Bar-cages and Aquariums Help

[BrainGirl]

Your tank is almost certainly a 20 gallon which I think is the minimum recommended by the American SPCA. It's not a bad size really, especially compared to a lot of the cages available on this side of the pond!

LOL no, I don't think you're weird about your obsessions, we all have them I'm sure Hams will move their bedding about and sometime they move enough of it that the floor can show, but it depends on how determined he is and also how deep his substrate is to start with! I have several inches of different types of substrate in layers, which I think makes it harder to dig completely through, especially the Eco Bedding layer. It's in such long strands that it tends to stick together. Easy to burrow under and through, but holds together as a mass and can't be moved far out of place. At least that's what I've found.

I've found that mine don't really go for alfalfa chews either so I wouldn't worry about that. Hidey holes, things to climb on or crawl over/under/through, those are enough to keep most hams busy. If you can't find a decent source of store bought cage furniture there is a huge DIY section here on the forum that you might want to peruse! There are some seriously talented HC members

[BrainGirl]

Oh, and blocking tubes is normal behaviour. It's a security thing. In the wild they would block all entrances to their burrow so nothing can come in and surprise them while they sleep

[Esmy]

I think everything your Hamster is doing is perfectly normal hamster behavior. They sleep where they want. If you have a house that blocks or reduces light then I wouldn't worry about that being an issue. If it bothers him too much, he'll go into the house to sleep. Rooms can get too hot or too cold. You'd know it. Here is a guideline for temperature: (18 to 26°C, 64 to 80°F)

Also, this web page has some nice reading on hamster behavior and care: Animal Care/Hamster - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

[alhallow]

@ BrainGirl

Yeah, sounds about right. But, regardless of actual size in gallons, he always liked the aquarium, as far as I could tell, including its sealant lol.

As you said, Hams will do what they want, with bedding and such. I've realized even if my OCD goes crazy, he will fix it to his liking eventually. Which is absolutely fine. I just remember reading somewhere that the "floor" of the cage shouldn't be shown. I can only imagine that is because of cleanliness/hygiene. But either way, he is free to do what he wants, but I'll also always be there to monitor the situation.

As for actual bedding, I only have one single type of bedding in his cage, and that is paper. The brand is Kaytee, and specifically it's Clean and Cozy white small pet bedding. Basically, recycled/shredded paper that is turned into bedding for small animals. I honestly never thought of mixing bedding types (does that mean I don't have an open mind?) lol. He doesn't seem to mind just one type. I like how it is white because you can see things in the bedding more easily, including where he urinates, food, poop, wetness, etc.

As for the blocking of a tube, that makes complete sense. I don't mind him blocking off tubes, especially in this case, because he puts all of his favorite food at the top of the tower, so eventually he will go back up there. Not worried about that, I was more worried about how he was sleeping. Just seemed weird to me the first night he completely smothered himself in bedding and slept under a mountain, and now he sleeps right on the middle-green platform in the cage, underneath the tube to the tower. Seems very unorthodox, but if that is what he likes, that is fine.

Thanks for the response BG, I appreciate your input.

@Esmy

I think the cage I have does indeed reduce light, only because the colors are a little darker. Most of the outer plastic of the cage is dark blue, and the rest is light green or plain see through. Again, not really concerned with blocking of light (especially in the spot he likes to sleep, I would probably do the same thing). It was more of that "unorthodox sleeping spot" lol.

The only thing is, there is no "house" in this cage, as it was too small to put the igloo I have inside it. So I assumed he would just make a mountain of bedding for himself in a corner, and sleep there, which he did the first night, but not since. Upon that, he did that with a little damp bedding, as the first day with his new water bottle, he got most of his cage wet. I replaced the wet bedding the next day, and he changed. He is free to do whatever he wants, just seemed strange.

Currently, I have a thermometer right underneath his cage, and it reads 68 degrees. I am sure that is fine, and will only get warmer since it isn't even full blown spring or summer yet. I'll keep an eye on it just to make sure.

