Higgins

[Maz]

He'll be 22 months old on 16th May He still acts like a young hamster.

 

[Socks' Mum]

He's in his element enjoying all the attention and interaction

 

[Vanessa1]

Oh Higgins is totally gorgeous, he looks so content and happy. Lovely to see your hamsters maz Ness

 

[Amy]

oh he´s adorable. So nice to watch the video

 

[Maz]

Thanks all. He has never slowed down! He has always been very fast and darty but he does sit still for food.

 

[Amy]

I think he still looks like a youngster, his face is very cute do you let him free roam? He’s very interested in everything, I loved the video. You certainly have looked after these two so well it’s amazing how fit they still are at their age.

 

[Maz]

Well I usually wait till they're a bit older to transition from the playpen to free roaming. ie when I know I can get them back easily. Tino was maybe about a year old when he started free roaming but Higgins is maverick . I do think he would like to free roam though. They are both trained to walk into a tube if offered which is how it's easy to get them back. I have knee problems now so need to make sure I can get them back easily! Higgins does seem quite happy in the playpen or on the sofa but it would be nice if he could start some free roaming. It would need to be the right day for me and well planned! Just in case it means turning the living room upside down to find him again and then I'd need OH around to help.

 

[Hamster Haven]

How big is your playpen set up? I might give that I go over the summer with Pipsqueak. She's only been in the bath, and of course, doesn't come out often while we're up, but I'd love to set up something slightly bigger, or simply different, than the bath at some point. It's trickier now that our bunny is free roaming our second floor, because I can't really leave a play pen out full time.

 

[Maz]

It's this one - apparently it's 161cm x 84cm but - I've had it in various shapes so it doesn't have to be long like that. Currently I have a long side up against the sofa and the rest of it in a kind of semi hexagon shape. You can have it any shape you want I don't use the floor in it, because it only takes seconds to put up and down if you don't attach the floor part. It's available in the US as well. But a bit expensive. I tend to keep to the bathtub until they are handleable though, as once they're in a larger space, they can be harder to get used to hands.

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/hamsters_and_gerbils/hamster-playpen/large-playpen-with-floor/

 

[Amy]

Well I usually wait till they're a bit older to transition from the playpen to free roaming. ie when I know I can get them back easily. Tino was maybe about a year old when he started free roaming but Higgins is maverick . I do think he would like to free roam though. They are both trained to walk into a tube if offered which is how it's easy to get them back. I have knee problems now so need to make sure I can get them back easily! Higgins does seem quite happy in the playpen or on the sofa but it would be nice if he could start some free roaming. It would need to be the right day for me and well planned! Just in case it means turning the living room upside down to find him again and then I'd need OH around to help.

I fully understand. I am
Lucky that Nibbles comes running when I tap my fingers on something. Nevertheless I was on my hands and knees yesterday to persuade him to climb back in the Pyrex taxi but there’s not really much where he can hide in the kitchen.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I remember trying to corrall Socks with my arms only for him to hop deftly over my arm and scamper off to do another round of the room

 

[Maz]

They're good at that!