Charlie's thread

[Pebbles82]

Thank you RH - it was access to the food and water that was the issue really - he is on top of about 6" of substrate in his cage and he couldn't manage to walk on it. I've managed to get it close enough now though providing I keep swapping baby food lids a few times a day.

[cypher]

It is hard to know what to do but you can only try what you think best so don't feel bad for moving his nest, I'm sure he doesn't mind the invasion with you putting food in for him, they do seem to know when we're only trying to help even if we don't get it right first time!
Good to hear you're managing the food & water ok for him now, hopefully that will continue to work, it's good to have the hospital cage just in case you do have to use it but I think Charlie's probably happier to stay in his familiar surroundings if he can.

[Pebbles82]

Thank you Cypher. I do worry because I am not very good with my hands sometimes! I put a bit of cucumber in and then worry that it might fall on him and make him damp - then if I poke it around a bit to move it I'm hassling him. Anyway I don't think he noticed that this morning so hopefully he will find it when he wakes up.

Today I have a large dustproof dust-sheet wrapped around Charlie's cage. We've been having central heating fitted and it's been a quiet clean job so far, but today was s bit dusty as they had to take up some floorboards. It was only for a short time though and the dust sheet seems to have done the trick (it's breathable and dustproof - no idea how they achieve that! But I guess it's the same idea as Goretex. I got one in for a decorating job and hadn't used it. Unfortunately we didn't have a choice as to when they were doing the job.

[racinghamster]

Speaking of water bottles and dishes becoming an issue for older hamsters, I have one of those bird cage water feeders that I always kept hold of. You know the ones that have a clear tubular top and they fit into a coloured base that has the `lip` that goes through the bird cage bars and clips on from the outside? Don`t have an image right now but they seem to work a bit like chicken water feeders. The water is retained in the clear part above, but only a channel of water appears in the `lip` that juts out from the base, so the birds can scoop up the water as they drink and as the lip of water gets lower, it automatically fills again. I wonder of one of those would work inside a hamster cage if it was lowered down and secured by Velcro or wire? I think I held onto mind incase I ever wanted to use it for this purpose, but thankfully never had to as all of my hamsters water bottles were held in a plastic contraption that I made from a Savic Rody cage. I will explain....

I took that long plastic inner part that comes with the Savic Rody and using a sharp Stanley knife, marked only the part that held the water bottle and snapped off the other part. I was then left with just the smaller part that held the water bottle and I slotted this inside the Gabber Rex tank (just as you would the Rody tank) and the lid and base of the cage hold it in place. You then have a bottle holder INSIDE your cage that is always low enough for even a robo to drink from. I`ve used this for numerous hamsters and it works a treat. I like the fact that because it`s inside the cage, there is no requirement to have the bottle hanging from the bars or from an existing hole in a perspex cage that can sometimes be too high up.

Problem is, finding the spare plastic part from the Savic Rody though...I was lucky I had two of these cages a while back so managed to salvage the plastic pieces that come with the cage and modify them.

[Pebbles82]

Thank you RH. I did send for one of those bird feeders but couldn't get it to stand up. Charlie's house is like a house within a small wood cage really. He nests in a compartment that is the size of a standard type hamster house and the door from that leads to a larger compartment. So it's all wood. I've been putting things either side of the door to the nesting area so they meet in the middle and are both accessible - but that blocks the doorway - I suppose I could try taping the bird feeder to the wood. But at the moment the toilet roll tube bottle holder is well placed - and anything open with water in kept getting full of substrate. I'm giving cucumber every day, as advised because he doesn't seem to want to use a bottle any more. I'm not sure if he used the dish of water or not but it kept getting substrate in it.

[Coco61]

Sounds as though you are doing everything possible for our favourite grumpy old man ham. Glad he perked up after his long sleep on you. Very sweet. I am sure cucumber is fine. Hams going to shows have that all day for water and no bottles.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Sorry to hear that Charlie wasn't his self yesterday - but it sounds like he enjoyed your company and comfort. But I'm glad to hear he came round after his sleep. It is really difficult to know what best for them when they get older.

[Pebbles82]

Thank you SKB. My toilet roll bottle holder had started disintegrating. I've made another one from a cut down small mineral water bottle with stones in the bottom to weigh it down. Little boy doesn't know yet that I have used one of his bags of gem stones to weigh the bottle down - he won't miss it though - and he can have them back when I get something else sorted. They look rather nice through the clear bottle. Stand is more effective and the spout is right next to his entrance door. I was going to make another toilet roll inner one but would you believe our current pack of toilet rolls has ridiculously small tubes in! I thought they were all a standard size. Don't these manufacturers realise that hamster owners and crafts people everywhere are totally dependent on toll roll inners being a standard size?!

Anyway I lowered the substrate very slightly beyond his nest room and firmed it down and sunk his potty in it so it's level with the substrate - so if he does come out it should be easier to walk on. I don't think he does come out though, so I will check on him again in the morning. He has his lid of food the other side of the door - partly over the entrance so he can reach it from his nest. And a raisin. He ate some of the baby food I put out earlier which is good. Parsnip seems to be the only one he'll eat at the moment. Just been playing some music to him before I go to bed. I am pooped. Can't get anything done all day with engineers in the house so keep being up late - sleep deprived So took me an hour to make a bottle holder And I have to be a contortionist to do anything inside his house.

[Pebbles82]

Before going to bed I did lift him out for a while. He is still weak and wobbly but he sat on my hand and ate a piece of chicken from my other hand. He then had a sleep under my bodywarmer again against my chest, so he was cosy and getting my body warmth and could feel my heart beating - and I could feel his heart beating. He slept there for quite a while and then I popped him back in his nest.

I think he needs that bit of comfort and someone holding food for him is easier too.

[cypher]

Lovely that the two of you are having those special cosy times together, I'm sure Charlie must really appreciate that time.
Sounds as though you've done a great job with making things as easy as possible for him now.

Hope you got some much needed sleep!