All About My Pumpkin

[pinkneon]

She's SO cute!

[Thin Lizzy]

Such a wonderful bond you both have with each other. Superb progress SKB and such adorable pics of her and her hedgehog.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Thank You cypher, Pinkneon and Thin Lizzy .

Updates - A Busy Pumpkin

Pumpkin has been a busy girl lately - here is a few of the things she been up to.
Our bond is continuing to grow - Pumpkin is getting very confident with using me as a climbing frame during her playtimes and climbs up my arm to come out of her cage in the evenings - when she has a brief cuddle, a treat and gets to go in her ball which she has really been enjoying. On Sunday she had a very special treat of a piece of homegrown yellow carrot - which she loved. It was very sweet watching her emptying her food bowl the other day - stuffing her pouches full - when her bowl was empty she sat by it looking at me if to say "more?!".
Yesterday she has started to trying to find ways to escape her playpen so she can explore more of my room - so I have to keep a good eye on her watching what she does blocking of area which cause her interest - so far she has been unsuccessful - she might act all sweet and innocent but she is a little troublemaker.
Last night I caught Pumpkin doing monkey bars - this is something that scares and worries me - but she has a very good grip and did get down fairly safely - and she didn't just let go like Sherbet did. Hopefully monkey barring was a one off thing.
Pumpkin is continuing to love her sand bath - it so cute watching her rubbing her side along the edge of the dish, having a wash and she still using it as her toilet - so she has one in her play area to use as a toilet when she out of her cage and it makes spot cleaning so much quicker and easier. So far she hasn't kicked all the sand out like some of my past Syrians did - she just seem to really enjoy the sand.

[cypher]

She's getting quite cheeky as well as being a very busy happy little girl by the sound of things
I think monkey barring is often just a bit of exploring & they give up on it after a while, hopefully she will I know how nerve wracking it can be to watch no matter how safe you've made the cage, she seems to have got the hang of things though, no pun intended lol!

[Thin Lizzy]

Sweet & Innocent, I know that look so well lol! When Harvey monkey bars, I always say to him to be careful and there has been a few times where I've trued to lift him of them but he holds on so tight. But, there has been a couple of occasions where he's let go and dropped into his substrate and then I tell him of for giving his mom more grey hairs lol!

[SKB_Hamsters]

Thank you cypher and Thin Lizzy. It was very nerve wracking watching her hang on to the bars, I kept saying to her "Pumpkin, Please get down safely", as I so wanted to give her a helping hand down but she was hanging onto the top cage door and the small front door has chews and cardboard attached to it which made it difficult to open. Luckily I haven't seen or heard her do the monkey bar since.

Originally Posted by cypher

she seems to have got the hang of things though, no pun intended lol!

This did make me laugh, but it did look like she did have the hang of things - she seems to hold on very tight which also helps as she also loves to climb the bars.


Pumpkin’s Playtimes

I decided on Thursday to try Pumpkin with a night time playtime at around 10:30pm instead on her playtime earlier in the day as she has become more interested in trying to escape the playpen or trying to chew my carpet. Pumpkin seems to be enjoying her playtimes at night as she has been running around, playing with her toys and climbing over me a lot more and also continuing to run at top speeds in her bucket wheel. This seems to be helping her calm her down in during the rest of the night and also reduce her bar chewing. She has been getting her treats during her play time including some porridge oats – as I forgot to make her porridge during the day so gave her some oats in the evening instead and also been allowing to help herself to a mealworm which she takes one out of the container and eats. It’s been nice seeing her having fun instead of working herself up trying to escape.

[cypher]

Your new routine seems to be working really well, as time goes on I'm sure she'll settle down more & stop the bar chewing & other silly antics, more fun less worry to come!
I can just imagine her helping herself to a mealworm

[Thin Lizzy]

Aww at Pumpkin taking a mealworm out of the container and eating it. She probably has more energy at night and having that playtime will definitely help. Bliss.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Thank You Cypher and Thin Lizzy


New Cage Layout and Sunday Treats

On Saturday, I cleaned Pumpkin’s cage and gave her a new cage layout as she was becoming bored of her current layout. Her substrates are Fitch and aspen mixed with back 2 nature pellets. I have switched a few of her toys with some different ones which she has been playing with during her playtimes. I also thought I would try Pumpkin with my DIY hamster house – which gives her plenty of room to make a big nest inside although she currently sleeps just inside the door – so she doesn’t miss a thing. Pumpkin didn’t mind me changing her cage layout and quickly adapted before falling asleep inside her house.

Sunday - Pumpkin got to try a new treat a piece of fresh pumpkin – which were left over after I carved a couple of pumpkins for Halloween. Once she found it in her cage she tried a little and as she thought it was really nice she ran off back to her house with it – were she ate a little more of it before she fell asleep with the piece of pumpkin next to her head –obviously to stop it from being taken away from her. She also got a piece of roast chicken which she also really enjoyed.

Here are a few photos of her new cage layout and a picture of Pumpkin enjoying Pumpkin!
(hopefully the pictures are working they might be really small - as it took multiple attempts and lots of resizing before it allowed me to attach them)

[pinkneon]

Awww sounds like she is having fun and enjoyed the pumpkin! We may get some pumpkins tomorrow to carve if we have time after my appointment. Didn't know you could give it to hamesters though - did you cook it or give it raw?