🐹 Oreo 🥰

[Member ID2]

I rely on my (big) nose so wouldn't worry after only a week.

Oreo is absolutely adorable. He is such a little cutie.

 

[orangetails]

Cool, thanks guys. I have a very sensitive sense of smell, so I can't see that it can be too bad at all for him in there as I think I would pick up on it. He is slowly gaining confidence so I really don't want to disturb him if I don't have to... but it's the first time I have used this sort of bedding/substrate, and also my previous hamster used one of the sections of his hide so it was very easy to spot-clean without disturbing him!

Shall I basically leave him til I can start to smell pee?!

 

[orangetails]

He is super-cute... I got an adorable little video of him munching a sunflower petal last night!

 

[Member ID2]

I discreetly check when they are out of their cage. Take the top of the house for a peek, feel and sniff, go around the cage sniffing corners and stick fingers into the substrate to feel for dampness or rammage around a little.
Are you planning on offering out of cage time in a playpen or secure freeroaming area?
Is it Kaytee clean and cozy you are using? If yes, it does absorb moisture really well. I'd wait until you either can smell wee or Oreo wants out of cage time.
Where is his toilet located? You may have explained that already but my memory is hibernating.

 

[orangetails]

I discreetly check when they are out of their cage. Take the top of the house for a peek, feel and sniff, go around the cage sniffing corners and stick fingers into the substrate to feel for dampness or rammage around a little.
Are you planning on offering out of cage time in a playpen or secure freeroaming area?
Is it Kaytee clean and cozy you are using? If yes, it does absorb moisture really well. I'd wait until you either can smell wee or Oreo wants out of cage time.
Where is his toilet located? You may have explained that already but my memory is hibernating.

He hasn't really come out of his cage yet - he let me take him out on Mon eve (I only got him Sunday) but I think it was too soon as then he went all shy and I didn't see him til Thurs! Now he tends to very shyly pop out about 10pm when it all goes quiet as I shut down for bed... I do have a little playpen for him attached to his cage (cage is on the floor) so he could have free choice, but he hasn't been in it yet apart from that first bit of handling on Monday evening when I popped him in there for a look round.

I've taken the top of the hide off a few times and there is nothing in there at all - I can see under the back corner he has tunnelled down right into the very very back corner of his cage.... His food store is def down there as I can hear him stirring and having some tea in the early evening I am guessing he must be toileting down there too as there is no sign anywhere else in his cage (typically, as other areas are easier to access!) I am already *hating* the plaza for access..! I don't think I will be able to rummage in the substrate back there at all without dragging the whole thing out and lifting the top off

Yes kaytee clean and cosy. So hopefully I can just leave him to get a bit braver?

 

[Member ID2]

Oh yes, i forgot about the adjoining playpen. I think it will be fine to leave it for now.

A week is still very early days.

 

[Roza]

I honestly wouldn’t worry about him. He sounds like he is living the dream and loving life. They normally let u know when they want more x

 

[orangetails]

Oh yes, i forgot about the adjoining playpen. I think it will be fine to leave it for now.

A week is still very early days.

Fab thanks. I do hope he'll get more confident soon I want to give him all the cuddles and love he was used to with his foster! But it is a big change for him, so I'll leave him be, I think it would be quite stressful to upset his burrows at this stage. I literally sit right over his cage so I would definitely notice it smelling

 

[Member ID2]

Fab thanks. I do hope he'll get more confident soon I want to give him all the cuddles and love he was used to with his foster! But it is a big change for him, so I'll leave him be, I think it would be quite stressful to upset his burrows at this stage. I literally sit right over his cage so I would definitely notice it smelling

You should see me sometimes. I literally stick my whole head into the Plaza and sniff in all directions.

It's a big change for him and he got used to his foster mum and her smell so it will take him a bit of time to get to know and trust you. I'm sure it will happen though. In the meantime you could put some tissue paper in your bra or up your sleeve for a few hours and then tear it into strips and leave it in his cage so he gets familiar with your smell.

Maybe this has been suggested already.

 

[Maz]

It hasn’t been that long. I would wait till you can smell something . He is probably peeing underground somewhere separately from where he is sleeping and hoarding. I’d give it another few days at least. And then have a poke around when he is out of the cage. It might set him back if it’s done while he’s in the cage and just just starting to feel at home.

I know the feeling of staying up late to talk to them! And IH’s feeling disgruntled

 

[orangetails]

I stayed up really late last night to see Oreo, typically he was super late coming out (he normally quietly appears about 10pm for a drink, and if I scatter food at that point he’ll stay out long enough to gather some before heading back to his burrow but that’s all I usually see of him!)

Yesterday he didn’t come out til nearly 11 but after he had his drink he was in the mood for an explore - he found his way out of his cage into his playpen for the first time! So I sat chatting with him for half an hour or so - he seemed quite interested in me. He didn’t like me trying to pick him up but he came onto my hand and was happy to have a little fuss on my lap then - I kept it short. Need to make my playpen bigger so I can actually get down in there and just let him climb on me!!

