# My hamster won’t burrow



## Hammyflowers (9 mo ago)

I’ve had my hamster for all most a year and yesterday i got her a bigger cage that is all most a meter long! I also added about 7 inches of bedding into her cage but she still won’t burrow. I’ve tried more bedding but she still has no interest in it and idk what to do so I was wondering if I should switch bedding as right now I am using aspen flakes! My only problem is my dad thinks I should leave her to get used to it and refuses to let my buy more bedding! Can anyone help??


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## Hammyflowers (9 mo ago)

Please be nice as I am still pretty new to hamster care!!


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Hello.

Nothing to worry about  Some hamsters just don't like to burrow, or it might just take her time to 'get it'. For as long as she is healthy and happy, try not to worry about it.


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

If it's not something she's used to it might take her some time to get the idea. I half bury a tunnel in the beginning and that normally encourages them.

As of aspen, it's ok to use. I personally prefer paper/cellulose but have used aspen in the past. My Syrians have had ~10 inches depth bedding to burrow in but 7" is a good start. Well done on getting a bigger cage, I'm sure your ham will appreciate it! 

What else has she got in the cage? Can we see? As you mentioned that you are new to hamster care we may be able to give tips on what to improve ect.


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## Hammyflowers (9 mo ago)

Engel98 said:


> If it's not something she's used to it might take her some time to get the idea. I half bury a tunnel in the beginning and that normally encourages them.
> 
> As of aspen, it's ok to use. I personally prefer paper/cellulose but have used aspen in the past. My Syrians have had ~10 inches depth bedding to burrow in but 7" is a good start. Well done on getting a bigger cage, I'm sure your ham will appreciate it!
> 
> What else has she got in the cage? Can we see? As you mentioned that you are new to hamster care we may be able to give tips on what to improve ect.


I thought my bedding was aspen but on close inspection it is actually soft wood bedding! What makes this worse is my dad refuses to let me purchase a safe bedding with my own money and used the excuse "pet stores won't sell it if it's not safe" and I don't know how to convince him to let me change it!! This is making me extremely stressed so if you can help it would be much appreciated!!


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

Hammyflowers said:


> I thought my bedding was aspen but on close inspection it is actually soft wood bedding! What makes this worse is my dad refuses to let me purchase a safe bedding with my own money and used the excuse "pet stores won't sell it if it's not safe" and I don't know how to convince him to let me change it!! This is making me extremely stressed so if you can help it would be much appreciated!!


Well it's not very nice but you could mention that wood dust is actually a carcinogenic and so are the phenols in soft wood. So it's putting your health in danger as well as your hams.

You could also use the argument that smoking kills yet they still sell cigarettes.


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## Hammyflowers (9 mo ago)

Engel98 said:


> Well it's not very nice but you could mention that wood dust is actually a carcinogenic and so are the phenols in soft wood. So it's putting your health in danger as well as your hams.
> 
> You could also use the argument that smoking kills yet they still sell cigarettes.


I'll try that with my dad later my mum said she will get me some better bedding but my dad says that she won't so I'll try telling my dad that thank you!!


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## heidii (May 5, 2019)

If you can't change the bedding, I assume it would actually be safer to remove it entirely and just let your hamster be on plastic. It's too dangerous to keep them on softwood.

It's also been observed that some hamsters wont even attempt to burrow unless provided 10-16 inches, which is quite a bit. You could try having a high side and low-side in your cage.

My adopted hamster was on maybe 2cm of softwood shavings his entire life before he came to me. I managed to teach him how to burrow by filling the entire tray with bedding, so much it overflowed out of the cage sides. I then added safe tubes, such as hay tubes or toilet roll tubes and shoved it half way into the bedding. In the wild, hamsters will take over other animals abandoned burrows. Try to mimic that once you have a safe bedding.

If you can't buy bedding, just buy a large amount of toilet roll. It's better than nothing, and whilst you'd need to do OFTEN cleanings of whichever bedding is urine soaked, your hamster will thank you.


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