# New Syrian - settling in, housing and when to make changes.



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

We thought we'd read well on this and were all prepared before we got our new addition but turns out that less than a day in I'm already needing advice!   

Shinx (named by Pokemon fan ) a 4 month Syrian - we got her last night and she is absolutely beautiful.

She is in a Savic Hamster Heaven - like this:








We have added plenty of bedding, toys, gnaw stones, etc.

Problem is once we got her in I was worried about the Hamster Heaven houses that came with the cage (2 of them - you can see them in pic - small, domed ones on the shelves.) She has explored them, can fit in them but I'm concerned that they are too small to be a happy house and she'd maybe prefer a larger igloo home set up in a corner on the base....should I do this....sooner rather than later or leave all alone while she's settling in??

Not entirely sure where she's making her nest - not in one of the houses anyway - as she started piling bedding up in the bottom left corner under the green shelf last night and any bits of scented (our scent) loo roll we popped in her cage were immediately swiped, shredded and taken to this spot in the corner.

She hasn't stayed there though or taken food there - just made a little pile and then tootled off elsewhere.

This morning she is in the tubes. She has taken bedding and food in there and I'm thinking this is perhaps her chosen nest.

What should I do? I think we'd ideally like to remove the green shelf and add larger igloo home. But do we do this ASAP or leave all alone while she's still settling? I'm worried that she's not happy with the housing options but don't want to freak her out with changes when she's only getting her bearings.

Any advice you can give would be great. I'm going out today to get a bigger house for her but I'm hoping I get a reply from one of you bright sparks before I put it in just in case I get it all wrong.:Facepalm

Thanks.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

Well, watching her today I think she answered my questions for me: she's retreated into the tunnels and has been there all day so she's obviously not as confident as she appeared last night.

If she's not feeling confident enough to come down into the cage I don't think we'll do anything with her cage for a long while yet. 

We'll leave her alone and let her de - stress. Will perhaps remove a shelf and add larger house when we're giving the cage it's first proper clean...and I can't see that happening anytime soon.


----------



## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Hi Wee T and welcome to the world of Syrian hamster ownership. 
I had a Savic hamster heaven for a Chinese dwarf hamster and she too used the tunnels as a bed, and a toilet. 
I found the tubes difficult to clean and after a while they started to fall apart so I got some (not sure what they are called) things to close the holes and stopped using the tunnels.
I think getting her a bigger igloo house is fine, she may not use it, but it won't do any harm to try, just give her time to settle first (which I know you are doing).


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

Km


Animallover26 said:


> Hi Wee T and welcome to the world of Syrian hamster ownership.
> I had a Savic hamster heaven for a Chinese dwarf hamster and she too used the tunnels as a bed, and a toilet.
> I found the tubes difficult to clean and after a while they started to fall apart so I got some (not sure what they are called) things to close the holes and stopped using the tunnels.
> I think getting her a bigger igloo house is fine, she may not use it, but it won't do any harm to try, just give her time to settle first (which I know you are doing).


Oh thanks Animal lover, reassuring to know it's nothing to panic about and it's okay to let her settle.

Couldn't get an igloo - all either too small or absolutely huge so have got a wooden house - an Alpine Lodge if you don't mind! Hope that's okay!

Yes, I think once she's settled and more confident we'll clean cage (but leave some substrate in that has a familiar scent), take out shelf, put in house and get blockers for the tunnels.

(Unless that's too many changes at once!! See no matter how much I read I'm still not ready for this!  )


----------



## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Don't forget that a fully grown Syrian needs a wheel at least 11'' in a diameter.  The ones that come with shop-brought cages are rarely suitable for more than a couple of weeks, if at all.


----------



## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Wee T said:


> Km
> 
> Oh thanks Animal lover, reassuring to know it's nothing to panic about and it's okay to let her settle.
> 
> ...


The Alpine lodge is fine, it's a hide-a-way and a chew toy all in one!

Doesn't sound like too many changes to me, just watch her, get to know her, and decide if you want to do all the changes at once or do them over two cleans. Leaving some of her old bedding is a good plan.

