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Old 06-06-2018, 12:00 PM   #11
livedinhogwarts
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

@Serendipity7000

I'll use the F10 SCXD disinfectant then, since I can scrub the cage with it. I'll just wash the food bowl out well too.

With the cage I definitely don't want him to be stressed or anything, since that might make him relapse again, and generally it will make him feel a little unhappy Maybe it is possible to get a refund (after disinfecting the cage and everything of course). I think I would have to have a chat with my parents about buying a new cage. The Alaska cage sounds like a good option since its a fair price for the size you're getting, and maybe negotiating with my parents would work if I paid for half or something. I just don't know if we would be able to buy one right away.

For Eid I'll probably be getting a fair amount of money, so if I use the money I get from then (in roughly a week's time) I would probably be able to buy a good sized cage and wheel. Problem is it's in a week, and Sparky will probably be home by then, and as you said changing cages causes a bit of stress in hamsters. Do you think waiting until then would cause problems for Sparky in terms of his health and happiness?

The bin cage also seems like a good option, although I'm not sure I have the Stanley knife. I'll have to check with my dad to see if he has one, because if he does, then the bin cage would be a great solution!

I totally get you with making mistakes the first few times, since I don't have much knowledge on how to look after hamsters with Sparky being my first hammy. I guess we have to learn from the mistakes and adapt ^_^

Homemade toys are awesome honestly, and they save so much money I'm going to do a bit of research on how to make them and look at other threads too.

Thanks for the advice! ^_^ I'll just have to speak to my parents now and I guess it's partly up to what they say.
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Old 06-06-2018, 01:25 PM   #12
Pebbles82
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

Good luck with the chat! The best start for the hamster is to have everything set up and ready - then a couple of weeks to fully settle in the cage and then stability. If there is a way your parents could give you a loan for a week it would be good. Zooplus delivery can take up to a week - sometimes it's only 2 or 3 days - sometimes it's 7 - I think it partly depends what day of the week you order on (eg a Friday it probably won't get processed till the Monday).

So it's something that would need ordering now in order to be set up and ready in time. Pets at home sell the Hamster heaven and Hamster sky usually so you could probably just buy them without having to wait for a delivery - but they cost a lot more - and most of the plastic contents are useless and people end up removing them! Could take a week to make a bin cage too!

If you need something to show them then this article from Wood Green Charity gives information on the kind of housing needed for Syrian Hamsters. Many people get caught out like this because there is no legislation to specify what size a cage needs to be by law - so by law pet stores can sell anything and it's a commercial enterprise for them. They can buy these small cages for about £4 to £6 and sell them at a big mark up.

https://www.woodgreen.org.uk/pet_adv..._accommodation

Last edited by Pebbles82; 06-06-2018 at 01:35 PM.
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Old 06-06-2018, 05:08 PM   #13
livedinhogwarts
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

@Serendipity7000

Thanks! I spoke to my mum and unfortunately at the moment we can't really afford to buy one as it's not really in our budget aha. Sadly, my parents don't really understand animal needs very much and they don't really see how a smaller cage could be detrimental to their well being...So it seems I'll have to wait a week since relatives usually give us gifts of money on Eid (our religious celebrations), which will allow me to get enough for a cage etc...

Maybe if I show my parents the article you linked above they'll change their mind, but as of now I don't think they will...I even told them I would pay them back, but it seems I caught them at the wrong time. Maybe if I try tomorrow they will consider more.

Thanks for all of your help though! I'll definitely be following your advice when I manage to save up enough money for the cage etc. Hopefully Sparky being in his old cage for a week or so won't stress him too much Do you reckon it will?
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Old 06-06-2018, 06:58 PM   #14
Pebbles82
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

I think if it means he has to go in his old cage, it would be better if it was for more than a week to let him try and settle - as it would stress him to change cages again so quickly, even if it was to a better cage. You might need to play it by ear. If he is bar chewing and going bonkers in the little cage, you'll need to let him have quite a bit of out of cage time (eg in the dry bathtub with a couple of toys unless he is fully handtame - even if he is tame it would need to be in an area where he can't escape or hurt himself). He would probably manage with the flying saucer for a week or so. Just give him lots of nesting material and some kind of cardboard box house (tissue box eg) so he can retreat somewhere and feel safe.

If he doesn't seem stressed in the little cage then maybe best to just leave him in it for 2 or 3 weeks at least - then when you move him to the new cage, get it all set up and take the bar top off the old cage and just put the whole cage base inside the new cage on top of the substrate, without cleaning or changing anything, so he can gradually explore out of the old cage into the new one. After a week or so if he's using the new cage fully you could take the old base out but take the substrate out of the old cage and any toys and put them in the new cage where the base was so it still smells familiar. If that makes sense!

The reason changes and cleaning cause them stress is because hamsters scent mark. They don't see well at all and when they move into a cage they spend the first couple of weeks scent marking everything so they can find their way around - they have scent glands in various places. So if a cage is completely cleaned out weekly they are lost - it's as if their home has been ransacked and smells different and they can't find anything! So when changing cages it's important to not clean everything first - it'll be fine for a couple of weeks then you can spot clean or wipe the odd thing when necessary. They are actually very clean little things and wash themselves a lot.

Re the hamster potty/litter tray - you can use any dish for that really - a household dish or shallow casserole dish eg if you don't want to buy one - but it does need something like Chinchilla bathing sand in - that soaks up the pee. Sand needs to be special sterilized sand - eg the Chinchilla Bathing sand i linked (must be sand not "dust") or some people use childrens play sand which I think you can get from Argos. Just check it's sterilized.

Last edited by Pebbles82; 06-06-2018 at 07:06 PM.
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Old 06-07-2018, 06:38 AM   #15
livedinhogwarts
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

@Serendipity7000

I think in that case I'll keep him in his old cage for a couple of weeks or so just so he can settle down and adjust. I'll have to wait and see if he feels stressed in that cage though, in which case I'll move him to a new one after a week. My hammy isn't fully tame, so I think putting some toys in the bathtub would be better for when he's a little antsy. He's quite an energetic little one and I don't want him to run off or anything. Hopefully the flying saucer wheel be alright for a week or so. He has a little compartment in his cage which is sort of like a safe spot and he usually sleeps there, but putting a tissue box in his cage could be a good addition too.

I'll definitely try what you said with putting the old cage's base in the new cage. It's great for getting him used to the new cage while still having the familiarity of the old one! As for the cleaning, I agree that spot cleaning is the way to go for the first couple of weeks. I wouldn't want him to feel lost like you explained.

The hamster litter tray would definitely make cleaning easier, but for now I don't think I'll be getting him one. In the future I might do though, so the information you gave me helps a lot. Thanks for all the help and advice- I really appreciate it ^_^
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Old 06-07-2018, 07:25 AM   #16
Pebbles82
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Default Re: How To Disinfect A Cage, Wheel, and Toys That Belong To A Hamster With Wet Tail

You're welcome
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