Thank you Esmy!

Also, for anyone interested, I have uploaded some pics of Shade over in the gallery. Go check them out!

[Esmy]

Shade is very cute, and I love the name. Very fitting!

What about making a Popsicle stick house that may not stick out as much as an igloo?

[BrainGirl]

LOL no, I don't think you have a closed mind just because you only use one type of bedding! I think it would give it a very clean look and, as you say, makes it much easier to figure out his pee corner and such. I have a heck of a time finding that sort of thing in my setups

[alhallow]

Just so everyone knows, I haven't heard Shade biting on the bars of the cage since I moved his cage, which was the second night he was in the cage. Now, he still might be, but if he is, it's at night while I am asleep and can't hear it. Leaving him in my room would have been a mistake, because I can't sleep at all. So I assume he isn't, and hope I am right.

Thanks Esmy, I appreciate it. The little dude is a stinker, and very strange, does a lot of weird things, but i think he may get some of that from me. Lol.

For instance, rather than going down the tube in the green platform to get to the bottom floor of the cage, most of the time he just drops from the platform to the ground. Doesn't care much for taking the easy way.

If I could somehow build him a massive cage that would include a trapeze, balancing platform, and other aerobic or gymnastics pieces, I totally would. Now that would be fun to watch.

@BrainGirl

The blocking of tubes is definitely in Shade's interests. Not only does he block off the tube to the tower when sleeping, he also blocks the tube that is in the platform he sleeps on, the tube that leads to the bottom floor. Not only does he block it off, but he also stores food and a wood chew there. Glad you pointed that out for me.

And I was just kidding about having a closed mind, more of a joke on myself than anything. It does look more clean, but looks can be deceiving. We all know how hamsters are. You may have a hard time finding pee spots, but I'm sure your habitats look much cooler and more creative. No problem with that. It all comes down to firstly, what the hamster likes/wants, and second, the owner in charge. As long as the hammies are happy, I think we should all be happy.

[alhallow]

Scratch that, he still is chewing on the bars of his cage.

Very scary seeing him doing that. I keep warning him that eventually, he will pay the price for it. But this just when I was starting to feel comfortable about the cage. If he is still doing it now (little after 1PM my time over here), then how much could he be doing it at night?

Not sure what I should do from here. I still do have the aquarium of course, but.......meh. Not sure. I gave him some pecans, and he repays me by chewing on the bars.

Now he is running around in his ball. Weirdo.

[DrKMcK]

Hello Alhallow. If he is really going at the bars you want to have him back in the tank. Hamsters can break their teeth on the bars...literally snapping the teeth off. We've seen it here on HC before, and it is awful. I use tanks myself, along with tank toppers. But my Ted E Bear doesn't bar chew. The Kaytee Clean & Cozy is fine. I use that and I use Boxo bedding. I like the softness. All of my gerbils and hamsters have chewed the sealant and they have all been fine. They don't eat it, they just chew it off and spit it out.

[alhallow]

I'm not quite ready to give up on the new cage, but I am close. He isn't really "going at the bars", but as far as I know, he does randomly. Again, I would only hear him during the day if he does it. At night, when I go to sleep, I wouldn't, since he is in my living room.

I had to move him into the living room because he makes way too much noise and keeps me up for hours after I lay down lol. But yeah, I wouldn't say he is going at them, but he is randomly doing it.

Today when he did it, I put him in his ball for about an hour, gave him a few pecans, and he didn't do it afterwards. My guess is, he gets bored, as a lot of people have said might be the reasoning for him chewing the bars in the first place.

But if he is bored, that amazes me, only because he does have a wheel. He also has a tower and another tube he can crawl through. There is stuff to do. I'm not really sure where to go from here.

I'm thinking if I decide to put him back in the aquarium, I will just take the cage back and get my money back. Then use that money to buy more toys or something for him.

Thanks for your input, DrK!