Heeere's Kage - with a K

[Kage]

Bed for me at 11.30pm ish last night. Up and downstairs checking up on Kage at 2am. In the red light it's difficult to focus straight away. I walked slowly over to the Kingdom and found him with his back legs in his digging box and resting his front legs against the royal carriage aka the coffee jar.

He keeps storing more and more food in there. Huh! I wonder is it food he will eat or does he simply store it and decide later?

He didn't scuttle away straight away. It was lovely to see the little feller again. I had a little chat with him before he made his way to the Sovereign Suite.

I thought about finding something tasty to try and tempt him out, but I let him be. Maybe another time. Actually, definitely another time. Maybe early tomorrow morning. Maybe, maybe...

 

[Maz]

Glad you got to see him I keep a rat tube on top of the cage so I can grab it and offer it otherwise by the time you've fetched something they're gone again sometimes Maybe keep a pack of walnuts on top of the cage as well so you can put a treat in the taxi quickly.

 

[Kage]

Up again at 2am this morning. I found Kage in front of the Big Red Wheel. I didn't see him use it, but I did see him go behind it and spend some time there. He seems to like it there.

I intended giving his living quarters in the second extension a deep clean, and Kage seemed happy enough to let me. I took out the bedding, and still couldn't find his toilet which further increased my idea he points it out through the bars. No wet patches on the walls though. Who knows?

He did make his way into his favourite hideout, the Sovereign Suite while I was working away, but then he came to supervise the proceedings. I won't say he got in the way but he did come very close to me. I was tempted to try and stroke him but I left him alone. It's been quite a while since we got that close and I wasn't about to startle him.

After a time he disappeared into the Suite again, and not even a piece of banana could tempt him out, so I left some of the pieces on his doorstep and put one other in his new hideout-cum-royal carriage-cum-taxi if it's ever needed. It's there I usually put his veggies or pieces of fruit, and one more place he stashes food.

Left Kage to his own devices an hour later, cleaning done, time spent with Kage over. What next I wonder?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Glad you got close to Kage. You are being permitted into his nocturnal realm, quite exciting ❤

 

[Kage]

Yep, little by little. If getting out of his way then coming back once he's up works for him and me, then... I'm not holding my breath, and I'm not pushing, but... I'm hopeful...just that

 

[Maz]

He was keeping his eye on what you were doing - they sometimes follow your hand round anxiously - protective of their territory . I think you could have got him out at that point - for out of cage time - he may have walked into a tube - but when it’s not planned it sometimes doesn’t feel like the right time.

 

[Kage]

I hadn't even thought of getting him out. Cleaning, seeing him, and seeing how he reacted was the plan. I think we did okay

 

[Maz]

How is it going with Kage?

 

[Kage]

Well, we are living seperate lives. I don't wait up at night any more hoping to see him. Kage won't come out while I'm there - I've tried enough times to realise that now. He's making his own life now. I go upstairs by midnight each night, and leave him to it. He obviously prefers it that way, and I don't want him staying underground when he wants to come up, just because I'm in the way. That's not fair on him.

I did go back downstairs one night a few minutes after I gone up. I'd forgotten something - and the little...treasure - notice I used my word carefully - was up! Proof enough he wants me out of the way!

Sometimes around my bedtime I'll hear him shuffling, and I imagine that's his way of saying "Go to bed. I want my night time."

I come back down stairs during the night when I wake as I always to, 1) to check the room temperature and 2) in the hope of seeing him. Very often I do, but not always, but usually it's a fleeting look. When he spots me he's off into his favourite hideout.
He popped his head out from there one time I was watching to eat some porridge I'd left in a bowl on his doorstep. Another time I tried tempting him out with a piece of cucumber , but that didn't work. I'll keep trying though.

It's quite often I will come down and see him standing in his digging box with his front feet on the edge. His box is at the front of the second extension, the nearest place in his Kingdom to the living room door at the opposite end of the room. I don't know how long he does that for at any time. I wonder if he's heard something - me coming downstairs - and stands looking, or is that my imagination again? Whatever it is, he doesn't hang around once he's seen me.

So I've got myself a ghost hamster. I've seen that's the way with many domestic hamsters. Huh, we only get to hear of the little cute ones that love fuss from their humans. Ghost hamsters it seems turn their owners into ghost guardians.

I'm busy these days making the platform I'll put in front of his Kingdom for his playpen to stand on. It's taking time, but I want to get it right It's said hamsters behave differently in "out of cage time." I won't hold my breath, but I do live in hope that we might get that little bit closer.

We really are two peas in a pod - living at opposite ends . This is Kage's life and I will respect that. I've always said I won't force him into doing what is unnatural for him, but of course I will always love him and care for him, and give him the best I can, and hope it's good enough. I want Kage to enjoy his life, and would I be making the platform for the playpen if I didn't, giving him more space and more enrichments to occupy his time? I'm doing it for Kage and, well just a little bit for me, maybe

So there you have it, an update of "the odd couple" in our household .

