Frie...ds=rat+slipper

Carrot/hay house - these are brilliant! When out of the cage Charlie will spend ages inside this upside down chewing the hay off and chewing the door bigger. In the cage he mostly ignores it. I have one in his pet carrier and take it out for playtime. (Recommend freezing it for a couple of days before use).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Na...carrot+cottage

9) Guinea pig sized pet carrier - I sometimes use this for playtime and it's great for cage cleaning time. Pop him in upstairs with lots of substrate, bedding, some food scattered and the carrot hay house and put the blanket over the top so he feels safer - he can't hear me messing about with the cage if he's upstairs. Also useful as a pet carrier

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Al...rplast+aladino

10) Child's wellington boot! I put it on its side and he likes to go in there. Also useful for carrying him from a to b as he can't climb out when it's upright.

[flowerfairy]

Gopal is mr laid back. He likes his trixie wheel (has a karlie wooden one in his cage) and a plastic tunnel and some scattered food.

He adores play box time and often has to be bribed home again!

[AlfredHam]

Alfie has:

extendible rat tunnel
toilet roll
easter egg box
an old fairy light box
his old comfort wheel
some chew sticks
a wooden bridge

[Hammy992]

Custard has:

- An obstacle course made out of small cardboard boxes with peep holes cut in and joined by plastic hammy ramps, a pringles tin tunnel (foil removed) and plastic tunnels that came with his cage. The boxes have Carefresh and shredded paper in case he wants to dig in there
- Toilet roll (he barely fits now!)
- His travel box from the day he came home
- A clean jumper or shirt that smells like us for him to snuggle in
-His sisal carrot that he refuses to chew but loves to smell it when outside his cage
-small plastic hidey house with shredded paper inside
-His hamster ball on it's stand (we used to use this but one time he wanted to get out of it and got stuck trying to get out of the small exit holes, so we removed it from his playtime routine)
-My hands, because out of all of these things to explore his favorite thing to do is to run off the bed repeatedly.

He's a short attention span ham

[pinkneon]

Sweep also has that tunnel, though whereve I got it from gave it a different name LOL

But he REALLY likes this : Small Animal Play Block | Pets At Home It's listed under rat toys, and Sweep can fit right inside it! He likes to sit inside there sometimes. He also likes to climb on it and go in and out of the holes!

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Thank you all for your great replies I have ordered off viovet the extendable tube, Rat sized tube and rat sized Sputnik. I have a blanket somewhere I will have to find it i o my remembered about it yesterday. I have the cardboard castle serendipity but he isn't fussed on it and tries to climb out! Lol. Thanks everyone for great ideas and links to toys. Fudge is wild literally I think he'd be happy just to stay in his cage. Came into room last night around 10.30, I was too tired by this stage to get him out. As soon as the lights go out, he's out I'm finding it quite hard getting him into a routine as I don't force him I just let him dictate. Sometimes he comes out in the morning to say hello and I will get him out then for a bit. But usually it's me bribing him with food and doing stuff in his cage. I just wish he'd be more sociable! He's fine when he's out though. He just likes his bed too much :P Any tips?

[Pebbles82]

I think that's fairly common that they're more sociable out of the cage than in it They are quite territorial in their cage (my house, don't come in unless invited lol!). If he sleeps all evening, you can get him in a routine of being woken at a set time each evening when putting food and water out (be a little bit noisy about it, that tends to rouse them). It's what the RSPCA recommend if the hamster is for a child who goes to bed early. Say between 7 and 8pm, or whatever time is convenient to fit round your dinner! I used to do it about 5 to 6pm but it was always a hectic time. I found our hamster is best between about 8 and 9pm. Before 8pm and after 10.30pm he is very energetic and wants to shoot back to his cage. Between 8 and 9pm he's a bit more dopey and easier to handle, and will happily go to sleep on you lol - but usually under something like the blanket - so caution needed there. I keep the blanket on my knee rather than just leave it on the sofa to make sure no-one forgets and sits on it.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Thanks for tips serendipity. Yeah it is all about the routine for sure