New hamster mummy - help!

[AliP]

Hi everyone!! We have recently given a home to an absolutely beautiful 14 week old hamster named DJ Cheeky! (named by my 4yr old! Haha). This is only his third night with us. I am totally new to hamsters and have read loads in preparation and tried my best to give him a great home based on what I’ve read. He’s so far not been shy at all, he comes to the edge of the cage to say hi and has taken treats from my hand... I have never tried to stroke him or pick him up and have tried to give him space and time to settle. Last night my partner lifted the nest he had made for himself off him to wake him up! DJ cheeky bit him which I don’t blame him for! I gently asked scott not to do that again! Apart from that he hasn’t attempted to bite us at all. Every evening so far he has been inquisitive, smelling everything in his cage, hiding food in his bed, running around and generally seems happy. But he also doing a behaviour that I’m not sure is normal or not? I’m a bit worried it’s a sign that something is wrong. He loves his wheel and on his first night ran on it for ages. Then last night and tonight he does this thing where he runs on it for about 5 seconds, then gets off and goes to touch this hanging toy that’s next to it with his hands, then gets back on the wheel and runs again. He repeats this behaviour over and over for bouts of about half an hour then goes and does something else for a while and then comes back to do the same this again! He is eating and drinking fine and generally from what I can see seems quite happy. Does anyone know if this repetitive action is anything to worry about? I’m already questioning if his cage is too small and looking to expand. I was wondering if I can sit another on top of it connected by tubes? Is that a crazy idea!?
Any input would be appreciated, I really want DJ cheeky to have the best possible home he could. Thank you!
Ps it took me about half an hour to work out how to post in the group so please forgive me if I’ve posted this in the wrong place! 😂🙈
I will try to add pictures now... wish me luck, lol!
Alison x

[Amethyst_ice]

Hello and welcome, DJ certainly seems like he is settling in well and will keep you on your toes!

As you already said, you should never interfere with a hamster in it's nest (unless for urgent medical reasons). It is their safe place, liken it to your parents barging into your room in the morning and pulling you out of bed! So try to avoid that.

You havent had him long so he will take a while to settle in and get his own routine.

A larger floor space over a higher cage would be better and tubes can be an issue for hamsters in terms of taming and ventilation.

What kind of hamster is DJ and what cage do you currently have?

Looking forward to meeting him

[AliP]

Thanks so much for your reply! Yes I was really annoyed with scott for messing with his bed on the first day 😢.... I don’t think he’ll be doing it again so that’s good!
DJ Cheeky is a Syrian hamster and the cage I currently have is a 60x40 cage with a plastic bottom, a cage top, and has a higher platform on one side, it also has a tube wrapped around the cage from one end to the other which he loves! I took photos to add to the post but I can’t work out how to post them! 😂
Today I have put an offer in for another cage that’s exactly the same, with the idea to put it on top and using the existing tubes on both cages to connect them?
I have also got him a slightly bigger wheel today as the other one made his back bend, but I will need to put this in a different place in the cage... will that be ok for him? And is it best to do it whilst he’s asleep or when he’s awake? I don’t want to distress him!
Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it. It’s so hard to get anything decent from google! X

[Amethyst_ice]

It would be more ideal to try get a cage with a larger floor space rather than 2 smaller cages linked. You can also fit more in and as you said, a wheel that makes their back bend is a serious issue.