Is it ok to clear out a filled in burrow starter?

[mealwormdevourer]

I bought a wooden burrow starter that goes against the side of the enclosure. It was great for about a week, then he filled it with the spoil from digging his own tunnels nearby. I’m wondering if it would be ok to remove the bedding from it so that he can use it again? Or would this upset him? (I know it’s bad to dig their burrows up as it causes them stress, so I didn’t know if this could cause an issue).

 

[mealwormdevourer]

Here it is, all filled in.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I am wondering how heavy it is. I dont completely trust furniture that isn't on legs in case it topples into a burrow and hammy gets trapped under it. I would keep it near the surface or replace it with a platform on stilts unless it is very light weight.

 

[mealwormdevourer]

I am wondering how heavy it is. I dont completely trust furniture that isn't on legs in case it topples into a burrow and hammy gets trapped under it. I would keep it near the surface or replace it with a platform on stilts unless it is very light weight.

It’s sat on the bottom of the enclosure so that he can’t burrow underneath it for that exact reason. It’s just hard to see because of all the bedding he’s packed around it!

 

[Socks' Mum]

He might be trying to tell you that it's getting in the way of his tunnel design Perhaps he likes to dig particularly long tunnels.

 

[Maz]

I think it'll be fine to move the bedding out of it If he wants it there he'll put it back ha ha. Sometimes it ends up there as an accidental thing due to other digging and movement of bedding. They usually get a bit miffed if you mess with anything generally, but some will accept a bit of tidying generally.

 

[mealwormdevourer]

Update. I decided to test it by just taking out the bedding from half the length of it, thinking it would test to see if he minded or not. Well, he definitely minded. I removed it and pushed it away while he watched from the other end of his enclosure. He then spent the next ten minutes pushing every last bit of bedding back into the tunnel, packing it down and then rearranging the bedding above! He wouldn't even accept cucumber or dried mealworms until he was finished, he just looked at me with great disappointment! I think I've learnt my lesson.

 

[Maz]

That is quite funny and I can just imagine it - been there. They watch you and then madly put it all back again. I used to clear a pile in front of the wheel and he would come out and immediately do lots of digging and put it all back again. Then get in the wheel and glare at me because the wheel was blocked again! Which he had just blocked himself even though I had unblocked it.

I wonder if there is a hoard under there.

 

[mealwormdevourer]

He’s a stubborn and persistent little thing!

Every night he wakes me up in the early hours of the morning because he pushes his wheel off the platform then gets upset because he doesn’t have a wheel anymore!

The small criminal…

 

[Maz]

He really is incredibly cute Small criminal ha ha.

The wheel might need some looking into. Does he definitely push it off or does it just "walk" it's way across the shelf when being used and fall off. Just thinking he could get hurt if it was the latter if it falls off while he's in it.

The first think I can think of is putting cork on the shelf and that will stop the wheelbase moving - you can buy thin cork to cut to size - double sided (ie no sticky side) might be best.

 

[mealwormdevourer]

He really is incredibly cute Small criminal ha ha.

The wheel might need some looking into. Does he definitely push it off or does it just "walk" it's way across the shelf when being used and fall off. Just thinking he could get hurt if it was the latter if it falls off while he's in it.

The first think I can think of is putting cork on the shelf and that will stop the wheelbase moving - you can buy thin cork to cut to size - double sided (ie no sticky side) might be best.

I’m fairly certain he pushes it off. As sometimes it happens before he’s even started running. He does like to rearrange things. Luckily, where it falls means that he can’t get trapped underneath it. I was planning on getting some very short screws and screwing it onto the platform.

 

[Maz]

Screwing it on sounds good too Is it the wood wheel? Cork does work very well - he'd have trouble pushing it off I think but screwing it down would be a definite! Unless he chewed the legs off the platform

 

[Socks' Mum]

Very cute hammy