R
RainbowBrite
That is amazing progress for a robo!
B
Banned Member 1
I put his old plastic house in his enclosure and climbed into it and had a brief run around on the floor. He kept coming up to me, obviously curious, and seemed to have a fun time. When he climbed back into his house I put him home and he ran into a burrow hole.
I decided to put his food out while the lid was off and he popped his head out of his other burrow entrance when I was near and he squeaked at me. Not an angry or scared scream, a squeaky toy type noise. He then took some food straight off the spoon and is now happily searching around his enclosure for the food I scatterfed.
I decided to put his food out while the lid was off and he popped his head out of his other burrow entrance when I was near and he squeaked at me. Not an angry or scared scream, a squeaky toy type noise. He then took some food straight off the spoon and is now happily searching around his enclosure for the food I scatterfed.
B
Banned Member 1
M
Member ID2
I very much doubt that you will be able to let this one go. He likes you.
And it is so so easy to become attached so very fast....
And it is so so easy to become attached so very fast....
B
Banned Member 1
You may well be right. I've 90% convinced myself that I have a workable plan, now I just need to sweet-talk my partners.
B
Banned Member 1
He's getting really good at taking food out of my fingers now. Took his pellet and two pea flakes off me this morning. He was sat near my hand for a while trying to fit the first pea flake into his pouches while I was offering him the second one!
R
RainbowBrite
You have really bonded together. How beautiful.
B
Banned Member 1
There is no better way to a hamsters heart than them realising that you're where food comes from
B
Banned Member 1
I am in the doghouse today. I woke up early today and had the camera on since early morning and hadn't seen any movement in his enclosure at all. Didn't emerge after I put food out either. It was really cold last night so i was a little worried about him and tried to gently wake him. Had to remove a layer of bedding before he popped his little nose out to give me the stink eye. I didn't need to disturb his burrows much though thankfully. I've gently put everything back. I moved his carrot house and his wicker tipi because he'd blocked the entrance to his carrot house when he made a burrow hole in front of it and wanted to give him the use of the house back. I don't think he was scared at all, I was really gentle, probably just a little grumpy at me!
I am going to put my electric heater in here from now on on cold nights just to be on the safe side...
I have got some Bunny Nature Junior Extra for him to supplement his Dwarf Hamster Expert, it has a little extra protein and a couple of different ingredients so hopefully he'll enjoy it.
I am going to put my electric heater in here from now on on cold nights just to be on the safe side...
I have got some Bunny Nature Junior Extra for him to supplement his Dwarf Hamster Expert, it has a little extra protein and a couple of different ingredients so hopefully he'll enjoy it.
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Oh dear! I’m sure you’ll be forgiven though.
fIt is a bit of a worry when the nights are so cold, I use the snugglesafe heat pads but that only works if you have a shelf under the cage to put them on. Zak has his own heater too.
fIt is a bit of a worry when the nights are so cold, I use the snugglesafe heat pads but that only works if you have a shelf under the cage to put them on. Zak has his own heater too.
B
Banned Member 1
I don't really worry about Snowy anymore as she has an MCH buried under a load of bedding and there's a 28W tube heater under the table her enclosure is on that provides a small amount of extra warmth. Paŭ doesn't have nearly as much bedding and part of the base of his enclosure is suspended between two small tables so won't retain heat so well...
M
Member ID2
You could put a board on top of the tables and then Paū's bin cage on top of the board.
Or a thick piece of cardboard instead of a board.
I believe that Robos are the hardiest of all species of hamsters and not as affected by temperature changes than others.
Or a thick piece of cardboard instead of a board.
I believe that Robos are the hardiest of all species of hamsters and not as affected by temperature changes than others.
B
Banned Member 1
That's good to know about robos
It won't be a problem for too long anyway, my partners are fine with me keeping him so he'll be going in the maxi duna in a couple of weeks. Snowy is going to be moving into a somewhat smaller enclosure. I initially felt bad about this idea but have realised that her currently layout has a lot of empty space so it's not like I'd be reducing the amount of enrichment she has. In fact I can get her another couple of things that I'm pretty sure she'll like
I cleaned her MCH out yesterday so she has chance to get her scent back into the bedding and arrange it how she likes. It contained quite a sizeable hoard, the majority of which I put back for her. The MCH has a base on it so it can be moved from the old cage into the new one without disturbing the contents at all which should significantly lessen the stress of the move. She's also getting on well with her new wheel which will be moving with her.
First I need to get a new chest of drawers delivered, then build it, then get Snowy's new enclosure and move her into that and then finally I can move Paŭ into the maxi duna. Thankfully he seems pretty happy in there so there's no rush (he occasionally paws at the sides at the far end of the enclosure from his burrow but quickly stops and goes off to do something else).
B
Banned Member 1
Kinda hard to make out on the video but he has dug back up where his old burrow entrance on the right was and has been rearranging bedding in his wicker tipi that's now in that spot.
M
Member ID2
Great news that Paū has found his forever home with you.
I think a smaller enclosure would be more suitable for Snowy now but understand your initial reluctance to downsize her.
I downsized Rodney when he became doddery and had very mixed feelings about it but he was happy with it. It's important to stick to the original layout as much as possible.
I think a smaller enclosure would be more suitable for Snowy now but understand your initial reluctance to downsize her.
I downsized Rodney when he became doddery and had very mixed feelings about it but he was happy with it. It's important to stick to the original layout as much as possible.
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I can understand you wanting to downsize Snowy now she is less mobile. I would be concerned at the stress this would cause her though, with her seemingly neurological issue which does seem to get worse with stress. The timing might be important. She might manage better in a smaller area if carefully set up for her mobility issues. When our first Robo had mobility issues he really struggled keeping his footing on substrate and I ended up covering the entire substrate area with thin hemp mat, to provide a stable surface for him. And so everything was level for him to get in and out of. Eg his sandbath was part submerged in the substrate and a hole cut in the hemp mat around it, so he could just walk straight into it rather than having to climb up a bit. And I used smaller pieces of hemp mat as mini soft steps in front of his wheel and flying saucer so he could easily get into those.
I left some gaps round the edges of the hemp mat in case he wanted to dig in the substrate but he didn't bother - he had his multiroom house (with a hemp mat slope leading up) and seemed much happier being able to move around the cage quicker.
But his issue was a large lump underneath that affected his balance and he didn't have neurological issues. So I think any changes would be tricky with Snowy. On the other hand with all that lovely substrate which would normally be good, she does seem to struggle with her balance walking round on an uneven surface.
I think it is really tricky. She may well do better with a slightly smaller space, but I think a cage move might trigger her spinning and neurological issues more. Avoiding stress is key with neurological issues.
Pau's current bin seems very nice for him as well. Or is it space concerns for the two larger cages?
I left some gaps round the edges of the hemp mat in case he wanted to dig in the substrate but he didn't bother - he had his multiroom house (with a hemp mat slope leading up) and seemed much happier being able to move around the cage quicker.
But his issue was a large lump underneath that affected his balance and he didn't have neurological issues. So I think any changes would be tricky with Snowy. On the other hand with all that lovely substrate which would normally be good, she does seem to struggle with her balance walking round on an uneven surface.
I think it is really tricky. She may well do better with a slightly smaller space, but I think a cage move might trigger her spinning and neurological issues more. Avoiding stress is key with neurological issues.
Pau's current bin seems very nice for him as well. Or is it space concerns for the two larger cages?