do i need to provide my own subrate for a hired show pen?

[Matty Day]

do i need to provide my own subrate for a hired show pen?

[souffle]

Yes you do. It says so on the schedule but if you forget they usually have some spare at the show. It will be wood shavings for a chinese. You should also return the pen clean at the end so take so tissues or wet wipes with you!

[Bunsey]

if you're going to show, the best thing is to buy a pen asap as it works out expensive to rent and it's a pain having to fill and empty them at the show. I fill mine up ready, including biscuit and veg wrapped in cling film and then i can just plop the hams in them in the car and carry them in

[Matty Day]

i am going to buy some at higworth 3 dwarf pens and 1 syrian pen

[souffle]

You don't need the dog biscuit Matty as the clubs provide the dog biscuits at the show so that everyone has the same type. This ensures anonimity in the pens (in theory)

[Basia]

souffle do you believe the anonimity thing? When I used to show rabbits some of the classes were huge, REW dwarfs were often classes of 20+. People did not normally steward their own rabbits but I would instantly recognise certain rabbits on the table and I know the judges did.

[souffle]

I think the judges, just like us learn to recognise certain peoples hamsters, pens, substrate and choice of veggie! We have to trust to fairness really and hope that a judge is in fact judging each animal against the standard, not against each other as that is what is meant to be done. Like any type of 'competition' it will be open to corruption but knowing the hamster people in the North particularly I feel they are fair and trustworthy. Some people win all the time but that is because the hamsters best fit the standard and often I feel very sorry for them as when the name is announced everyone gives a sigh. Some people never win but hey what does that matter as long as your animals are happy, healthy, lead a good life and give you pleasure. My mantra - You always take the best hamsters home

[Matty Day]

what kind of veggie do i need ?

[Basia]

My mantra - You always take the best hamsters home

[/quote]

That's how I feel too. I have always enjoyed showing things but mainly because it give me the pleasure of keeping and breeding my pets at home.

[souffle]

Matty you must put a piece of veg in to provide fluid during the day. Personally we use cucumber but I have seen broccoli, apple, carrot, cabbage and celery (yuk) used so the choice is yours. I would give a fairly large chunk so A)that they cannot pouch it and B) they cannot finish the whole thing then you lose points for not putting any veg in the pen! If you have two hammies in one pen ,as is often the case with dwarfs, it is still only one piece of veg per pen.