Anyway. Hopefully he is feeling more confident. I do hope he reverts to getting up earlier again though because even 10pm is late for me with my brain injury!

(Still no smell, still no cleaning out. He appears to have rearranged his burrows judging by the substrate pushed up! Maybe he’s cleaning..? Next time he’s confident out of the cage I’ll lift the multi chamber hide and see what’s going on - I have no idea how much of a food store he has or anything )

 

[RainbowBrite]

How exciting he sat on your lap for a little bit. You did well to stay up for him. Like you, I cannot stay up past 10. You take such beautiful pictures.

 

[elusive]

Lovely photos of Oreo.
It’s great that you got to spend some more time with him & he seems more confident with you now, hope he starts to come out a bit earlier for you soon too.
A lot of hamsters don’t like being picked up but if he climbs on to your hand you can just gently lift him that way & he should get more used to it.

 

[Maz]

Lovely photos It's great he can just walk out into the playpen. It sounds like it's going really well Rather than take the house out, I just stick my hand under the substrate and have a feel around

 

[Member ID2]

I love it when people are as sensitive towards their hamster's feelings as you are.

It often builds a good foundation for a strong bond to develop, going by my own experiences anyway.

Most hamsters don't like to get picked up at first but get used to it as they become more comfortable with their humans.

You must be so happy that your beautiful boy walks onto your hand and let's you stroke him.

 

[Jain]

I stayed up really late last night to see Oreo, typically he was super late coming out (he normally quietly appears about 10pm for a drink, and if I scatter food at that point he’ll stay out long enough to gather some before heading back to his burrow but that’s all I usually see of him!)

Yesterday he didn’t come out til nearly 11 but after he had his drink he was in the mood for an explore - he found his way out of his cage into his playpen for the first time! So I sat chatting with him for half an hour or so - he seemed quite interested in me. He didn’t like me trying to pick him up but he came onto my hand and was happy to have a little fuss on my lap then - I kept it short. Need to make my playpen bigger so I can actually get down in there and just let him climb on me!!

Anyway. Hopefully he is feeling more confident. I do hope he reverts to getting up earlier again though because even 10pm is late for me with my brain injury!

(Still no smell, still no cleaning out. He appears to have rearranged his burrows judging by the substrate pushed up! Maybe he’s cleaning..? Next time he’s confident out of the cage I’ll lift the multi chamber hide and see what’s going on - I have no idea how much of a food store he has or anything )

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So cute with Oreo looking over the tree branch very photogenic

 

[orangetails]

I love it when people are as sensitive towards their hamster's feelings as you are.

It often builds a good foundation for a strong bond to develop, going by my own experiences anyway.

Most hamsters don't like to get picked up at first but get used to it as they become more comfortable with their humans.

You must be so happy that your beautiful boy walks onto your hand and let's you stroke him.

I just hope I haven't blown it by getting him out to handle that first Monday evening... he didn't seem stressed and of course he is older and tame with his foster but I do worry I got a bit keen as he was so new with me.

Also a bit worried that if I regularly don't see him, it's going to be hard to build a relationship Hopefully he enjoyed the playpen time and will start to seek that out - he must realise that only gets opened as an option when I am in the room/the lights are on etc?! His foster said he would love the playpen/free roam opportunity

I keep reminding myself, it's not even two weeks yet

 

[orangetails]

How exciting he sat on your lap for a little bit. You did well to stay up for him. Like you, I cannot stay up past 10. You take such beautiful pictures.

He has posed beautifully a couple of times!

I'm going to try to reconfigure the playpen so I can sit on the floor with him next time and then he can have completely free choice whether he sits on me or not, that'll be nice for him I hope. I don't want to force him to have cuddles, but it's lovely to spend time with him!

 

[Hamster Haven]

I chat to Davy so much he goes back to bed

Cinnamon is pretty similar... he either is game for a play pen session or he doesn't want to hear from us and stays in his bedroom!

 

[Hamster Haven]

I stayed up really late last night to see Oreo, typically he was super late coming out (he normally quietly appears about 10pm for a drink, and if I scatter food at that point he’ll stay out long enough to gather some before heading back to his burrow but that’s all I usually see of him!)

Yesterday he didn’t come out til nearly 11 but after he had his drink he was in the mood for an explore - he found his way out of his cage into his playpen for the first time! So I sat chatting with him for half an hour or so - he seemed quite interested in me. He didn’t like me trying to pick him up but he came onto my hand and was happy to have a little fuss on my lap then - I kept it short. Need to make my playpen bigger so I can actually get down in there and just let him climb on me!!

Anyway. Hopefully he is feeling more confident. I do hope he reverts to getting up earlier again though because even 10pm is late for me with my brain injury!

(Still no smell, still no cleaning out. He appears to have rearranged his burrows judging by the substrate pushed up! Maybe he’s cleaning..? Next time he’s confident out of the cage I’ll lift the multi chamber hide and see what’s going on - I have no idea how much of a food store he has or anything )

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I would want to snuggle that cutie, too! It's so hard to be patient when they're that cute and soft.