Chumlee 🐹

[Hammy Chum]

Chumlee update - this is 100% his door now, sigh haha



Once he did pop out in the morning through the roof hole but I think thats more an exit point. I did have a cheeky look in the nest roof yesterday while he was on his wheel and I think he's hardly been in the main two chambers at all in a week?? I've tried obviously all old nest material from last cage, smelly treats to tempt (he just eats them and exits!), turning lid round so darker....

Not sure what to do. Main concern is a) huge (and expensive haha!) 3 chamber hut taking up lots of room in cage b) no idea where is actual nest is (although I think its just down said hole as we can see a fluffy bum sleeping!) - for cleaning etc.

I could move the hut a little closer but would mean a big move around, as the stilts mean it cant go close the the corner currently (hence the run around as thought he's get stuck in a tiny gap)

He did obviously have a much smaller nest hut in his last cage so I'm wondering if he's just used to a hole??

Should we just get used to the fact ham gonna ham?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Ham gonna ham He could be using the main house for his stash and loo although these may be underground Then you can clean without opening his nest. Just a possibility. He is so cute

 

[Hammy Chum]

Ham gonna ham He could be using the main house for his stash and loo although these may be underground Then you can clean without opening his nest. Just a possibility. He is so cute

He doesnt ever seem to have much of a stash?? Think hes just a piglet and eats it all haha. There wasnt anything really when we moved cage.

And he mostly does his 'business' in his sand bath or wheel....

He definitely doesnt seem to like the main door for some reason.....

 

[Socks' Mum]

You are lucky, using his sand bath for all his ablutions is great. Having more than one entrance makes sense if you need an emergency exit to your burrow, I suppose

 

[Maz]

It's still early days I'd give it more time. It can take them a good couple of weeks to settle in properly after a cage move. But even so he is still enjoying the house and working things out. It's a shelter in front of his tunnel! And if he's popped out of the roof I suspect he may just burrow under the house and yes, use it as an exit or porch. Even if they burrow underground they still like to have something overhead when they emerge.

After a couple of weeks, if things are still the same, you could maybe tweak things a bit. If you did want to fit it into the corner, you could have one leg actually inside the house between room partitions, toward the front, plus the other three on the outside - maybe one at each end (near the front of the ends to avoid the curved base) and one at the front. As long as there is one inside the house near the middle, it'll stand up fine - and the substrate around the legs will keep it firm too

Hard to explain but that's what I have to do with my current house to have it against the back of the cage.

Alternatively you could have the back of the house resting on the top of the base - the little lip - and the legs sides and front (again the side ones would need to be near the front) - I've done that before as well. Although that was in a different cage - the lip on the Plaza isn't quite as deep but it might work.

 

[Socks' Mum]

That sounds like a good idea, moving the legs. It is very useful to have the nest and store in the house to make access for cleaning simpler. Socks did both in his chamber house but when I increased the depth of the bedding, extensions started to appear and surprising underground routes. I think it depends on the weather as well, as sleeping on the surface is quite nice in warm weather.

 

[Hammy Chum]

Chum update - he still seems to be firmly using his hole and not his lovely new chamber house. The hole goes down to the back of the cage I think! My only concern is cleaning out - I havent yet since cage move but if he's down there its going to be impossible to get to without taking the chamber house out and destroying nest probably in process. He's def pooing down there - if not everything else too.

Might try and move the house I guess and fiddle with the legs while he's out of the cage next - feel bad as he obviously like the tunnel though! He's just not taken to the house being where it is??

Here's his fluffy lordship being chill:

 

[Socks' Mum]

What a lovely tummy lovely photo

 

[Maz]

He really does have a gorgeous fluffy tummy It's still early days And yes he probably will stay there for now as he will have been a bit disorientated when he first moved in and probably went for the most secluded corner/area, went down the tunnel and stayed there. I bet you're regretting putting that tunnel there ha ha!

