Heeere's Kage - with a K

[Kage]

Yay! I was sat away from him, I'd had my eyes closed briefly, and when I looked his way I thought I saw him disappear into the Suite. Then I saw the bedding in the corner - his secret burrow had been disturbed.

I left the room for a couple of minutes and when I returned I saw he had walked along the Royal Thoroughfare to the opposite end. I sat waiting patiently, sunflower seed in between my fingers, and as he made his way back towards the Suite, I opened the cage door, gently pushed my hand inside. He simply watched as I held the treat for him. He walked towards me and took it, but wouldn't allow me to touch him. He didn't run away, simply dodged my fingers, and stood his ground.

I didn't attempt to touch him again. I knew he wasn't going to allow me to, and I didn't want to cause him any upset at all.

This is just the second time I've put my hand inside the cage with food in my hand. The first time was to retrieve a piece of banana I had dropped, and he took that from me aswell.

I am so happy about tonight, not just seeing him, but having him take the sunflower seed from me, not through the bars where he may feel safer, but inside his home, Kage's Kingdom, without any physical barriers. As far as I am concerned. this is another step forward in our relationship. Slowly, but surely. I'm not going to rush Kage. We'll take it at his pace, with me perhaps encouraging him a little, so we build up a trust between us.

It's times like tonight, albeit it 3 o'clock in the morning. that really makes me believe we are making progress, real progress, our way, slowly, surely

 

[Socks' Mum]

Things are going well. Once they trust you, hamsters are very affectionate animals

 

[Kage]

Last night was a memorable one for me. I was about to retire to bed, around 2am, maybe a little later, then I noticed Kage coming out from his secret burrow in the corner. I waited a while, then went over to join him. I watched him toy with a Whimzee, one from a pack that came the day before, then make his way to the far end of his kingdom. I had a plan.

I peeled a banana, which caught his attention, then cut a slice from it, cut that into four pieces and put them in my hand, or more precisely, my on fingers and slid my hand in through the door. I waited. I could see Kage was interested. He slowly made his way along, a little cautiously. I spoke to him softly, trying to assure him this wasn't a trick, and he took a piece before moving on. He ended up going into his Suite - the hideout to the left of his kingdom. I moved my hand closer, sure he couldn't resist the banana for long. I was right. Out he came, sniffing heading to my fingers and the banana, and took the remaining three pieces so gently. I wasn't sure whether he would nip my fingers thinking they were part of the treat, but he didn't.

I was thrilled. For me, that was another step in the right direction towards bonding with my new bestie. I'm still not going to rush him, taking things at his pace, but still encouraging him now and then. Of course I'm hoping, but supressing any expectations I might have... just in case.

Tonight, tomorrow night may see us take another step closer. We'll see. I'm not training him to jump through hoops; I'm encouraging him to form a bond with me, something a hamster would never do in the wild, with another species or one of his own kind, at least I don't think so. What we humans get hamsters to do is completely unnatural to them, but for us, and hopefully them too, so rewarding. Maybe, just maybe, we all appreciate someone or something nearby to share a life with. I know I do

 

[Kage]

Are domesticated hamsters likely to hibernate?

 

[Maz]

That sounds like real progress - one day at a time No domestic hamsters shouldn't hibernate. They can actually go into torpor if they get too cold, and rarely come out of it and survive. So the key to preventing that is to keep the room temperature above 16 degress centigrade.

Some people use the words hibernate and torpor interchangeably but essentially it is dangerous for domestic hamsters. I believe in the wild many hamsters don't survive hibernation if they go into it.

 

[Kage]

Kage posed for his first proper photo shoot this morning at around 3.30am. Because of the red lighting I use, most of them didn't turn out well, even with editing, but here's a couple of the better ones, one in colour, and one in black and white. The colour shot sees him peering out of his sand bath, which he loves, and obviously watching me watching him. In the background is his Half Moon Shack which he does go in, usually, I think to search for food and treats I've thrown in. The b&w photo sees him outside the hideout he uses the most when he's on top of the bedding.

A couple of nights ago, I put my hand inside his home to give him a treat. He took it, then instead of scampering awy he stayed around a while, brushing against my hand, seemingly quite comfortable and unperturbed, and that felt good to me. It gave me the feeling he's accepting me more. I do hope so

 

[Maz]

He’s gorgeous! He looks very happy- his ears are right up

 

[Kage]

He’s gorgeous! He looks very happy- his ears are right up

Thank you That means a lot to me.