You'll be fine. Hamsters are fairly easy to look after so after a few weeks you'll be thinking 'why was I panicking?'


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

SixStar said:


> Don't forget that a fully grown Syrian needs a wheel at least 11'' in a diameter.  The ones that come with shop-brought cages are rarely suitable for more than a couple of weeks, if at all.


Thanks six star, yes, wheel replacement is on the list too. 

We were watching her on her wheel last night and although her back isn't really bent or anything at the mo we said she could definitely do with a bigger one.

We thought we would change it when we take the green shelf out as it will leave plenty of room for a good sized wheel.

Honestly, we thought we were all organised but seeing her in her cage last night we plan to change virtually everything.    Just have to take care not to set her back with all these changes.


----------



## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Wee T said:


> Thanks six star, yes, wheel replacement is on the list too.
> 
> We were watching her on her wheel last night and although her back isn't really bent or anything at the mo we said she could definitely do with a bigger one.
> 
> ...


Sorry didn't mean to preach to the converted  - just the large wheel doesn't seem to be very widely promoted.

Look forward to seeing a pic when she's settled in a bit more 

I always have a Syrian, current little man is an 18 month old sable banded called Wispa.


----------



## TabulaRasa (Apr 1, 2016)

The green shelf is ok and the pink dome thing which she'll possibly outgrow anyway, but I'd get rid of the tunnels and that green triangle house on top of the cage ASAP. Hamsters have been known to escape out of those houses really easily. As for the tubes, their a pain, you'll find them hard to clean, they go loose when you start having to take them apart, the hamster will fill them with food and bedding causing them to go damp, she'll pee in them which will make a right mess and they make it really hard to tame your hamster as you can't get her out from them. Ditch them, block the holes off, put a bed box on the cage floor and if you really want a tube, get one of those edible cardboard ones instead that she can run through and chew on .


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

SixStar said:


> Sorry didn't mean to preach to the converted  - just the large wheel doesn't seem to be very widely promoted.
> 
> Look forward to seeing a pic when she's settled in a bit more
> 
> I always have a Syrian, current little man is an 18 month old sable banded called Wispa.


Oh no, not at all, six star, thank you - I'm not converted and you're not preaching. Believe me! I'm totally wet behind the ears with small furries.

That was really helpful as we would have probably gone and got on another wheel that was a bit bigger but still not big enough! So big thank you for the dimensions!

I tend to get from Pets at Home and biggest they have is the Giant Rolly which measures about 11" but only gets 3 out of 5 stars.

If anyone can recommend a good sized wheel I'd appreciate it.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

TabulaRasa said:


> The green shelf is ok and the pink dome thing which she'll possibly outgrow anyway, but I'd get rid of the tunnels and that green triangle house on top of the cage ASAP. Hamsters have been known to escape out of those houses really easily. As for the tubes, their a pain, you'll find them hard to clean, they go loose when you start having to take them apart, the hamster will fill them with food and bedding causing them to go damp, she'll pee in them which will make a right mess and they make it really hard to tame your hamster as you can't get her out from them. Ditch them, block the holes off, put a bed box on the cage floor and if you really want a tube, get one of those edible cardboard ones instead that she can run through and chew on .


 Thank you...I think!!

Oh my, really don't want her escaping! She's been up in the green 'penthouse' for a couple of short spells but is definitely now preferring the tubes....do you think it would be ok to 'chance' it for a week or two before removing the tubes and green top part while she is settling?

We're definitely ditching them but I am so worried about moving them just now when she is still so unsettled.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

Animallover26 said:


> The Alpine lodge is fine, it's a hide-a-way and a chew toy all in one!
> 
> Doesn't sound like too many changes to me, just watch her, get to know her, and decide if you want to do all the changes at once or do them over two cleans. Leaving some of her old bedding is a good plan.
> 
> You'll be fine. Hamsters are fairly easy to look after so after a few weeks you'll be thinking 'why was I panicking?'


