Grommits trials and tribulations

[Maz]

I've never seen Raffy poop either but there are some hamsters who will sit on a shelf and fling their poops out of the cage at you

 

[grommit217]

Haha that's crazy, little rascal!

 

[grommit217]

I've just found Grommit doing something and strangely it's upset me. There was a strange noise tonight because we turned the light out earlier. I found him behind his wheel that's mounted on his cage...biting the bars
I don't know whether it's because he wanted to go in his new playpen tonight but we didn't put him in there...or that he's missing something in his cage. I've never noticed him do this till tonight.
I feel really bad now. I know he'd been chewing his cardboard that is behind his house, it's to stop the bedding falling out.
Has he reached a certain age? I know someone will have the answer on here and reassure me....thanks in advance

 

[grommit217]

 

[Maz]

Cheeky boy! Does he want to come out again?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Wow, I have never seen Grommit poop. He tinkles in his sand bath

Perhaps he could have a word with Socks

 

[Socks' Mum]

He's a strong boy, easily all the way up to the roof. I stopped feeding Socks through the bars and it helped for the bar biting, but at one stage the whole of the front of his cage was covered in half chewed cardboard. The Perspex panels fro Viking Lazer help, but are quite expensive. I think often it's a phase and they stop, but working out what they want can be tricky. Socks goes into his playpen at the slightest sign of wanting an outing, races up and down 75cm plastic or cardboard tunnels and seems to settle. His wheel has helped too.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I've just found Grommit doing something and strangely it's upset me. There was a strange noise tonight because we turned the light out earlier. I found him behind his wheel that's mounted on his cage...biting the bars
I don't know whether it's because he wanted to go in his new playpen tonight but we didn't put him in there...or that he's missing something in his cage. I've never noticed him do this till tonight.
I feel really bad now. I know he'd been chewing his cardboard that is behind his house, it's to stop the bedding falling out.
Has he reached a certain age? I know someone will have the answer on here and reassure me....thanks in advance

It is worrying when they bar bite. Hopefully it's a temporary thing and once he's adjusted he'll stop. Sweet wee fellow Sometimes I think they like to say goodnight or goodbye just before you leave them to go to bed or out to work.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I've never seen Raffy poop either but there are some hamsters who will sit on a shelf and fling their poops out of the cage at you

Human, here

 

[RainbowBrite]

This does not mean Grommit is stressed. It could be he is trying to get your attention. Maybe he wants to go in his playpen, maybe he is asking for a treat. Please do not worry. He has a lovely big cage and a brilliant playpen.

I would try one of the cardboard boredom breakers and I am sure he would enjoy that. Here is a link to them.

Cardboard creations

This is a thread to show how many things you can make for your hamster or enclosure, out of cardboard :-) Cardboard is your friend.

thehamsterforum.com

 

[grommit217]

It is worrying when they bar bite. Hopefully it's a temporary thing and once he's adjusted he'll stop. Sweet wee fellow Sometimes I think they like to say goodnight or goodbye just before you leave them to go to bed or out to work.

It's odd because we don't normally see him unless we tempt him out with cucumber

 

[grommit217]

This does not mean Grommit is stressed. It could be he is trying to get your attention. Maybe he wants to go in his playpen, maybe he is asking for a treat. Please do not worry. He has a lovely big cage and a brilliant playpen.

I would try one of the cardboard boredom breakers and I am sure he would enjoy that. Here is a link to them.

Cardboard creations

This is a thread to show how many things you can make for your hamster or enclosure, out of cardboard :-) Cardboard is your friend.

thehamsterforum.com

That's reassuring, maybe he remembered his playpen from the night before...
I'll take look

 

[grommit217]

He's a strong boy, easily all the way up to the roof. I stopped feeding Socks through the bars and it helped for the bar biting, but at one stage the whole of the front of his cage was covered in half chewed cardboard. The Perspex panels fro Viking Lazer help, but are quite expensive. I think often it's a phase and they stop, but working out what they want can be tricky. Socks goes into his playpen at the slightest sign of wanting an outing, races up and down 75cm plastic or cardboard tunnels and seems to settle. His wheel has helped too.

We only feed him dried apple, and only when he's out before we go to bed, sort of a treat for being seen, we'll try process of elimination before stopping the apple

 

[RainbowBrite]

I just thought of something, maybe check if the wheel is spinning okay and the water bottle works just in case he was trying to tell you something.

 

[grommit217]

Thankyou I checked them last night. All good! X

 

[Socks' Mum]

I think the treats are a good thing. I started putting my hand into the cage to give Socks his treats so he wouldn't chew on the bars. They do love their dried apple!

 

[Socks' Mum]

That's reassuring, maybe he remembered his playpen from the night before...
I'll take look

It could be that he has incorporated the playpen as his territory and wants to scent mark there to keep other hamsters away. Like putting out parking cones ?

 

[Socks' Mum]

It was interesting to watch the elephant shrew in this documentary, maintaining her grass tunnels. Perhaps hamsters have a similar need to leave fresh scent around. Also, scent marking might attract potential mates https://ihavenotv.com/series/hidden-kingdoms

 

[Maz]

I think it sounds normal - he wants to come out into his nice big new playpen again! Raffy used to do this every night if he saw me and he was awake. It's to get your attention and say - I want to come out. Grommit is growing up and getting more confident, and sometimes, once they've had a taste of more space to roam - they keep wanting it!

 

[grommit217]

It could be that he has incorporated the playpen as his territory and wants to scent mark there to keep other hamsters away. Like putting out parking cones ?

I haven't found and wees or poops