 

[Kage]

Thoughts. Kage has been coming out later and later recently. Don't know why. Maybe he wants more time to himself. He surfaced this morning at 3.30am, went straight into the the Sovereign Suite - and stayed there. He managed to stop and pick up a piece of walnut I had put on his doorstep first though . I went to bed an hour later. If space to himself is what he wants, then staying up will only prevent him getting that. I'd love to know what he is thinking and his reasons behind his actions.

I did something a little different last night. I put a large empty coffee jar in his home on the Royal Thoroughfare facing the Suite. Maybe he was unsure of that. I placed four small pieces of banana inside, going from the mouth to the bottom. The nearest had gone when I took the jar out before I went to bed myself. Can't be sure whether it had dropped out or Kage had taken it. Either way, I didn't see him.

I'll probably leave him to his own devices earlier tonight/this morning. I won't know whether he'll appreciate that or not. Maybe it's time to get a camera and 'spy' on him.

I'll do a bit of spot cleaning before I feed him tonight - at the far end. He enjoys being at that end. Does a bit of digging, rather than burrowing. Maybe I'll find his toilet. Maybe I'll get a surprise and find him .

It seems it's all ifs and maybes with hamsters. We are all different, they are all different. What suits one, doesn't suit another. All I know is I'm trying, trying to do what's best for Kage, trying to get closer to him. Will that happen? Will he want that? Yes/no/maybe. But I still don't want to make him 'perform' for me if it doesn't suit his ways. All I can do is keep trying, encouraging him, and hope . I will always, always love him, come what may. That's a nailed on guarantee

 

[Maz]

Yes they are all different I think it's a good idea to give him a full night or two to himself though - he will build up confidence and may be more receptive to coming out after that

 

[Kage]

I wonder... I got up this morning, went outside to feed the birds and squirrels as I do every morning, then a while later, I witnessed something very unusual. I looked over at Kage's home, and couldn't quite believe my eyes.

It was half past ten in the morning and I saw one erect pair of ears and one handsome little face beneath them peering from his secret burrow in the corner. For a moment I just stared, wondering whether my eyes were deceiving me. I spoke to him, then I got up from where I was sitting and slowly made my way over to him, talking to him all the time.

Perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps I should have stayed where I was. But I was so surprised and overjoyed to see my little bestie at that time of day, I couldn't help myself. Unfortunately, Kage went into reverse gear and made his way back down his burrow.

I had heard him burrowing, but I never thought he was making his way upwards. Now I wonder, why? Why at that time in the morning did Kage decide to make an appearance?

We humans have a way of deciding for ourselves reasons why animals do what they do, and I dare say much of the time we are wrong. But I can't help wondering, as I have never seen Kage do this before... was he actually looking for me? Did he poke his sweet little nose out of the burrow in a way to say, "Hi. I haven't seen you for a while. How you doing?"

It's a lovely thought, I'm sure everyone will agree, but am I right, or, as usual, am I wrong?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Socks sometimes comes out for a drink during the day and is super wary during the long trip from his nest to the water bottle It is nice to see them up during the day

 

[Kage]

Yay! I finally got to attach the second extension (the one on the left) to Kage's Kingdom yesterday. He now has 5,800 sq cm of floor space, a good deal above the recommended size. It isn't the biggest enclosure, but it is big enough now. That should keep the critics at bay - for a while, at least, anyway. And I for one, have never seen an enclosure of a similar design.

I didn't see him last night, but it was clear he'd been exploring the new extension. He has a digging box at the front and he's clearly made himself busy in that during the night

I have one empty platform in place that will soon have a mini-slate mountain for him - one more substrate, and one to help keep his nails in trim. I've also put a piece of cork bark as a step up to the digging box. I don't like to think of His Fluffiness struggling

I don't know, but now he has more than the recommended floor space available to him, a good selection of enrichments, with one or two more to be added in the near future, I hope and pray he is one contented ruler of his own kingdom

 

[Maz]

That looks amazing! I do like the deep Perspex base with it. Lots of space and enrichment for him. I have never used one of these so I’m curious as to how the extensions attach. Assume they can only attach to one end or the other and not to each other or to the central part?

