F
Frida
Yes I am able hold and stroke Albert. He is very friendly and loves cuddles. You need to be patient and go at your hamsters pace when it comes to taming. You'll get there in the end.
A
albert's owner
Hello, my hamster's name is also Albert. I'm new to the forum. Nice to meet you. 
F
Frida
Hello, I love the name AlbertHello, my hamster's name is also Albert. I'm new to the forum. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too. What breed of hamster do you have?
A
albert's owner
Hello, I have a hybrid dwarf hamster.Hello, I love the name Albert
A
albert's owner
your little Albert is so cute
F
Frida
Thank you. Have you got some pics of your Albert on the forum?your little Albert is so cute
F
Frida
I got a message from Albert...
The photo below is of the gap between Albert's carrot cottage and his lava ledge. The other day I spotted Albert jumping from the carrot cottage to the lava ledge. He did it without any problems and was very pleased with himself. I'm guessing it's not the first time he's done it.
So my mind was doing overtime worrying what if Albert hurts himself
I know I'll make him a small bridge 
(sorry I haven't got a photo of the bridge because it's in the bin now).
Late last night I was sitting on the sofa catching up on a few messages on my phone. I looked up and Albert was sitting at the front of is cage looking at me. I got the feeling by the way he was sitting and looking at me he wasn't happy. I was talking to him but he wasn't responding to my voice like he normally does. As soon as I got up from the sofa he ran to the back of his cage and sat on his carrot cottage next to the bridge I'd made him. Albert kept looking at me and then he looked at the bridge and back at me again. I knew straight away that he wasn't happy with the bridge but I thought I might be able to talk him round. I asked him to just try the bridge once and said you might like it. To my surprise Albert walked over the bridge. I told Albert he was a good boy and put some of his favourite seeds on the bridge as a reward. I said good night and I love you and went to bed.
This morning I got up to find all his favourite seeds still on the bridge. So that's a big fat NO from Albert. As I said above the bridge is now in the bin.
Underneath the shredded toilet paper between his carrot cottage and lava ledge there is a tunnel entrance so he will have a soft landing if he crash lands.
When I went in his cage this morning to remove the bridge he didn't come out to investigate but I bet he was laying in his nest thinking hahaha she's got the message...
The photo below is of the gap between Albert's carrot cottage and his lava ledge. The other day I spotted Albert jumping from the carrot cottage to the lava ledge. He did it without any problems and was very pleased with himself. I'm guessing it's not the first time he's done it.
So my mind was doing overtime worrying what if Albert hurts himself
I know I'll make him a small bridge (sorry I haven't got a photo of the bridge because it's in the bin now). Late last night I was sitting on the sofa catching up on a few messages on my phone. I looked up and Albert was sitting at the front of is cage looking at me. I got the feeling by the way he was sitting and looking at me he wasn't happy. I was talking to him but he wasn't responding to my voice like he normally does. As soon as I got up from the sofa he ran to the back of his cage and sat on his carrot cottage next to the bridge I'd made him. Albert kept looking at me and then he looked at the bridge and back at me again. I knew straight away that he wasn't happy with the bridge but I thought I might be able to talk him round. I asked him to just try the bridge once and said you might like it. To my surprise Albert walked over the bridge. I told Albert he was a good boy and put some of his favourite seeds on the bridge as a reward. I said good night and I love you and went to bed.
This morning I got up to find all his favourite seeds still on the bridge. So that's a big fat NO from Albert. As I said above the bridge is now in the bin.
Underneath the shredded toilet paper between his carrot cottage and lava ledge there is a tunnel entrance so he will have a soft landing if he crash lands.
When I went in his cage this morning to remove the bridge he didn't come out to investigate but I bet he was laying in his nest thinking
hahaha she's got the message...
R
RainbowBrite
You tried to help Albert but he wanted to do things the hard way. He is so good at communicating with you.
M
Member ID2
Is it because of the tunnel entrance that you can't move the carrot house next to the lava ledge?
One solution would be a small degus shelf attached to the bars between house and ledge. I use those quite a lot.
One solution would be a small degus shelf attached to the bars between house and ledge. I use those quite a lot.
M
Member ID2
Mind you, it would spoil his fun of jumping and he's going to have a soft landing should he ever misjudge the distance.
F
Frida
I tried moving his carrot cottage next to lava ledge and he went crazy. I was thinking of getting a ledge. I don't know what Albert would think to that. He likes to take risks. I don't know how he does it but even on a Trixie wheel he managers to jump through the hole on the side while the wheel is still turning and jump back in. He's a rebel...
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That's an option - to put another lava ledge next to the first one, maybe slightly below so they're like steps down. And leave a smaller gap so he can still jump. But to be honest if he likes jumping from one to the other then it's probably fine as it is - it's not far to fall and plenty of soft bedding underneath.
F
Frida
Yes he would have a soft landing.
The funny thing is he's got another tunnel entrance in front of his main house. He jumps head first off his house straight down into the tunnel.
I think he loves the adrenaline rush.
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- 1,373
He sounds happy and confident and enjoying his cage I think they like to have fun. Our first Syrian had an open wood trixie wheel and he used to like running really fast for a while then leaping out of it and flopping on the substrate and just lying there. Then same again - you could see he was just having fun. Which is why I had to leave quite an open area of substrate in front of the wheel so he could keep doing it!
I think they like to have fun. Our first Syrian had an open wood trixie wheel and he used to like running really fast for a while then leaping out of it and flopping on the substrate and just lying there. Then same again - you could see he was just having fun. Which is why I had to leave quite an open area of substrate in front of the wheel so he could keep doing it!
F
Frida
I know we've talked about this before but I need to talk about it again because I'm worried I'm not doing things right with Albert.
Albert pees in more than one area of his cage. The area I'm worried about is in his burrow /nest area. As you all know he's very protective of his burrows and nest. The last time I checked that area there wasn't much pee stained bedding (last week). I don't like to keep disturbing that area because I know it upsets Albert. But I'm also worried about hygiene.
How long do you all think I could leave it before checking and cleaning out that area?
I've got myself in a right anxious mess because I don't want to do the wrong thing and upset Albert.
The other pee areas are:
- sand bath (cleaned once a week)
- wheel (cleaned 1-2 times a week)
- surface hides (cleaned when needed)
It's the burrow/nest area I'm worried about.
Sorry I'm waffling on now...
Albert pees in more than one area of his cage. The area I'm worried about is in his burrow /nest area. As you all know he's very protective of his burrows and nest. The last time I checked that area there wasn't much pee stained bedding (last week). I don't like to keep disturbing that area because I know it upsets Albert. But I'm also worried about hygiene.
How long do you all think I could leave it before checking and cleaning out that area?
I've got myself in a right anxious mess because I don't want to do the wrong thing and upset Albert.
The other pee areas are:
- sand bath (cleaned once a week)
- wheel (cleaned 1-2 times a week)
- surface hides (cleaned when needed)
It's the burrow/nest area I'm worried about.
Sorry I'm waffling on now...
R
RainbowBrite
I would let your nose be your guide. Once you can smell pee then I would change those bits of bedding. Albert will be fine so there really is nothing to worry about. You take wonderful care of him.