Do you know if he is peeing anywhere obvious? Sand bath maybe? Or another corner of the cage? If he has an obvious toilet, I wouldn't worry too much about him being where he is just yet. If he doesn't and could be peeing in his nest, then after the two week mark, then yes I would lift the house and tunnel out and investigate down there. If he's peeing and hoarding down their and the hoard is pee soaked, you will have to clean that area out. But if you can save a tiny bit of nest or hoard that is still dry, then try and save that even if it's slightly whiffy (but not wet). Then when you move the house further back, put the saved bit of nest and hoard in one of the rooms in the house.

I know it's such a hassle having to mess about with the legs and move the house - I found that before. But once it's done, it stays put! Do you have any kind of sand potty as well? I can't remember.

 

[Maz]

I've just noticed, Chumlee's thread is in the Introductions section rather than the Syrian Hamster section so I'll move it - you'll get a link to show where it is! But it's this section

Syrian Hamsters

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Hammy Chum]

I've just noticed, Chumlee's thread is in the Introductions section rather than the Syrian Hamster section so I'll move it - you'll get a link to show where it is! But it's this section

Syrian Hamsters

www.thehamsterforum.com

Thank you!!

 

[Hammy Chum]

He really does have a gorgeous fluffy tummy It's still early days And yes he probably will stay there for now as he will have been a bit disorientated when he first moved in and probably went for the most secluded corner/area, went down the tunnel and stayed there. I bet you're regretting putting that tunnel there ha ha!

Do you know if he is peeing anywhere obvious? Sand bath maybe? Or another corner of the cage? If he has an obvious toilet, I wouldn't worry too much about him being where he is just yet. If he doesn't and could be peeing in his nest, then after the two week mark, then yes I would lift the house and tunnel out and investigate down there. If he's peeing and hoarding down their and the hoard is pee soaked, you will have to clean that area out. But if you can save a tiny bit of nest or hoard that is still dry, then try and save that even if it's slightly whiffy (but not wet). Then when you move the house further back, put the saved bit of nest and hoard in one of the rooms in the house.

I know it's such a hassle having to mess about with the legs and move the house - I found that before. But once it's done, it stays put! Do you have any kind of sand potty as well? I can't remember.

He was peeing in his sandbath before - not certain now. And occasionally on wheel! But yes, I think he could be peeing in nest - yes. So it will have to be investigated! Can smell a bit of pee but not sure where its coming from!

He's been in this cage for a week and a half so far?

 

[Maz]

Some people would spot clean the pee now, if they knew where it was I think if you can't smell any then I'd give him the full two weeks!

 

[Hammy Chum]

Some people would spot clean the pee now, if they knew where it was I think if you can't smell any then I'd give him the full two weeks!

If I knew where it was, I might haha! Get a faint whiff occasionally but def not too bad.

 

[Hank]

Such cute pictures of him looking out of his tunnel and drinking

 

[Hammy Chum]

Chum's new sandbath has arrived! got it custom made from a lovely etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Cococreationsforyou?ref=profile_header)

He did love his dog bowl haha but the sand was going EVERYWHERE so hoping the higher sides help.

I have also (gulp) decide to get a new chamber house - one that fits right in the corner so hopefully, he uses it. it will have two chambers. Trying to clean out where his fluffy lordship is now is a nightmare (basically will have to pretty much take the current house and half the cage out to get to it!)

He just doesnt seem to like the large Henrys one we got him - he doesn't even seem to like sitting on it or going in at all, and im 80% sure he's not burrowed up into it either. Its taking up so much space at the moment especially as it isnt up to the edges of the cage (and the dowling is WEDGED on)

 

[Maz]

That's a great sand bath! It looks like an interesting place for him to go as well as being a sand bath They are such funny little things! I hope he likes the new house! Which one is it? Maybe he's decided he prefers living under houses and has become a burrower - but if it's right in the corner it should work over his nesting area

 

[Socks' Mum]

Lovely sand bath Looking forward to seeing the new house

 

[Hammy Chum]

just added a screen behind too!

this is the design for the new house:



(making it bespoke)

He is 100% a burrower. Thats what he did in his old house in last cage - went in the door but burrowed. But he loves the corner. So hoping this will be a good measure!!

 

[Socks' Mum]

Super, looking forward to seeing it all set up