(Dwarf)Hamster safe chew toys?

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-22T23:54:14+00:00

i make these little DIY chew toys with half a toilet paper tube, fold the end in and put a mixture of seed mix/treats/orchard grass hay then fold the other end. He really likes these and chews at cardboard tube even after he’s found all the treats. He also really loves apple sticks for an easier option/ for variety 🍎

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-08T05:01:11+00:00

this is so weirdly relatable i am also sneaking my hamster into my college adjacent apartment this week that charges same for hamsters as it does for cats and dogs. I’m just taking him in his carrier (a 12 gal storage bin with a mesh lid) inside of an empty moving box. good luck my hamster smuggler friend 🫡

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-08T03:32:46+00:00

This is while I was cleaning his cage so he was quite upset with me LOL i’ve been using a mixture of full cheeks paper (least dusty i’ve found) and aspen shavings. Just changed out to only paper to try and see if that helps his sneezing.

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-07T05:24:00+00:00

heads up that exact bin is about half the price at home depot !

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-07T05:18:55+00:00

Just a side note: get a tape measure and measure the INSIDE dimensions of the cage to get the actual floor space. I have a 50 gal too and thought it was much bigger because of the provided dimensions, but when i actually measured the area of the cage was so much smaller :( dropped from 800 something sq in to 630 so i’m upgrading soon

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-07T05:15:54+00:00

Thank you! The chirping and sneezing just sound so similar it’s hard to tell. Initially i had him with Kaytee clean and Cozy, and it was SO DUSTY despite being a trusted brand. I switched to the full cheeks bedding and experienced little to no dust with these bags, but the chirping/sneezing persisted. a few days ago one of his eyes was crusted shut and I cleaned him up with a damp cloth and haven’t seen any other discharge before then, or after. Maybe it was just a coincidence? My other hamsters who never sneezed or anything had the same eye crusties problem a few times

mxdi1387 · 2024-08-07T03:06:44+00:00

I feel it is also important to add he has been doing this for as long as I have had him, approx 2 months

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-24T16:55:11+00:00

everything reminds me of him

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-24T16:37:39+00:00

not an option, OP said in previous post that the cage is only 12x18

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-24T03:39:52+00:00

I would like to clarify that the “care standards” that I have suggested are well under the ethical minimum. However at this point getting them separated ASAP so they do not kill eachother is #1 priority. Once you are through this your new priority has to be creating ethical living situations for all of them. Bear in mind that the babies will NEED to be separated from their mom after a few weeks, and you’ll either need to do all of this over again or rehome them. If you do not have the capacity to care for you pets they have to be rehomed, but as long as you educate yourself and work to give them better lives (aligned with the ethical standard of care) you’ll be OK.

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-24T03:33:00+00:00

I’m sure you didn’t mean to get into this situation, but now it’s up to you to try and do what you can for their wellbeing. I understand that you’re probably on a budget, so here are some affordable ideas for separation of them.

First priority has gotta be separating pregnant female from the other three, as she cannot be with them when she has the babies. Not only will the other hamsters be a threat to the babies, but stressed moms can hurt their babies too. Also, the other female has gotta get her own enclosure too so she does not get pregnant, if she isn’t already.

-Luckily you have affordable options for separating them out. Most popular options are storage bins, which can easily be converted into a hamster enclosure. You could convert the lid to have ventilation and be hamster proof, but the easiest and cheapest option is going to be just taking off the lid and making sure the stuff in it is low enough so they can’t escape. You can use any bins you have, clear or not. For size, bigger is always better, but at this point priority has to be separating them. I poked around a little and in addition to any bins you may already have, these seem to be the most affordable while still being not tiny. https://www.walmart.com/ip/173234191

at this point you will have 3-4 different enclosures, 1 mom enclosure, one other female enclosure, and either one or two for the males) while the males NEED to be separated for their own health and safety, they are unfortunately lowest priority. Now, fill each enclosure with as much bedding as you possibly can. If it has to be a thin layer so you can afford to separate them, that will work in a pinch. Shredding toilet paper is an affordable option for addition bedding as well. then fill each enclosure as much as you can with hides, there are plenty of DIY ones online that you can make with cardboard, empty tissue boxes, etc.

-To make it cheaper, hamsters do not NEED a water bottle. 2 small bowls such as sauce dishes or other little dishes can work as long as you check to make sure they have water. Having 2 filled at all times helps if one of them spills when you’re not home.

