# Please Help



## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Hello, 

I hope someone here can help me. 

I bought a hamster almost two weeks ago. I had to buy a basic cage to use when he first came home. At first although a little wary he seemed ok. He loved his wheel and used it constantly. 

About a week later, my boyfriend and I upgraded his house from the basic cage to a Rotastak creepy castle. We put him in it. He was a little wary but seemed ok about it. He used the new wheel and went about exploring. 

Then I desperately needed to clean his little nest house. He's taken to urinating and pooping in there. It stank and I noticed that he was biting at his own fur. I cleaned it out (just the little house bit) and put him back in. I also kept some of his own bedding and sawdust so his scent would still be there.

But since then he really hasn't been the same. I know that changing your hamster's bedding can stress them greatly. He has gone back in there to sleep but he's:

Stopped using his wheel completely
Freaks out constantly
Has taken to creating a second nest in one of the dark Rotastak tubes
Doesn't come out to explore
Moves around very slowly as if scared to death!

We haven't tried to play with him since Thursday as I thought it was best to leave him alone to get used to his surroundings as he seemed a little bit stressed, but instead of getting better he seem's to have got worse. 

I was sat watching him tonight and I got up quite quietly, and he must have dectected the movement and he went mad, shot down the tubes then lodged himself in one and won't come out. 

I feel so awful for him, he has plenty to eat, we've spoken to him gently, we keep him in a quiet environment, we haven't tried to take him out his home for the last 3 days and he just seems to be getting worse. 

A couple of things to mention, he was brand new in the pet-shop, the petshop owner had just received the new litter of pups when I walked him to take him home, so he was the first out of his siblings to leave. I'm not sure how old he is - and I'm not sure if 'he' is actually a 'he' - the petshop owner said she thought he was a boy. 

Any advice? I'm at a loss as to what to do? His home is starting to smell really bad again. I dread to think how he'll cope if I clean it again. 

I've had a hamster before who settled in fine after a couple of days and was running on to my hand pretty much from day one. 

What can I do?

Thanks so much
K


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## gemcml (Aug 15, 2011)

A bit obvious but have you tried putting him back in the basic cage?
The big cages can be very intimidating, especially for a baby hamster.

We had a hamster called rocky and had a HUGE rotastack cage which he was very wary of. Started building a nest in the tubes and hibernating in there - basically the same behavior as your hammy.

We had to take the cage apart and kept it at its basic for a while, and once he was settled we gradually added bits and pieces to get use to one by one. He was fine after that.


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Hey, 
Thank you so much for your response. We were thinking of that, but my boyfriend is worried that by changing his home again it might upset him even more. 
But it is a point very worth considering!


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

hes probably stopped using his wheel because its hurting him   

rotastak are not at all suitable for hamsters, they are made to please the humans without taking into account the needs of the animals that end up having to live with them

the wheels are too small for a syrian hamster, and cause the back to arche, resulting in spinal deformities and pain
there is no where big enough to put a wheel large enough

the tubes are too narrow for a syrian, and they can become stuck in them, and suffocate.

the "pods" are very poorly ventilated, alowing amonia build up, and condensation, which is very bad for their respiration and can lead to URIs

there is very little open plan floor space for toys

you need 3 - 4 of the "complete" set ups to make a decent sized cage for any hamster


i think most of your problems will be solved if you get him a nice large cage (zoo zone 1 or 2, hamster heaven, alexander ect) and a nice big wheel


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## gemcml (Aug 15, 2011)

It all sounds like stress behavior. 

Can you not keep him in the rotastak cage and just take the bits and pieces off? We bought loads of rotastack end caps really cheap off of eBay to block the holes that connects the tubes and what-av-ya  (if that makes sense lol)

i was thinking the same thing as above that he's probably hurt himself somehow and it's maybe made him weary of he's surroundings.


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Thank you so much.

I am regretting the Rotastak idea now - although the one we bought is absolutely huge, and the wheel is bigger than the other one on his normal cage - it connects onto the side. We assumed he'd be in his hamster element! I guess we were quite wrong!

Here's the link to the cage we bought

Rotastak Creepy Castle Hamster Cage With Carry Case

Apart from changing cages or taking the tubes off the Rotastak - are there any other ideas we can try to reduce his stress? Or is it really a matter of maybe unsettling him again for a couple of days in the hope that after that he will be ok?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

sadly that is not huge, it is tiny  you would need atleast 3 of then to have a decent sized cage
the wheel is only 16cm in diameter (which is a pathetic 6.2"), and you need a minimum of 8" for a syrian


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## PrincessGingy (May 27, 2011)

Probably best to put him back in the starter cage for now if he's only little and a bit intimidated. I think some hamsters don't like tubes and stuff anyway and prefer just a basic flat layout cage. For this cages like the Hamster Heaven are good because you can take out the platforms it comes with if need be. Another, perhaps cheaper option, would be buying a basic indoor guiena pig cage (which are too small for what they are advertised for) and meshing it. These tend to not be very expensive from local pet shops and will fit in a suitable wheel. We had our syrian in this until he got very old and now he's in something smaller as he can't get around very well, but he did love it far more than the crittertrail my little bro wa keeping him in.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

yep i'm afraid that cage is pants and the wheels need to be at least 8inches or above.

recommended cages are
Hamster Heaven Metro Hamster Cage by Savic (Online Only) | Pets at Home

Savic Cambridge Hamster Cage

u can buy add on extensions for these cages to make them double or triple
Imac Fantasy Hamster 58 x 38 x 38.5 cm | Buy Pets, Small Animal Online

Cages : Bristol Savic Hamster Cage 59 x 38 x 37cm : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

Cages : Kevin 82 Extra Narrow Bar Hamster & Mouse Cage : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

Rat Cages : Savic Ruffy 2 Large Rat / Hamster Cage FREE DELIVERY : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

Cages, Hutches, Runs : Zoozone Critter Home Medium Pink FREE DELIVERY : www.EquineCanineFeline.com the place to buy all your Pet Products, Horse Products and Pet Supplies online

all are good cages for syrian hamsters.

these critter trail and rotastack cages are horrid and the pod style ones are too.


