Otto

[Maz]

It happens sometimes. I nearly called Raffy Charlie the other day - probably because I was upgrading his cage and maybe it subliminally took me back to upgrading Charlie's cage years ago and the excitement of it. He doesn't even look like Charlie. So it does happen. Don't feel bad - he won't realise and he knows he is loved. So sorry you felt sad about Jack again - I bet Otto knows that - he seems the quiet understanding type. That photo above where he's watching you stroking Eddie - he looks so pensive - like he's learning something (and waiting for cuddles too!). Some of our hamsters can be quite deep and sensitive I think - you've mentioned that yourself. The maverick ones can be great fun but I have a real soft spot for the sensitive ones.

 

[Member ID2]

Thank you all for your reassuring words.

Otto is a lovely boy. He still doesn't like enclosed spaces so i'm going to make the bus shelter that was a house into a platform. He doesn't use his hides or the sputnik but likes his shelves. He sits watching, washing and snoozing on his shelves. Henry used to sit on his little degus shelf for ages just looking. My OH always said that Henry thinks he's a parrot.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Aw that is so cute he likes to sit on shelves and watch. I can see why your OH said Henry was a parrot.

 

[elusive]

I’m sure Otto will be happy with the change, it is lovely that he likes to sit there on his shelves, must be great to watch him.
I wonder if something happened to him before to make him uncomfortable with enclosed spaces.

 

[Member ID2]

I’m sure Otto will be happy with the change, it is lovely that he likes to sit there on his shelves, must be great to watch him.
I wonder if something happened to him before to make him uncomfortable with enclosed spaces.

Yes, i was wondering about that. His history and age are vague. The family i got him from rehomed him on behalf of a friend who didn't look after him. They told me that he didn't get any love and care there and they didn't have the time to look after him either because they had a new baby which was fair enough. Anything could have happened to him really. Little Davy had been shut in a closet and forgotten about.
I try to adapt their homes to their needs as much as i become aware of but often wonder if there's something i'm missing or not seeing.

 

[Maz]

I can't believe little Davy was shut in a closet and forgotten about. That's awful. That might be why he's so small - has he grown at all?

It's interesting about Otto as I think he sounds similar to how Raffy was for some time - if less maverick - which is why I used to call him a gypsy. He didn’t seem to want to settle anywhere or build a proper nest, if you remember, and would sit out in the cage. It’s a plus in some ways as you get to see them. I thought it may have been that he had never had a proper nest or been able to settle - eg if he was cleaned out every day maybe and his nest thrown away a lot.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Poor Otto. I notice it takes some time for neglected hamsters to learn how to hamster and use things. I expect in time Otto will use hides and things. It really is lucky you found him Beryl.

 

[elusive]

You do every thing you can for them Beryl, I think we all feel there’s something we might be missing or misinterpreting at times with hamsters & it must be much harder when they have such an uncertain past but you watch, listen & learn from them so they couldn’t ask for more.

 

[Member ID2]

Yes, i remember Raffy acting like a gypsy before he settled down.

Otto built himself a big and comfortable nest under the big shelf. I had no idea that he slept deep inside his nest until i had no choice but to dig him out to give him his medication.
That corner has cardboard and mats attached to the bars to keep the substrate in so it's well protected from drafts and light. I added that after Jack died who also had a nest there.
Otto's nest is elaborate as he built a substrate wall (after chucking the cork tunnel out which must have been in his way) to protect it from the other side. The sides have entrance holes with one leading to his toilet and the other out via a hiacynth tunnel.

I suppose he built his own house and doesn't need the one the human supplied.

Davy is like Bernard. Neither of them grew in length but they filled out which makes them look like proper but small hamsters. They were both skinny and timid on arrival but have grown some muscle and a personality to match. I love it when that happens.

Little Davy attempted a brief attention seeking bar chew the other night but hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. He needs some more lessons from neighbour Clive.
At that rate Davy will be on cardboard soon.

 

[Maz]

Otto's nest sounds very special. I would think the mats against the bars, plus the shelf overhead, make it feel like a house.

 

[Hamster Haven]

I've just done it again and called Otto Jack!
I do that without thinking because they look so alike and then feel sad because Jack's gone. This is so unfair on Otto who is just as lovely as Jack.

View attachment 2422

I'll join the others in admitting that I still catch myself occasionally starting to say "Wally" for Cinnamon...and we only had Wally a few months! What will happen when it's been 2 years??

 

[Member ID2]

I'll join the others in admitting that I still catch myself occasionally starting to say "Wally" for Cinnamon...and we only had Wally a few months! What will happen when it's been 2 years??

I don't feel so guilty about it now knowing that i'm not the only one.

 

[Member ID2]

Otto's platform fits. I just put it in and woke him in the process. He didn't come out of his nest to investigate but i heard him scrunch. Typical hamster. 'I'm awake now so just as well have a snack'. He goes under the other platform so i think he's more likely to use the space under this one now. It also gives him the option to build a tunnel to his nest, if he wants to.

 

[RainbowBrite]

It looks brilliant. I look forward to hearing what Otto thinks of his new platform.

 

[Member ID2]

I'm at work tonight so will find out tomorrow.

 

[elusive]

Looks great, I’m sure he’ll enjoy that.

 

[Member ID2]

I need to make a small platform for Davy next to replace a dwarf house that's needed to support an access bridge. The house itself is of no use to him and a platform would work way better.

 

[RainbowBrite]

You really take time to learn what your hamsters like. It was clever of you to think of platforms rather then hides for Davy and Otto.

 

[Zara]

Looks great!

 

[Frida]

The platform looks great in Otto's cage