18 replies to this topic

[HamsterLover246]

Hi! I got my syrian female a week ago. She lives in a detolf, and the first days she seemed to be happy. She had 10 inches bedding in half of the cage, a big wheel, 11 inch, etc. 2 days ago, She escaped. Last night, she tried to escape the whole night, I couldn't sleep because I was feeling so bad for her. I don't know if this means boredom behaviors, or not, could she be bored in only a week? If i place her on the floor in my hamster secured bedroom, she will run to the Doors and try to get out. This is why I think she is more stressed than bored...
I only take her out when she wants to, but because she is just trying to climb up the cage or burrow her way out, it become pretty often. I try to do it less so she is less stressed, but I feel so bad...
She is very well tamed by the way, and jumpsuiten up in my hand if she can, so she isn't stressed because of me/me going to fast with taming im only taking her up if she wants to, and she climbs right up my shoulder. She is from a breeder so she was handled since 2 weeks old
She seems completely panicked all the time, and I feel so bad....
I talked to the breeder, she said she must have been overstimulated, because the cage was so big. Can hamsters be overstimulated in a detolf?
Now ive had to give her less bedding so she can't reach the top, but she is still trying to escape, and switches between that and running on her wheel full speed. She seems nearly hysterical, very stressed, and I don't know what do do.
Do any of you know what I should do, and how to calm her down? I'm pretty lost, and I feel so bad for her.
Yesterday eveninh, she fell asleep on the top of her hideout, which i don't think is normal for a young 4 month old hamster . I think she fell asleep a random place because she had been pankcking and trying to escape the whole evening basically.
Thanks <3

Edited by HamsterLover246, 16 August 2022 - 04:46 PM.

[Kikya]

First, hamsters are weird. They sleep alot of places, in the sandbath, on the wheel, especially if it's hot. No need to worry!

Second, do you have a lid for your detolf? How is she escaping?

Third, young female syrians have a TON of energy. I've long since stopped trying to fully please Mabel, sometimes she just wants out. Especially, she tries to escape when she's in heat. Not as much anymore now that she's older she's calmed down a lot. But she would spend quite a bit of time on her wheel. I used to give her 2 hours of roaming everyday but it's not really sustainable and even then. This is does not mean you are doing anything wrong. This is to say don't kill yourself trying to make her not want to roam. It's in her nature to go out and find a mate.

Fourth, I really feel strongly that a detolf is not a good cage for a Syrian. I wish people would stop promoting that because it's super short and unless you can make a mesh top that is as tall as the bottom, imo it's not worth it. I don't say this to make you feel bad but to say, I think you would be better off saving for a Nite Angel large or a large DIY, where you can put at least 10 inches of bedding and still have at least 4 inches of gap that she can't climb on things to get to the top of the cage.

Just do your best to get a secure cage, enrichment, and save for a taller cage. That's my best advice. And PM me if you want support or help. We need female Syrian support group lol

Edit: sorry about the weird post quoting myself, trying to do this on a phone is hard lol

Edited by Kikya, 16 August 2022 - 08:55 PM.

[HamsterLover246]

Thanks
Well the when she escaped she manager to lift the lid i think. I made it heavier, so now she can't. She is just trying all the time...
I don't think i will be able to upgrade right now. Here niteangel is extremely expensive to ship, and I'm really not a diy person, and not my family either. I would love to if I could,but I don't think that will work :/
If I could find a cage like the detolf kind of thing (only need to make the lid) ill probably do it, but its just a but hard also because I have a small bedroom, and all my room is like adapted to that. I would really like to make her roam more, but she gets tired of it in like 10 min...
Also, it would be hard to need to upgrade to something that may work many times, because I already did that for my past dwarf, and It was very stressing for her and me😊
I notice im being very negative, will try to be more optimistic 😅

[Kikya]

Thanks
Well the when she escaped she manager to lift the lid i think. I made it heavier, so now she can't. She is just trying all the time...
I don't think i will be able to upgrade right now. Here niteangel is extremely expensive to ship, and I'm really not a diy person, and not my family either. I would love to if I could,but I don't think that will work :/
If I could find a cage like the detolf kind of thing (only need to make the lid) ill probably do it, but its just a but hard also because I have a small bedroom, and all my room is like adapted to that. I would really like to make her roam more, but she gets tired of it in like 10 min...
Also, it would be hard to need to upgrade to something that may work many times, because I already did that for my past dwarf, and It was very stressing for her and me
I notice im being very negative, will try to be more optimistic

Do you have access to Rodipet cages or Mewoof cages?