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## Jarhead (Jul 11, 2011)

I see why you got it with all those tubes, slightly add not 1 big space. Thats a shame cause I know you where thinking of the hamster when you got it. I would give him what he knows for now.


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## Guest (Sep 12, 2011)

I would definitely change his cage to a ZZ2 with a suitable wheel, those rotacrap cages should be binned


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Hey, 

Thanks so much everyone. It seems the overwhelming majority think it's the cage that is the issue. 
I'm going to move him back to his old cage tonight and then we'll get one of the ones suggested and introduce him to it slowly - by letting him play in it for a while everynight. 

Hopefully he will remember his old cage and as long as we move his nest house without disturbing and his sawdust from the Rotastak etc then it shouldn't feel like a big ordeal to him. 

Will keep you all posted on how we get on!

Many thanks for your time giving us advice


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## Acid (Aug 8, 2011)

i know how you feel! i put my own baby hammy in a big rotastak setup too when i first got him thinking itd be more natural with all the different compartments and tubes, he started to act the same way as yours did and i knew it wasnt something to do with the hamster because i had his brother in a normal wire cage and he turned out so gentle and nice.

im still winning my skittish hamster, that was in the rotastak, round slowly hes in a hamster heaven now and likes it a lot better although hes still a bit skittish. it might have been the fact that its plastic too and human noises might sound distorted and horribly wierd from inside it (like hearing bangs from doors and general moving around when your relaxing in the bath with your ears underwater and it sounds all magnified, especially as hamsters have good hearing)


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok so I got home from work and put him back in the starter cage. 

I absolutely freaked him out. He wouldn't let me pick him up, he flailed on his back which I read was the worse hamster behaviour and shows they are hugely stressed. I heard him squeaking, but by this point I'd already started to dismantle the Rotastak and because of the way Rotastaks are I couldn't get at him to put him somewhere quiet because he ran into a tube and - ahhhh it was awful. He's absolutely terrified. I was absolutely terrified. 

Feel like I could cry now. He's scared of me, I'm becoming scared of him.

What should I do now? I feel like I'm the worse person on the planet and I shouldn't go near him again because I'm clearly doing everything wrong. 

Can I ever get him to come back from this? Or for his sake should I give him to someone who knows what they are doing?

You're all right, Rotastak cages are pure evil.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

Oh no poor you and him  

Personally I'd leave him for a little while then try stroking with a very soft baby tooth brush (saves your fingers!) 

I'm no expert when it comes to hamsters, could he poss be ill? And that's why he's freaking out?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

can you take the tube off, and put it in the other cage with hi still in it, he will come out when he feels safer, unfortunately in the rotastak you are very unlikely to tame him and gain his trust as acses is so poor


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## kat04kt (Sep 11, 2011)

Oh my word, oh my word - I had to tell you all this! 

Finally the hamster came out, he seemed so much more at ease. I put a seed against his cage and he took it from me. Then because he seemed so calm I put my hand inside with some seeds on and he stepped on to take them. 

My boyfriend then made a trial up his arm and little JC (that's his name, Jean Claude Van Ham) then walked up him and took the seeds. He allowed my boyfriend to take him out the cage, and he walked onto my hands, we both had a little cuddle and stroke of him - and he was happy as larry. We only kept him out for a couple of minutes put him inside and he was exploring his wheel. 

I cannot tell you the relief I feel. I thought I had scared him for life!

We're looking at getting the hamster heaven - or something similar, and will be buying it in the next couple of days. The cage he is in, is much much too small, but he's happy and seems to be back to exploring with more ease again. 

Thank you all so so much for all your wisdom. I was getting so worried, but it seems after your words of wisdom we have a much happier hamster back on our hands. I really can't thank you all enough. 

I feel like starting a campaign against Rotastaks! 

K xxxx


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

That's great news that JC (I love his name :lol is acting much more settled already after you moving him back into the basic cage


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## Jarhead (Jul 11, 2011)

Im so chuffed for you. You must be jumping for joy. Big grins all round


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## Jeffiner (Aug 15, 2011)

My new hammy has this cage:

The Criceti 16 Hamster Cage with Free Delivery

She's only been with us since Saturday and she seems to love it. We definitely need to get a new wheel though because she's only 12 weeks old and it's far too small for her. The cage is a really good size (some would say huge!!) but I did my research on here before I got it and I'm glad I did, it's awesome watching her explore!

I was worried about scaring her when we first tried to handle her but today I managed to hold her without her freaking out and it was great  I'm sure with a bit of patience and perseverance your little hammy will calm down and get used too its new home too!!x


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