Cage seems small

[Pebbles82]

So - I think it's worth a try tweaking things - more places to go, more overhead cover, less steep ramps that are secure.

[Pebbles82]

The changes will also distract her (adding things tends to go down ok) and may distract her out of bar chewing and into new habits.

The cage has a lovely big roof with no doors and you could attach all sorts and almost make another whole level of enrichment - it doesn't necessarily mean she needs more floor space.

Also as it's quite tall it may feel exposed above for her. I would try the hammock over the house, a sputnik partly over the shelf at the front and the tube diagonally across the roof to the back right shelf (I only did it like that because I had to work round the big door on top of the Barney).

I've also used the hyacinth tunnels as ramps (eg from the house roof to the back right shelf) by cable tying them to the side bars.

See photo below(the holes have to be in the right place on the hyacinth tunnel or they fall out! ) At the back of the picture from house roof to shelf.

Attachment 47855

[Pebbles82]

I didn't explain the thinking behind all this I don't think bar chewing is lack of space in a cage that size (although it might possibly be if she is super active). The causes are usually:

1) Cage far too small.
2) Stress caused by a number of things - especially clean outs in the early days.
3) Something not quite right for them about the set up - water being hard to reach, wheel not working - something inaccessible, feeling insecure or exposed - ie bar chewing to try and either tell you something or to try and get out and escape because they feel insecure.

With both our Syrians they have always needed to be "under something" when going from one end of the cage to the other. Charlie always sat under the sputnik when out and about- I guess it made him feel safe. Newt wasn't happy with the overhead space in the Barney which was why I had an extra shelf and two sputniks - he mostly stays under the sputniks or cork log when walking about the cage although has got bolder as he;s got older.

Your cork log would probably work better as a floor toy.

Enrichment is as important as cage size - lots of variety, textures, levels, places to go,things to do.

When I had the roof run in the Barney above, for Charlie he could literally do circuits - across the cage and up the ramp to the shelf, into the sputnik, through the tunnel to the back shelf, down onto the house roof, and down to floor level.

[mangoandmimi]

Water bottle positioning and the addition of tubes etc are unlikely to stop bar chewing when it’s got this frequent really. I also wouldn’t be comfortable using plastic tubes & sputniks especially when they are a big chewer, it’s not safe. You could try more cover in the cage but this generally isn’t the behaviour seen when hamsters feel too exposed in my experience. At 6 months old she isn’t exactly a baby either just a younger hamster.

One of the most important forms of enrichment you can give a hamster is deep bedding - that’s a minimum of 25-30cm for a Syrian, they cannot really burrow properly in any less than that. The base depth of the plaza really doesn’t allow them to burrow at all which is far from ideal. So if thinking about tweaking the cage, the first thing I would do is make a higher bedding barrier (even if just out of cardboard) and putting a lot more bedding in. Deep bedding can & usually does make a big difference!

[Pebbles82]

Enrichment does make a difference to them feeling happy in a cage. Sorry to disagree M&M but I don't have a problem with using plastic items. Although obviously if she did chew them they'd need changing. But doesn't mean she will chew everything. Our last syrian did sometimes chew his plastic potty a bit so that had to be replaced. He didn't chew the second one. There are other options - cardboard tunnels, hyacinth chill and chew mats which can be hung like hammocks and the grass hammocks. I have never yet seen a hamster chew a plastic sputnik though! They are inside it usually. The Savic tube is very hard plastic like perspex. The end pieces are soft plastic though but hung from the roof isn't the same as at ground level.

I am also not quite in agreement with the deep bedding for all hamsters, based on my limited experience and observation - and hamsters vary. So different opinions just as some of us have different preferences for cage styles sometimes.

I was very keen on the idea of deep bedding for a long time but now believe hamsters only burrow under ground to feel safe from above. Some hamsters are natural diggers, some aren't. And if they have a good house won't bother to dig tunnels or burrows.

My attempt at deep bedding with our last Syrian (only about 20cm) was that it didn't work forhim or me. Heended up living in a stinky hole that kept collapsing and was scared to come out in the daylight and came out with his ears down. Notcieably he made his "exit" under a little house which became a kind of safe porch.

I think feeling exposed from above is a very significant factor in cages. Feeling unsafe and access issues does lead to stress behaviours.

I didn't realise she was six months old but the hamster hasn't been with her very long and is still settling in.

[SandyT]

Thank you everyone for all of your help and ideas. When I first set up the cage, I tried a grass hammock but it seemed so dark in there. I also took out the suspended willow tube in case it wasn't safe. I don't think she had an issue with it not being dark but I could give both of these another try but fitted more securely. I'm not keen to add plastic things, I don't like them but I suspect she'd chew them. I had to add a plastic litter tray as I couldn't access her ceramic one at the time and she was happily using the plastic one as a sand bath but now she chews. I must remove it. If I thought the plastic things would help and be safe, I would get them, but I don't. I can weave some card through the bars and increase the substrate a little bit, though she does dig in what she already has.
I know the one ramp is too steep, she does sometimes use it to help her get out when I open the cage. I have been wondering whether or not to lie the cork log flat. She does use this to climb up though. She can climb to all of the levels and access her food and water. She had indeed blocked off the top entrance of her house.
It seems that the only real solution is a fish tank. I'm not really sure what to do as they are so expensive and it would mean me moving and getting rid of furniture I have. Moving it isn't an issue but getting rid would be more so. It's the cost more than anything, because I'd need a stand as well. I don't mean to sound tight but it's a lot of money. I got her to help with my anxiety, I think this would be considered an epic fail! My friends and family say take her back. This doesn't sit right with me. My attachment to her is suffering, I have to admit but I'm her Mummy and she is my responsibility. She really is a sweetheart.

[Pebbles82]

She looks determined to destroy that ball in that photo

[Pebbles82]

You're not sounding tight. Cost of cages is a very significant thing - it's why so many people make bin cages - although the Alaska cage usually works out cheaper than a bin cage so it's less common it seems these days.

I think a custom made tank with a lid from Junglepets may be the most practical solution and would cost about £100 to £125 I think, depending how big you want it.

[SandyT]

Lol. No, she was just picking seeds out of it. She can be a good girl at times.

[Pebbles82]

We posted at the same time - see my post above I think, the main thing is no bars if a cage change is necessary. If it isn't as massive as she'd like, she'd have to make do with destroying toilet rolls and out of cage time.

How long have you had her now? I would try experimenting with the grass hammock again -it may be darker but she may prefer that.