I understand about limitations, sometimes there's not much you can do. But just know that you didn't do anything wrong by "over stimulating" her or anything like that. Female syrians naturally roam all night and come back home in the early mornings.

[HamsterLover246]

Do you have access to Rodipet cages or Mewoof cages?

I understand about limitations, sometimes there's not much you can do. But just know that you didn't do anything wrong by "over stimulating" her or anything like that. Female syrians naturally roam all night and come back home in the early mornings.

Thanks I've used rodipet a few times, for food etc, but I am french so i could get it shipped there and then take it back home. A whole enclosure may not be possible. They don't ship to norway sadly. I will dp a bit more research.
You think an upgrade is necessary? What is scaring me is if I upgrade to like a rodipet enclosure, and she still doesn't thrive, like she gets bored in my whole bedroom in 10 minutes. I really want her to have a good life, but my budget is limited...
Edit : just checked rodipet. They sell the 100x50 cm cage for 229 euros, which I find very expensive? Isn't niteangel a bit cheaper compared to the size?
I just don't think my parents will agree, they really want her to be happy, but its a bit to much you know 😊
Just found this on their website:
Not suitable for destructive female Syrian hamsters!
We have been using the LaOla® Nagarium as an enclosure for gerbils and various species of hamsters for several years and never had any problems with it save one: a number of female Syrian hamsters have found ways to chew the smooth walls of their LaOla®s - neither gerbils not dwarf hamsters nor male Syrian hamsters ever managed this feat, yet with female Syrian and teddy hamsters the issue is not uncommon. For this reason, we cannot recommend keeping female Syrian or teddy hamsters in our LaOla® Nagarium nor can we be held liable for any damage caused to the nagarium by female Mesocricetus hamsters

Edited by HamsterLover246, 16 August 2022 - 10:10 PM.

[Chalky&Otto]

Hi! I’d just like to offer some condolences and support as I went through the same thing with my young male syrian. He is in a 1200sq inch Ikea Plasta and the first month or two was awful. I didn’t sleep. Consistently trying to escape... did escape. Climbed on top of his 12 inch wheel and bit out the mesh that way. Water bottle has been removed as he did the same on top of that. It was getting dangerous for him as he was launching himself off of heigh spaces. I was distraught as it broke my heart to see him so stressed.

We ended up building an attachment for the lid meaning the cage is now roughly 85 cm tall- so he has no hope of climbing out by sitting on top of his wheel. During the heatwave a few weeks ago we moved him downstairs where it was much cooler, and also did a cage rearrange to suit what he likes. Lots of bedding, overhead cover, and platforms to give him an option to climb. Now, granted i’m not sleeping downstairs so I might not be hearing him, but he is a changed hamster when he comes out. Much less erratic, using the whole cage and not just sticking to the sides, and being a lot more inquisitive. So at 6 months old a switch has flipped. It could be age, could be the cage layout or even moving him to a new space... but something has definitely changed him. Therefore I say wait it out and see, try the above, and don’t give up hope. 

 

 

I do agree about the detolf though. Not enough height or width for a syrian really. If waiting it out doesn’t help maybe consider an Ikea conversion. I’m not a DIY person but did just fine with our cage as it only takes a couple of screws here and there, no chopping boards into specific sizes or anything. Maybe take a look at a Komplement, double komplement, Plasta, Pax (literally buy it as is and put it on its back and make a raised lid) or even Linnmon? The linnmon is a bit smaller but the length to width ratio is a lot more even. I promise making these cages is easier than you might imagine them to be (maybe bar the Komplement.)

