Hello from a new hamster mamma! - Page 2

cypher · 10-25-2015, 11:03 PM

That's progress, good to hear, small steps & slow & steady is always the best way.

AlbaFlora · 10-29-2015, 08:01 AM

I finally got a pic of her! (My profile pic!) Isn't she gorgeous?

AlbaFlora · 10-29-2015, 08:02 AM

Ok, at least I thought I had made it my profile pic...clearly technologically challenged...

cypher · 10-29-2015, 08:29 AM

Not that technically challenged lol! you did make it your profile pic which is on your profile page, I just had a look & saw it there.
If you look a bit further down on your cp panel you'll see edit avatar which is what you need for it to show in threads.

She does look very cute in her wheel!

AlbaFlora · 10-30-2015, 01:08 PM

Hopefully I have managed it now, let's see! Thanks for your help!

Flora came and took carrot off my hand this evening. But I'm not sure how to progress from that to actually picking her up. Still haven't tried since day 0 disaster! (Where I tried and she hid for several days!)

cypher · 10-30-2015, 10:55 PM

Well done!
If she's taking treats from your hand try to tempt her to climb onto your hand, put the food on your palm rather than hold it in your fingers, once she's done that a few times try to gently scoop her up but make sure your hands are only just above the substrate or other safe surface so it she jumps or falls it won't be a problem.

Pebbles82 · 11-01-2015, 05:16 AM

Sounds good! She is gaining in confidence. She is such a baby at 6 weeks she is bound to be a bit timid and it can take a couple of weeks to get used to her environment. Just keep talking to her so she gets familiar with your voice and presence.

Are you in the Uk or the US? Just to suggest some different substrates. If you are in the Uk I would just gradually mix in the new substrate with the wood shavings, each time you spot clean - it could take some time as best not to clean too much for the first few weeks and if she is using a toilet you probably won't need to remove any substrate really for some time. Their poops are not dirty. They are like little hard black seeds. Sometimes they eat them to get extra vitamins, which is quite normal. They have two stomachs so by the time the poop comes out it is not really like poop!

If you are in the Us it depends whether the wood shavings are kiln dried or not. Best to replace half in a couple of months when you do a cage clean, and mix it in with the new substrate, then next cage clean replace half again. Eventually there will be no wood shavings left. Kiln dried shavings are ok. In the Uk all wood shavings are kiln dried by law. Some wood shavings in the US are kiln dried but some are not. It's the non kiln dried ones that are an issue due to the high levels of phenols in pine shavings. Many owners just opt to use something else. Fitch paper substrate is a good one in the Uk. Kaytee Clean n Cozy and boxo are good ones in the US.

I found this video on cage cleaning tips (to avoid stressing hamsters) really helpful and it works for me (and our nervy hamster!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jVnEjrXbww