Thank you, that's so reassuring. I am more anxious than I thought I'd be. But then I was like this when we got Willow. Think I must be turning into a worry wort in my old age. Just worry she'll not be happy but I'll miss the signs.

Also fear she might live in those tubes for ever!! 

Just looking forward to seeing her settled and feeling at home.

Thanks for the replies everyone, it has helped!


----------



## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Wee T said:


> Oh no, not at all, six star, thank you - I'm not converted and you're not preaching. Believe me! I'm totally wet behind the ears with small furries.
> 
> That was really helpful as we would have probably gone and got on another wheel that was a bit bigger but still not big enough! So big thank you for the dimensions!
> 
> ...


Phew!

I like the Senior Wodent Wheel  - http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=446&pf_id=52721


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

SixStar said:


> Phew!
> 
> I like the Senior Wodent Wheel  - http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=446&pf_id=52721


That is absolutely perfect - fantastic reviews - thank you so much.

Love that it's closed in with holes to climb in and out.

I'll order that one then. Brilliant!


----------



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi I'm not sure if they still do but when I had the hamster heaven it came with the clear plastic caps/blockers.
I too took the shelves out and added my own wooden ladders and wooden shelves with little hamster hammocks and Sputnik.
Then I just put in cardboard boxes a ceramic bowl with sand in it and various chew toys. I also had the senior wodent wheel.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

That's great, thanks @blade100. Just checked with husband - he put it all together - and he said that yep it does still come with plastic blockers. And he hasn't thrown them out like he usually does when he builds stuff and finds he has extra bits. 

I saw little wooden ladders and thought they were great but there was that much stuff in the HH already so can't wait to get that shelf out and put bits like that in.

Hamster hammocks!  Brilliant! I saw what *looked* like fabric ones - possibly fleecy lining with waterproof backing - that just clip onto roof of cage...something like that? Any particular hammocks to buy or avoid?

Oh and the sputnik. We have one hanging from top of cage. Shinx explored it last nightwhen she was checking everything out but has not bothered since (as far as we know). Now, we didn't make it very appealing in that we didn't fill it full of nice bedding in case she wanted to do that herself......should we have created a nice bed in there?

Should we do anything to make sputnik more appealing or will she sort it out herself in time if she decides she likes it?

See, told you - wet behind the ears!  

Thanks for this.


----------



## TabulaRasa (Apr 1, 2016)

Wee T said:


> Thank you...I think!!
> 
> Oh my, really don't want her escaping! She's been up in the green 'penthouse' for a couple of short spells but is definitely now preferring the tubes....do you think it would be ok to 'chance' it for a week or two before removing the tubes and green top part while she is settling?
> 
> We're definitely ditching them but I am so worried about moving them just now when she is still so unsettled.


Get a trigger clip like what's on the end of a dog lead and clip the door of the green house shut. That way, even if she works out how to open it, it won't open more than a fraction. You can leave her there then for a week or so if you want, but just be aware you will be unlikely to get her out for socialising if she's crammed herself into the pipes, and you really need to start handling her before long to get her used to you. Also, if you move them now before she's too used to them you won't unsettle her half as much as if you do so when she's been settled there a week or two. Some hamsters don't like change at all and go wild if they think someone has been poking about their space, a bit like you would if you found somebody had invaded your room .

These are the things you need to block up the holes:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Square-Connection-Spelos-Metro/dp/B003QQDYKI

I'd look on eBay as well before buying them, £12 odd for two plastic caps is expensive! Of course if your DIY savvy you could always make your own, piece of mesh cut to size, file down the edges thoroughly and cable tie it in place - job done!


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

TabulaRasa said:


> Get a trigger clip like what's on the end of a dog lead and clip the door of the green house shut. That way, even if she works out how to open it, it won't open more than a fraction. You can leave her there then for a week or so if you want, but just be aware you will be unlikely to get her out for socialising if she's crammed herself into the pipes, and you really need to start handling her before long to get her used to you. Also, if you move them now before she's too used to them you won't unsettle her half as much as if you do so when she's been settled there a week or two. Some hamsters don't like change at all and go wild if they think someone has been poking about their space, a bit like you would if you found somebody had invaded your room .
> 
> These are the things you need to block up the holes:
> 
> ...


