How to get my hamsters out of their little house?

hamstersarecool · 08-21-2010, 07:30 AM

Hi, I recently bought two hamsters. They're in a cage with two levels, with a ladder connecting them. There's a little house on the second level, however, I'm not sure they know how to go on the ladder to get between the two levels.

Anyway, I put them on the second level, and then went into the little house. However, they're not coming out, and I'm worried that they don't know how to get to the food and water on the floor below. Any way to get them out of the house or will they just come out by themselves?

starrylight99 · 08-21-2010, 08:28 AM

What type of hamsters are they? Syrians are excellent climbers but should never be housed together. Dwarfs can be housed in same-sex pairs, but they aren't as good at climbing because of their furry feet. If you have dwarfs and the ladder is very steep, it's possible that they don't want to climb it.

How long have you had them?

Fidgetthefirst · 08-21-2010, 10:04 AM

As well as what Starry said, if they can climb the ladder, usually when there hungry and thirsty they'll go and look and will find it

fluffymunchkins · 08-21-2010, 10:13 AM

it sbest to leave them for now, they should figure it out soon enough.
or if you were really concerned move the food and water to teh above level

mangoandmimi · 08-21-2010, 02:39 PM

When they're hungry or thirsty they'll smell the food and water and will get it. remember they are nocturnal! yeah if they really dont come out then move their house down or their food and water up. thats why i like one level cages lol XD but syrians oftne like to climb and explore more, dwarfs are a bit more tentative and times lol XD

souffle · 08-21-2010, 02:47 PM

If they are baby dwarfs I would take the whole house off and move it down to the bottom level just in case they cannot work it out. Small animals must eat very frequently so you cannot risk them going without, certainly not overnight. How high is the shelf and is the ladder runged or a slope? Runged ladders are not really suitable for dwarfs especially baby ones.
If they are syrians they should not be together anyway.
We tend not to give babies little houses as it is hard to get them out for taming. Just give a big pile of bedding till you have them nice and tame.

hamstersarecool · 08-21-2010, 11:28 PM

I'm not sure what type they are. One is white with brown highlights (a single stripe along its back) and it's quite fat and active. The other is grey, smaller, skinnier, and cost less.

Blue Dragon · 08-22-2010, 01:30 AM

The first sounds like a dwarf, but I'm not convinced about the other. Does he/she have a stripe down their back too?

What kind of cage are they in, do you know it's name? With babies dwarfies I would take the ladder out and have thier bed, food and water on the ground level for now. As has been said, because dwarfs have furriy feet it can make it harder to climb because they can slip.

Can you show us a photo of them in their house? Maybe we could help you in working out how to best help them then.

SnickersTheFirst · 08-22-2010, 02:28 AM

Yeah, I'm not really sure what type of hamsters you have either, is it possible for you to take pics of them in the house?

Also, do they come out of the house at all and walk on the shelf?

hamstersarecool · 08-22-2010, 05:34 AM

Here they are...the grey one knows hot to climb up, but I'm not sure it knows how to climb down. The white one doesn't know how to do either...

http://imgur.com/a/7nYNV/all