Keeping hams warm now winter is coming

[Pebbles82]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Empress

Yep here's a link for Amazon - ooh they are on offer!

SnuggleSafe Microwave Wireless Heatpad with Fleece Cover (colour may vary): Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

I don't know if they are safe to chew - they are supposed to be OK for puppies, kittens, rabbits etc but I will definitely put mine where she can't chomp it, not near the bars!

They are great for humans too actually - sometimes I take one to bed!

That looks good - a frisbee heater lol! Yes fleece is dangerous for hamsters to chew (I think they chew at it because they want to get bits off to take to their nest - not all hamsters chew fleece but it needs watching carefully). I might get one too. It might be good for putting under the cage as well, under the house area maybe, for cold mornings until the heating comes on later in the day. They're not cheap though. But then neither are heaters or heat lamps - I couldn't believe how much heat lamps cost.

I think when it gets really cold they need a certain room temperature as well though, so the air isn't too cold to breathe.

[virtualkeith]

So this will be my first winter with Mr. Carlisle. (or any hamster for that matter) He does live in front of a window, but it is double paned, and I always keep the window closed and the blinds closed as well. We are still having 70 degree weather here, and we are supposed to have an El Nino here this year which means a warm, wet winter. I hope we get lots of rain because California is parched in drought. (4 years and running) I probably will try to move his cage elsewhere, because when rain hits my windows, it can be loud, and I don't yet know if that will scare him.

[cypher]

The snugglesafe pad does look good, I've just ordered one to try on the little shelf under Mickle's cage as she's in a bit of a cold spot & most of the cold in my place comes from the floor which is freezing, if it doesn't help her I'll use it for my feet!

Flynt is sat behind me tucking into porridge right now, probably the best central heating there is

[lorrapaw]

I put fleecy blanket under cage and wrap round base. I also get big pieces of cardboard and put round cage to act as a windbreak to keep out drafts.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

I have been thinking lately of changing fudges substrate to carefresh is it as good as the one you recommended racinghamster? i also currently have him in a bin cage but have been wanting to make bigger as its definitely not big enough but thinking it might be too big a job for me as i have been condsidering all the ways i could do this. Seeing as he is in my room that's why i went down the bin cage route but after research would love the barney cage as ive heard really good things and its now bigger than before plus smaller gaps between wires to deter chewing. Just afraid that he will make a racket at night because wired cages can be noisy with climbing and i dont want him chewing but with more space and i plan to get the larger flying saucer (he already loves his medium one) he should be ok? read on a previous thread here that when they bought this cage their previous chewers stopped and seeing fudge has never been in a wired cage before i really hope it be ok and not too noisy if he decided to start climbing (sorry for the essay everyone!)

[Pebbles82]

Originally Posted by cypher

The snugglesafe pad does look good, I've just ordered one to try on the little shelf under Mickle's cage as she's in a bit of a cold spot & most of the cold in my place comes from the floor which is freezing, if it doesn't help her I'll use it for my feet!

Flynt is sat behind me tucking into porridge right now, probably the best central heating there is

I misread that - I thought you meant keeping Mickle warm with your feet lol! I was trying to imagine it.

GoldenSyrian Hammies - the Barney is a great cage. It isn't just the smaller bar spacing that deters from bar chewing, it is the size of the cage. Often bar chewing is a sign of stress and stops when they have more space in the cage and therefore more enrichment as they are happier. Fitch is a good substrate I find - a lot cheaper than Carefresh and seems the same to me except no dust in Fitch.

I think the move to a Barney cage could work well - I'm sure he'll love it and if he is currently in a bin cage he'll be out of the habit of bar chewing. If you are really worried that cage noise could be a problem you could look at getting the Ferplast Maxi Duna Multy which is a perspex tank style - same size as the Barney but not so high so it does have some limitations there. A Syrian sized wheel will fit but you won't have much substrate in that area due to the height being about 34m inside - so would need different level areas - plus it wouldn't have as much option for levels or shelves. But it's still a good size cage for a Syrian.

It's more expensive than the Barney though

http://www.miscota.co.uk/small-anima...7UEaAmO48P8HAQ

We have a wire cage - no clanging except when I open the door lol. His roof toys are things like sputniks or cardboard tubes so no dangling things to clang or make a noise. Just the tiny patter of feet in his wheel

[cypher]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I misread that - I thought you meant keeping Mickle warm with your feet lol! I was trying to imagine it.

lol! It might work better the other way round with her keeping my feet warm

GSH I agree fitch is better than carefresh, a lot cheaper, softer less dusty & no odd smell! It's probably a bit cosier as well.
I found cosi n dri really dusty it's also very expensive, small bag doesn't go far, once I got the worst of the dust out of my bag I have used a little in their houses & they seem to like nesting in it but do just as well with lots of toilet tissue so if you just want to keep your ham warmer you could just add lots more tissue!

[Shannonmcn]

I lost my thermometer I used it a lot last year when we were in a cold flat to make sure Cc wasn't going to get too cold and now I can't find it since I moved. It was a really good one too... Last winter I set the heating timer to come on for an hour at the coldest part of the night, about 2-3am so the temperature never dipped too low and hung a big heavy throw over the curtain rail to keep more heat my room in with another blanket to cover her cage if I needed to. She had a big carefresh nest at the time with about half a roll of toilet paper. But that was an insanely poorly insulated flat tbh so hopefully extreme, measures won't be needed this year!

My mum and sister both have colds at the minute actually so the heat is blasting all the time, I'm overheating at night tbh.

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Thanks everyone for your help yes as you rightly say it has more to do with bordem than anything else with the bar chewing, with lots more space to explore and more room for toys too. Where do you order your supply of Fitch from? It sounds like a great substrate so defo going to get some. Im so excited to get this cage and do it up properly but ugh 2 more weeks to pay day. We could honestly spend a fortune on our hams couldn't we!? And do but I love it.

[cypher]

The fitch site is here, you can get a smaller bag but it works out more expensive.

What do you mean we could spend a fortune on our hams?!
I do