 

[Maz]

I hear you - but it's just about confidence. Until he's been out and got used to handling, he is going to be cautious I think. I would just bite the bullet personally If you see him out when you go down, just offer him a tube/taxi with a bit of cucumber or cheese in, let him walk in and transport him to the playpen. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week. I think if left to his own devices, he won't develop that confidence with humans Even then it can take a few weeks for him to be able to be handled.

It is difficult - it's just fear on the part of the hamster - to avoid all contact - until they learn it's safe and you're not a threat. Easier for him to disappear under his bedding and feel safe.

 

[Socks' Mum]

You might need to get him out of his tunnel to check that he hasn't peed on his hoard as the resulting mass can be quite rotten and stinky, so you are going to need to meet face to face sometimes. It is also important to do some handling with your Syrian hamster in preparation for possible vet visits. In addition, it is important to do health checks (which are described in the health card notes on the forum). He has had time to settle in now and I think a short period of handling and play pen time will be good for him in the long run. You may find that once out once or twice he will start to request trips to the playpen. Hamsters are quite affectionate little creatures once the initial fear has been overcome

 

[Kage]

Kage: My diary is soo out of date. It's his fault - my steward! Useless so and so. Anyway, here's some piccies to show how the cage turned into my enclosure, then being named "Kage's Kingdom" - after me. It was then set up ready for my arrival, then it grew, then grew some more, then grew some more, with my playpen standing proudly at the front of my Kingdom. We know it as the "Sovereign's Garden."

Steward. "Yes, sorry about that Your Fluffiness. The first photo was taken back in August, the enclosure set up only with that was in the box, except for a couple of hideouts at each end. The second photo shows the enclosure - now set up as "Kage's Kingdom," and all ready for HF's arrival. The third photo shows the first extension added, because the enclosure didn't meet recommended measurements. The fourth photo shows the second extension added to bring Kage's Kingdom up to, and a little more than the recommended measurements. The final photo shows the playpen I made for Kage and the bridge I also made for him as a link between the Kingdom and the Garden.

Kage: The floor of the bridge became a little slippy for me, so I ordered my Steward to get some cork tiles put down so I could come and go as I pleased. Until then, I had to wait to be airlifted from the Garden to my Kingdom. Sometimes I would have to sleep in the Garden all day, but that was okay. I've got a lively hideout in there, food, drink, tasties - that's treats to you and one or two other "enrichments" to keep me occupied. Now I can scurry up and down like a yo-yo.

Steward: I leave the playpen up all the time except for at night when I'm sorting the Kingdom ready for Kage's nightshift, and cleaning. With the playpen there, it does mean I've moved a little nearer to the door. Any more extensions and I'll be living in the shed!

 

[Maz]

Wow that looks amazing So does he come out into it and you've had some interaction now?

 

[Kage]

Before I put the cork tiles in the bridge and he would get stuck in the Garden, I saw him more, and we interacted a little. Now he can get back into the Kingdom freely I don't see him as much, pretty much the same as before. But it's early days. To be selfish, I could take the tiles away again sometimes, but he can come and go as he pleases now, and I don't want to dictate his movements.

I bought some more acrylic sheets to make an extra playpen on the floor if and when I get him there, but for now, I'm happy to let him please himself. I've always said I want Kage to be happy to live his life how he wants to, though it would be lovely to see him more and interact with him some more. I
won't ever give up hope.

I don't wait up at night these days. I go out of Kage's way about midnight, wake up a couple or so hours later and go down to see him if he's out, and to make sure the temperature is okay. It's getting colder now, so I do need to check. We had several inches of snow overnight, but Kage is warm and snug - and so am I. I won't go out while the weather's like it is, except to feed the birds and the squirrels.

But never say never. I may stay up some nights to see if he'll come out while I'm there. I know he does come out because I see his veggie has gone, but he's like I call him - The Shadow, silent and unseen. Crafty little so-and-so

All in all, I'm happy Kage has what I promised, and he did get it for Christmas. I set it up for him 11.30pm Christmas Eve. I don't know what else I can do for him now. I look after him the best I can, I've given him as much freedom as I can, and I love him way, way more than I ever thought I would. The pleasure I get from all that is immense.

My only wish is that he enjoys what he has, and enjoys his life. When I see him in his Kingdom I never see any signs of stress, bar biting, any movements likely to be brought on by stress, and he seems happy enough in the Garden. I'm happy to wait on him hand and foot, or paw and paw. What more is there?

May His Fluffiness live a long and happy life - however he chooses

 

[Maz]

Well I may sound mean then but when my hamsters are in the playpen I take the tube away - (the taxi tube) or they can just sit and hide in it when they're not very tame. And then they get used to being out and interaction - tough love He needs to learn confidence at being handled if he ever goes to the vets IMO.

 

[Socks' Mum]

He must be very happy, living the dream. You have created a dream home for him Yes, perhaps he could socialise a bit Very brilliantly designed

 

[Kage]

He must be very happy, living the dream. You have created a dream home for him Yes, perhaps he could socialise a bit Very brilliantly designed

Thank you

 

[Lovelyness]

Wow that’s a mega enclosure