Pet Hamster

[tortoise]

I spent money on the hamster for the first time since I last posted about buying something for her. I bought hardware cloth and j-clips to build a cage topper. She was escaping way too often bc DS8 would leave her cage open. The topper has space for her wheel. I can fill up the bottom aquarium with soil/substrate now. She'll be happy soon!

 

[tortoise]

sounds like alot of work

I hope I dont regret it. 🤷‍♀

 

[JanetMarie]

@tortoise We need pictures!

 

[FarmerJamie]

How's the hamster doing?

 

[FarmerJamie]

Kids and critters. Ugh. 😀

 

[tortoise]

Since this is in the frugal living section (even though I am discussing a luxury), the 55 gallon aquarium was $65, with fish supplies, filters, etc. included. They retail $200 (although aquarium are often discounted down to $1/gallon sales). A similar size hamster cage costs $300, and a popular DIY IKEA hack cage costs $80 plus whatever else I bought at IKEA "because I'm here" plus like 400 miles of driving.

 

[tortoise]

My hamster started burrowing finally. Boring for me since I dont see her as much, healthier for her to engage in species appropriate behavior.

Chipmunks ate the seeds I planted for her, so I started seeds in trays. Now I remember why I got in the habit of transplanting everything! Chipmunks!

 

[tortoise]

Hamster grain seedlings are popping up. I found whole einkorn (an ancient wheat) today at a bulk goods store and bought some to plant.

There are seedlings growing in her cage too! I'm excited for this! I gave DS7 a plant light to put on top of her cage.

 

[tortoise]

Omg. When I started being interested in a bioactive hamster habitat, hamster people told me that soil wouldn't hold a burrow, would collapse and kill a hamster. I didnt buy it. But I had no idea how well soil would hold a burrow.

Hamster did a major excavation today on the planted side of her cage. (I left one side drier and more hamster cage like and planted the other side which has a light and gets watered daily). You have to see this to believe it.

Her new burrow is from the wheel to the front right corner. You can kinda see her in there. The soil she removed is on top on the left. 😯

 

[flowerbug]

Its tall enough she can stand up 😯🤩

I hope she cleans the glass so I can get a better picture 😂

put a cover over the glass so it doesn't start getting green.

i wonder if the hamster would use something like a terra cotta pot as a den if it was buried down there? that way it would not cave in.