Rosie (Syrian hamster)

[Scarlet42]

I've just discovered I meant to start a thread for Rosie before the forum closed down, didn't quite get round to it, then forgot when it re-opened.

She enjoys her playpen (if enjoys means she spends a fair bit of time chewing it) and here's a photo of her climbing up me (in my dressing gown) in the playpen.



Last night she was in her playpen. It was hot, so I had the front door open and I was sitting keeping an eye/ear on her next to the playpen, but on the far side from the door. And then next door's cat was suddenly right there by the playpen, having wandered in through the front door. I have no idea if the cat spotted her, but I shooed him out pretty quick (he runs away if I get near him, so he's easy to shoo). Rosie was in the middle of her playpen and was meerkatting the whole time, looking curious about what was going on. She wasn't bothered at all.

 

[Maz]

That little face! She's looking up at you. I'm definitely looking forward to following Rosie's thread I think I can spot that she has the Omlet playpen as well - they're great aren't they? The large one is just so big (and I like bending it in odd shapes sometimes as well!). That must have been a very scary moment to find a cat had appeared! There used to be one that came in the house where I lived previously if the door was open. It turned out it was an adopted stray who seemed to like living in various different nearby houses!

 

[Socks' Mum]

She's gorgeous, quite a confident girl

 

[Scarlet42]

Confident is definitely a good word for Rosie.

She does have the Omelet playpen. It's standing up well (so far) to her chewing the hinges.

 

[Maz]

Yes I've noticed they get curious about the hinges. When Tino started trying to get out, he was trying to chew at the bottom - our floor is slightly uneven so there was a very slight gap at the bottom, and he was determined to try and get his teeth round it!

 

[Scarlet42]

I've been having fun with Rosie. I noticed recently that her nails are long and curling. I did a load of research, put more things in her cage to keep nails down. I put a slate tile in front of the entrance to her house. She sniffed it and looked at me and she clearly wasn't coming out until I moved it, despite having another entrance.

I attempted to cut her nails. And got as close as touching the end of one nail with the scissors because she's so wriggly. So she got to go to the vets.

Where she bit the vet (and drew blood) just for taking her out of her travel cage! I would have said she didn't bite, but then I don't tend to pick her up - mainly because she wriggles free and it's less effort to convince her to go into something. The vet ended up having to sedate her to do it and although she was awake when I left the vets, she was fast asleep when I got home. I left her in her travel cage where I could see enough of her to see she was still breathing.

Three hours later she woke up and I put her back in her cage thinking she was tired and would maybe have a drink and go to bed. But no, she spotted I'd done some scatter feeding and went around her cage finding the food. So clearly she was fine and I was worrying for nothing.

I was surprised that the vet only charged me £13. I was expecting it to be far more extortionate.

 

[Maz]

Oh dear she sounds to have objected! Glad you got them done!. The first time I needed nail clipping done on our first hamster, I went to the vets too, and was also surprised it was inexpensive. On that occasion the vet had me holding the hamster still while she was in front of his underneath so she could get at his legs and do the clipping. I regretted that! Because until then he trusted me! He pushed back so hard in my hands I was amazed by the strength. He ignored me for a good few weeks and wouldn't come near me!

Since then, my method is a slow one. One nail at a time usually But it could be worth a try if you need to do it again. When they are out of the cage I put some tasty food down - eg in an egg cup or on a teaspoon - porridge or baby food. While the hamster is eating it, they are distracted and I can snip one or two nails with a small pair of scissors. By the second nail they usually notice and pull their leg away. Then I do the same thing next time and get a couple more nails - and so on!

 

[Socks' Mum]

There is a video on You Tube of a hamster being held in a bag made of broad mesh and the owner is having success trimming hammy's nails. Fortunately I've never had to trim Socks' nails

 

[Eric65]

I'm going to give it a go tonight when my Hammy gets up. My plan is to give her a treat that is too big to stuff in her pouch in one go, so that she has to hold it and nibble at it to get it small enough. While she's doing that, I'll select a nail and do the deed. But I'm only going to do one per night.

 

[Maz]

You need good eyesight! I had to wear an extra pair of reading glasses! I have the hamster next to me on the sofa so I'm sitting on the same level and while they are nomming I just slide my hand over with the small nail scissors, and snip any nail that is accessible while they're distracted.

 

[Scarlet42]

I like the idea of putting down something they have to lick. I'm interested to see how it goes with a too big to pouch treat, @Eric65

 

[Eric65]

I'll let you know how I get on later. She has a couple of curly ones, so they'll be done first. A little bit each night.

 

[Eric65]

Hi again. Just tried to trim one of hammies nails, she wasn't having it. Tried 2 different ways. No luck. So I'll persevere over the next week, and then it looks like a trip to my vet. I've put her back in her cage for the night. Because she's such a wiggly hamster, ideally it needs 2 people.

 

[Scarlet42]

At least I feel better for not having tried a treat too big to pouch - it sounds like we have very similarly wriggly hamsters.

 

[Maz]

@Eric65 Just moved your last post and photo to your thread about your hammy as this is Rosie's thread

 

[Eric65]

Ok. Sorry bout that. Saw the ost and just automaticly sent mine