When these first came out we were trying to work out how the extensions worked (other than upwards which isn’t a good idea).

Also where are the doors please? Is there one in each extension and one in the middle? Or top opening?

 

[Kage]

The floor has tongue and groove fittings and slide together. You see the grey pillars on the corners of the extensions - they hold the perspex sections together - you slide the pillar onto "teeth" if you like.

The perspex sections slide onto the floor with similar tongue and groove fittings. The perspex sections can be screwed to the floor. The bars slide into the top of the perspex and are held in place with the black pieces you see in the top corners. There are also similar black pieces for straight joins.

The roof sections are held on with rotating clips so you can keep them secure and take them off as needed.

There are three doors, one came with the original cage and that is in the middle. One door came with each extension, and I have placed them just either side of the door in the centre - the front door if you like. You can put the door section where ever is convenient. So in the alcove there are three doors, one either side, one centre.

You can add on as much as you like, outwards, upwards I did nearly attach the second extension to the first to make one large square, but that would have made more work strengthening the fame the cage stands on, and it would have made it impossible for me to reach to the back wall, particularly at the bottom for cleaning. I need the space in the middle - I've got short arms and short legs you see!

Some reviews I have seen say these enclosure are unstable, but I say, put together properly, and on a firm base, and you have one very well made enclosure. Firm, solid structure, though I wouldn't attempt moving it on my own, not even before the extensions were added! Ferplast have produced what I believe to be magnificent pieces of engineering.

Personally, I love the set-up. I only hope Kage does too.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I'm sure Kage is enjoying it very much

 

[Kage]

That looks amazing! I do like the deep Perspex base with it. Lots of space and enrichment for him. I have never used one of these so I’m curious as to how the extensions attach. Assume they can only attach to one end or the other and not to each other or to the central part?

When these first came out we were trying to work out how the extensions worked (other than upwards which isn’t a good idea).

Also where are the doors please? Is there one in each extension and one in the middle? Or top opening?

If you'd like to see how it's constructed go to YouTube and tap in "Multipla Hamster Large by Ferplast - Assembly Turotial. They make is look sooo easy It has some nice music to accompany it too

 

[Maz]

Thank you

 

[Kage]

As usual when I got up this morning I walked over to Kage's Kingdom to look for clues as to what he's been up to. Sure enough he'd taken his treats of sunflower seed from the pot on the doorstep of the Sovereign Suite, and he'd had the pieces of pear on his royal jam jar lid. He'd busied himself in the new extension I attached recently. What I also saw was the complete mess he'd made with the bedding near the Half Moon Shack. It was piled high, the Shack had sunk, and the ladder was tipped over and resting on the side of his sand bath



Is this the kind of behaviour I have to expect from His Fluffiness? To the right of the Shack is the burrow in the far right corner where he burrows down and makes his way along the end wall to his new sleeping quarters under the Big Red Wheel at the front of the extension. He used to sleep at the left hand end near the Sovereign Suite, but for some reason he hasn't told me about, he decided on the move, though I do know he enjoys being near the wheel, climbing up the back of it, and napping on top of the bedding.

He used to dig under the Sovereign Suite on the left hand end. That hideout used to dip until I levelled it up. Maybe he's dug down again, maybe this, maybe that. I really do have to get that camera - and soon. In the last five nights I've seen him just twice. I've been staying up till 3 am (ish). This is something I'm trying to come to terms with - seeing him only occasionally.

I doubt I'll ever give up hoping we can get more sociable. I have a play pen I made for him from acrylic sheets and enrichments to keep him active and amused if I ever get him there. There isn't the space in his Kingdom for any of them, but if he's happy and contented as he is, then who am I to question? There's little chance of me taking him for granted - I don't see him often enough , but when he does grace me with his presence, I appreciate him all the more.

Bless my little bestie. May his life be long, healthy, and happy

 

[Socks' Mum]

It's amazing how different each hamster is. Yes, the camera will reveal some interesting goings on . If I didnt sleep next to Socks' cage, I would only see him during his weekly cage clean and when he comes out to pouch his veggies in the evening. Pouch full, he heads back to bed. It may mean Kage is rather contented in his cage. When Socks was young, he got up at about ten and spent a few hours bar climbing and bar biting. I had a stock of cardboard at hand to replace what he had shredded to save his teeth. Eventually I put up acryllic sheets and they stopped him from chewing the bars