My beautiful 9 week old syrian male and a few questions

[Bekki2308]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=9oblc-4jzJ0

Here he is, I have decided that he is to be called Stewart

I have decided that his birthday is to be celebrated on 3rd october as thats 9 weeks back from today

He is my first ever hamster bought from a local pet store with a good rep

How long do they take the settle in and fully explore their cage? The hamster has two cages connected together with tubing (only one is shown on this) and he hasnt been in the other cage yet , and how long do they take to learn where things like the water bottle are ? He hasnt shown any interest in his bottle at all so I gave him a dish of water for now.

Is his behaviour normal for having been home with me for 3 hours?

He is on dust extracted shavings, but only once ... they are killing my chest! Megazorb will be purchased and hopefully that is better.

[jasperandseth]

He is such a cutie!

Well, i recently brought a hamster about a week or two ago now! (feels like forever a go!) and he was also a syrian, and since your one is very confident i should say he'll settle in fine after a week or two as well. Also you sometimes find they dont explore tubes until they are properly settled in and usually explore when you're asleep its only been three hours so it may take him a while! They learn pretty quick where everything is but they explore in their own time, if he needs water im sure he'll soon sniff out the water bottle, but maybe move it too the bottom part of the cage if you can since he is already their.
His behavior is perfectly normal! he just looks as if he is checking everything you got him out

Give him at least a week to settle and im sure you'll find that he goes upstairs soon enough

[Bekki2308]

Thanks

I just needed some reassurance , I picked him from the store as he was happy being handled and climbing all over me and into my hand bag and up my arms and stuff so I knew he was a lively confident one there is food and water in both cages so even if he stays in one for ages he has everything he needs but there is no hidey house in the cage he is in at the moment, he needs to use the tubes!

[StarlightSerenity]

Hi and welcome to HC Steward is very handsome

You should leave him be for a couple of days, try to keep noise around him down a bit and what have you. He will find his water bottle, food, second part of his cage and everything in good time. They don't drink much or eat a great deal in all honesty.

Just wanted to point something out - his wheel is much, much too small. They only Flying Saucer large enough for a Syrian is the large, 12inch one. Syrian hamsters need wheels that are at least 8inches, even when they are still babies. Small wheels cause serious back problems.

What size are his cages combined? It's hard to tell from the video but the one he was in in the video looked exceptionally small, certainly if he is still a baby and not fully grown yet (as in comparing him to the cage if you see what I mean).

I wouldnt worry about him not having a nest box (at least not finding it for a while), a lot of hamsters will have open nests instead of using proper houses (typical! I've tried five different types, Luna prefered an open nest until I gave her a cardboard box lol).

Good luck with him, doesn't sound like you will need any taming tips!

[Bekki2308]

Hi all

I have an 8 inch purple wheel ready to go in his cage in the spot where the flying saucer is I wanted him to get him out of his box and give him water and food rather than faff with attaching a new wheel and leaving him longer in his box (he spend a few hours in his box ). At his first cage clean his wheel is going in.

I have seen him take water from the bowl and "eat" (or put in his cheeks) food

The cage you see is (LxWxH cm) 40 x 30 x 37 and the cage connected to it is 50 x 36 x 23 (combined 90 x 66 x 60) and if I see another wire and yellow cage going cheap I have two more connector plates and spare tubing to connect another cage up and I have space to do it. I keep checking flea bay

Ill try him with some houses but mine are all too small for him any recomendations ?

[RachK]

Bekki I wouldn't worry about a nest box too as Starlight as already said). My two Syrians just sleep in a huge pile of tissue paper in a corner of their cages.

He is a stunning little man. Just so cute & chubby looking.

[Bekki2308]

Thank you I could get some of those folding logs things and see what he thinks of those theyre only cheap and if he doesnt like them then piggies can have them

I see you live quite close, is there places you recommend for getting hammies from?

I fell in love as soon as I handled him , he was the second one I handled hes gorgeous! and my first tiny fury ever!

[RachK]

Bekki, Poppy & Hamlet were both from the adoption Centre in P@H. Cookie I adopted from my nephew. However if you ever want a Winter White Dwarf get down to Darlo, my local Pet Shop gets them from a local breeder.
My son did get one of his Syrians from Great Ayton RSPCA.
I'm sure there are breeders of Syrians around here but I've never looked them up.

[Bekki2308]

Heres his 8 inch wheel - its identical to the one that he had in the pet store and he was instantly on it despite my hands being in his cage he was crazy exploring on it and he pushed it around the cage

Oooh have you a name Rach of the store?

and here is a quick tour of both of this cages so you lot can see both cages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuV-K4GsBmI

[RachK]

Becki it is Cockerton Aquatics & Pets. It's just a few minutes walk from my house.