Ah that's a great tip about the clip - thank you.

Yeah absolutely get your point about her getting too settled in there. Hmm, I guess I was hoping in a few days or however long it takes for her to become more settled and less timid she wouldn't retreat there so much and we'd have a clear sign that she was gaining confidence so could work towards getting her out of the cage to clean it and take tunnels away.

Last night she explored all over the cage while we watched and talked softly to her but today she seems much more timid and won't come out of the tubes while we're there.

We're leaving her to it because I don't want to scare her.

Not sure how to go about removing the tunnels at this stage - she's so timid I'm not sure we could get her out of the tunnel let alone the cage. :Nailbiting

We have stoppers that came with the cage so hopefully they do the job but thank you for the link - I might need it.


----------



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Wee T said:


> That's great, thanks @blade100. Just checked with husband - he put it all together - and he said that yep it does still come with plastic blockers. And he hasn't thrown them out like he usually does when he builds stuff and finds he has extra bits.
> 
> I saw little wooden ladders and thought they were great but there was that much stuff in the HH already so can't wait to get that shelf out and put bits like that in.
> 
> ...


The hamster hammocks you saw are fine, I used to use rat ones when I kept rats albeit a little bigger than hammie ones. There's a web site called fuzzbutt where Rachel makes fantastic hamster hammocks, tubes,cube houses.
Here's the web site http://www.fuzzbutt.co.uk/homer/

Regards the Sputnik I just shredded kitchen roll up into strips, i did this for her nest too and age would scurry off with the strips in her mouth pouches and reassemble it all how she wanted. Lol

Glad you found the clear caps, quite a few people don't realise they come with the cage  unless of course it's second hand.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

Our hand was forced and we ended up getting rid of the tunnels sooner than we thought when her ladyship took herself up to the penthouse but managed to block a tube on the way so she was stuck up there. 

She has been great though - taking treats from our hands, enjoyed the playpen and ran over daughters hands. 

This is a huge step forward considering she'd scuttle into and freeze in a tunnel when we entered the room the day before!

Tunnels and shelf gone and larger house added - I put old nest material in it...not sure if that was right thing to do. She's back in cage and sussing it all out again. Don't think she's impressed. Sitting on her new house like a rooftop prison protester, possibly looking for her phantom tunnel.

Really hope this doesn't set her back too much but I'm so relieved the tubes and that escape-pod-penthouse has gone! 

Don't think I'd ever have tunnels in again for a new hamster.


----------



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

She will be fine, you may find she will come out her shell more now that the tubes are gone. Sounds like things are going well. And yes putting in her old nesting material was the best thing to do as it smells of her. Also when you do the first clean out keep back some of her old substrate and sprinkle over the new stuff so that she doesn't get stressed out. Same with nesting material. 
My past hammies only ever peed in either one corner or there sand bath so I think I did a full change once a month. I just cleaned the pee areas every 3 days.


----------



## Wee T (Dec 6, 2015)

blade100 said:


> She will be fine, you may find she will come out her shell more now that the tubes are gone. Sounds like things are going well. And yes putting in her old nesting material was the best thing to do as it smells of her. Also when you do the first clean out keep back some of her old substrate and sprinkle over the new stuff so that she doesn't get stressed out. Same with nesting material.
> My past hammies only ever peed in either one corner or there sand bath so I think I did a full change once a month. I just cleaned the pee areas every 3 days.


Thanks, blade, that's great, we'll do that.

Came home from work and she's sleeping in her house so all seems well. Be interesting to see how she is when she wakes this evening.

Thanks for all the advice.


----------



## jo-pop (May 27, 2011)

This is a great thread. I know it is quite old now but i'v found it really useful as we are getting our first hamster soon (well first one since i was about 8 so 30 years ago now  )

Lovely to see so many people who genuinly care about giving them the right start.


----------