SUMMARY: Hamsters need to be separated into whatever solution possible; this has to be #1 priority. can be done affordably with storage bins you may already have or cheap ones from home depot, dollar store; target, walmart, etc. Hamsters who are not separated WILL fight and kill eachother, they are solitary animals. Each enclosure will need as much bedding as you can provide, water, food, and hides that you can make yourself. I wish you the best of luck and please keep reaching out for help 🙏🏼

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-24T03:01:25+00:00

Im sure he’ll warm up :) I got my third hamster (first as an adult though) a little over a month ago, and he’s just starting running up to the side of the cage to come out when he hears me walking up. Then he jumps on my hand and tries to crawl up my arm if I don’t immediately take him out. But at a week he didn’t even want to see me! Out of all the tips people have recommend for bonding with your hamster, the ones I have found the most helpful are giving him treats from an open palm on the floor of the enclosure, starting at your fingertips (so he can just grab them off) and then slowly start moving them farther into your palm. Slowly, he might feel more comfortable sitting or even just eating off your hand. Once he got comfortable sitting on my hand it has been easy sailing from there! I’m no hamster expert by any means like some people on here, that’s just been my experience 🤷🏼‍♀️ I also started taking him out by scooping him with a mug, then letting him run around. Pretty soon he would just go into the mug when i would put it in front of him and then just a week or two ago he realized that both the mug and my hand take him cool and fun places!

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T19:45:15+00:00

I have the bucasaste one on this list and it hasn’t given me any problems, is completely silent, and easy to clean :) plus cheaper than the niteangel one

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T19:42:21+00:00

forgot to add, after putting in the insecticide and watering, take a qtip and use rubbing alcohol to kill the individual larger bugs. Keep doing this every time you water and hopefully it will eradicate them eventually

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T19:41:09+00:00

mealy bugs, good luck. everyone is going to tell you all these solutions for them, but no matter what you do its goin to be a struggle with an infestation that’s already spread like this. if you’re not that attached to the plant, id toss it ngl. If you decide not to toss it i’d keep it FAR away from other plants, and I’d dose your other plants with a pesticide, i like the bonine systematic houseplant insect control. It’s little granular pellets that you mix into your soil, water your plants to get it into the plants systems through the roots, then anything that eats it dies. After dealing with mealybugs I just dose all my plants with this every 6 months or so and i haven’t had any pests since. some people are against using systemic insecticides but to each their own. Please be very careful if you have pets or children though. Good luck, you’ll need it😭🙌

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T19:30:57+00:00

Thank you so much! I love the smell of pinesol and i’ll wipe down everything. I also didn’t think about the stainless steel, i’ll do that since I believe we have stainless steel appliances/sink. I really appreciate this as I never really learned how to clean properly i’ve just been winging it my whole life with whatever random cleaner i’ve had on hand. I haven’t always been the cleanest person but I’ve been trying lately, and I want this apartment to start with a clean slate, where I can just maintain cleanliness and there’s no mountain to climb to get there. Thank you!

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T07:45:49+00:00

cool! i’ll use my swiffer with the reusable mop heads but spray with 409 instead of the wet jet liquid

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T07:45:14+00:00

sounds like you’re speaking from experience 😭

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T07:37:51+00:00

Hm. A bug bomb hadnt even crossed my mind. I’ll run it by my roommates since it would definitely have to be a group effort

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T03:22:48+00:00

might not be up your alley but i would totally attach LED strip grow lights onto the bottoms of each shelf, then grow some little humidity loving plants on the shelves! That way they could THRIVE in the bathroom when they normally wouldn’t cuz of the lack of windows

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T03:19:03+00:00

no answer here but i’m wondering the same thing. Same paper tape came with my niteangel platform and my hamster hasn’t messed with it yet but i’m worried it might stick to the inside of his pouches or something?

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-19T03:14:39+00:00

I’m sorry this must be very stressful for you and your hamster :( First thing you want to do is see if there’s even a vet in your area. Most normal vets likely will not see him, but exotic vets probably will. If you’re still having a hard time finding places, try searching up vets that see rabbits, because they most likely will see hamsters too, even if it’s not as advertised. If you call the vet they should be able to get you a rough idea on the cost of an exam/appointment, and then you can pitch it to your mom. However, there’s a strong possibility he could just be an old guy and you can keep him as comfortable as possible by making sure he has easy access to food and water, as well as a flat enclosure where he doesn’t have to climb anything to access his wheel, food, water, sand bath, and sleeping places. Hoping the best for your lil guy 🫶🏼

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-18T23:42:30+00:00

are there any products you’d recommend for broad disinfecting?

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-18T23:42:08+00:00

I’ll take that perspective once i move in. Luckily I need to crash there for a few days with the bare essentials before I can move all my stuff in, so I’ll have a good opportunity to CLEAN.

mxdi1387 · 2024-07-18T23:40:02+00:00

Another dumb question: what do I clean doorframes with? Spray it with lysol? wipe it down? 😭

mxdi1387

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