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Hamster issue

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  • 25-05-2010 10:02am
    #1
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭


    I got a Syrian hamster a few weeks ago and he's settled in nicely but the past week or so he's begun burying food in his litter tray, he uses one corner of the cage as his toilet area so I got a small tray and put some litter into it to mask any smell, was working great for about 2 weeks, he used it immediately with no issue, but now any time i either leave a bit of food in his bowl or give him a few treats in my hand to gobble up he'll run over to the litter, clamber into is and start putting food into it. I cant imagine this is hygenic as he still uses it as his toilet and any care guides I read said to keep food bowls etc away from the area they pick as their toilet, should I move the tray? or is my hamster just mental :pac:


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    #2
    mymo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    Could you try a small tray of sand or something somewhere else in the cage?
    I know hamsters like to store up food, so might be worth a try. Leave the food near it to encourage him to use this instead.


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    #3
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    I might try that, I have a small icecream tub with some chinchilla sand in it that he uses occasionally, I might leave that in there instead and let him pick which one he wants to use. I've stopped leaving as much food in his bowl as I was as he was burying it everywhere.


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    #4
    mymo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    I'd still leave the toilet one in there, just give him the option of somewhere clean to hide food.
    Maybe someone else might have some more advice.


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    #5
    morganafay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭morganafay


    Yeah I'd put a second toilet, or small tub, with litter in it somewhere else, and leave the toilet in the corner.

    That's handy that he's litter trained, I wish my guinea pigs were that smart :D


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    #6
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    Ha I didnt even have to plonk him into it, he just went , i watched him the first time I put it in there and he had a sniff around, dug about in the litter for a bit then just went, much easier than i thought :) I'll leave the sand box and the litter tray in there together and hopefully he'll use the sand for burying his food.


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    #7
    morganafay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭morganafay


    That's so cool, I never knew hamsters were so smart :)

    My rabbits were littertrained, but since I've been putting them out on the grass during the day they forgot their littertraining!


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    #8
    FAYESY
    Closed Accounts Posts: 274 ✭✭FAYESY


    Firstly only feed the hamster about a desert spoon full of food every 2 nights. Too much food will attract flies this time of year which can kill the hamster.

    Secondly no matter how well you arrange the cage - your pet will do what he likes where he likes!


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    #9
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    FAYESY wrote: »
    Firstly only feed the hamster about a desert spoon full of food every 2 nights. Too much food will attract flies this time of year which can kill the hamster.

    Secondly no matter how well you arrange the cage - your pet will do what he likes where he likes![/QUOTE]

    Ha I found that out straight away, the cage came with a little plastic hut thats meant to be for his bedding, so i stuck some in here, it has a removable roof that easily comes off, came down the first morning and the roof was off, the bedding was now in a corner in the bottom of the cage (its a two tier thing) in a pile along with most of the wood shaving bedding I left on the floor. i tidied it up and he started sqeaking at me as if he was telling me to bugger off and leave it alone :D


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    #10
    FAYESY
    Closed Accounts Posts: 274 ✭✭FAYESY


    Can I ask what bedding you use? If it is that evil nasty wooly type bedding please stop using it! They can & do much this & it can tangle in the intestines! Very evil stuff!

    Hay is much nicer & more natural for a hamster & its safe to much on it.


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    #11
    krudler
    Registered Users Posts: 34,788 ✭✭✭✭krudler


    FAYESY wrote: »
    Can I ask what bedding you use? If it is that evil nasty wooly type bedding please stop using it! They can & do much this & it can tangle in the intestines! Very evil stuff!

    Hay is much nicer & more natural for a hamster & its safe to much on it.

    The stuff on the floor of the cage is wood shaving type stuff, get it at Petmania, he does have wool bedding stuff in his little hut that he sleeps in, I put that in there so he doesnt move it about the cage, i might get some of the hay stuff next time i need to buy it then, thanks.


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    #12
    Jinxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭Jinxi


    Our pet "Hammy" (we aren't great with names) did the exact same thing. She would eat very little of the food we gave her and store the rest in many places she had access to including her toileting area. This included under the cooker, under the floor boards(once she learned how to pry open her cage door) and she would randomly carry bedding out too and set up camp near a pile of food. this would also mean her toileting area would move with her. If you watch closely, you will see the hamster almost sleepwalk out of their bedding to pee in the middle of the day and grab something to nibble and return to bed.
    She lived to a healthy 2 years and 1 month


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