Anyway, good luck! I’m so sorry you’re going through this as it’s heartbreaking. I don’t see many talking about it with new hamsters which makes it all the worse as you feel like a villain lol

Edited by Chalky&Otto, 16 August 2022 - 11:35 PM.

[HamsterLover246]

Thanks ! I will definitely look at those ikea options:)
Nice to hear im not the only one in this situation <3

[HamsterLover246]

I checked all of them, and the plasta seemed perfect. But when i looked it up on ikea.com, the glass Door is not for sale here,in Norway.
Do you think it could work to just lay it on its back, like the pax, And build a lid ? Of course i would not be able to see her from the sides, but if that is better for her 😊

Edited by HamsterLover246, 17 August 2022 - 12:20 AM.

[~Boba the Hammy~]

I checked all of them, and the plasta seemed perfect. But when i looked it up on ikea.com, the glass Door is not for sale here,in Norway.
Do you think it could work to just lay it on its back, like the pax, And build a lid ? Of course i would not be able to see her from the sides, but if that is better for her

yeah!

Edited by ~Boba the Hammy~, 17 August 2022 - 12:20 AM.

[HamsterLover246]

Ok, thanks !
Will talk about it with my parents and we'll see😊

[Kikya]

The rodipet cage is very similar to the Nite Angel. I've not had any problems with my three syrians chewing out of it. And I would think that it would be just as easy or easier for them to chew out of an Ikea DIY personally. I've seen a few posts where this has happened to an Ikea build. Haven't yet seen one for Nite Angel though.

I suspect that if someone chipped it while building it, that may have made a difference. But I highly doubt they would admit that to a manufacturer if they were trying to get a refund.

But if an Ikea DIY is easier for you, then great! I do think that you need an upgrade based on the cage. I do think that sometimes you run the risk of them still not being happy but as long as they are safely secured in a suitable size cage, you have done your job.

Best of luck!

[HamsterLover246]

Thank you
The platsa, if just placed on its back, so you think the bottom will be thick enough? I think ikea furniture often has a cardboard back, do anyone know if its the case here ?

[Chalky&Otto]

Thank you
The platsa, if just placed on its back, so you think the bottom will be thick enough? I think ikea furniture often has a cardboard back, do anyone know if its the case here ?

Hello! 
It does come with a cardboard back, yes. If you sit the cardboard back to the ground I’m sure it will hold. You probably won’t be able to put it on legs though! 

You may want some silicone to run along the sides and edges to make it more secure and stop urine seeping down the cracks between the sides. It also stops them from being able to sink their teeth in and get a grip on the wood between the gaps that could lead to chewing out. To offer an opinion on the chewing out of the Plasta I just want to say that it is thick wood when you flip it on its side and use the glass. Really strong and sturdy. More so than the niteangel imo. There is always a risk with wooden cages but I just check the bottom of it everyday and keep an eye out for any holes. 

If you want it with a glass front still, there is a 180x60 Plasta you can make which is put together in the same way, it’s just longer and the VARD glass door 180x60 is still being sold (at least it is in England... have a look here: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vaerd-glass-door-white-00381387/)

Here are some images of my plasta when I first set it up without the height extensions if it helps to visualise it (It is now much more crowed after the re-arrange.):
https://i.imgur.com/U4Ip8SL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iMooDQT.jpg

 

[HamsterLover246]

Thanks for all the information! I would like to have a glass front, but 180x60 will be to big to fit in my room unfortunately. I prefer just placing it on its back.
If I buy it, how do i know what kind of silicone is safe?
Im not sure if I trust that the cardboard won't be destroyed though. Is it very thin? Would you have done that with your hamster?
Sorry for having so many questions 😊

[HamsterLover246]

Just wanted to say she has gutten a mot better. Removed bedding do she can't reach the top, but still burrow( not alot, she will probably still need an upgrade) very nice to see her happy and relaxed i think i will try to add bedding like 1 inch every few days, so she gets used to it slowly, and hopefully she'll stop trying to escape that much. I know the lid is safe now, but I really don't want to see her trying to escape all night again, even if she doesn't manage to :(
For now, she seems happy and relaxed