Pet Hamster

[Finnie]

Having bred parakeets in my basement for 12 years, and doing a little research on the effects of lack of sunlight, my first reaction was that if the plant grow light had any UV in it, it would be healthy for the hamster.

 

[tortoise]

Its tall enough she can stand up 😯🤩

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

 

[tortoise]

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.

She buried 3 "hides" in the soil. IDK if she uses them, but they must help support her burrows somehow.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Cute! And nice set up

 

[tortoise]

Guess who left the hamster cage open last night? 🙄 🤦‍♀️ DS7 cleaned his room and DS15's room this morning. Next up is the rec room. Hamster had access to my studio last night - uggh, so many places to hide in there. I'm not even trying.

We disabled mouse traps. Set her cage on the floor with a ramp up to it. Hopefully she will show up on her own again.

Will DS7 ever learn?

 

[Hinotori]

That's a lot of frustrating escapes

 

[flowerbug]

when i was into aquariums i did have a nice 55 gallon tank. i really wanted 110 gallons instead but i don't think the house i was staying in would have supported that much weight. the price was about $150 and it was a long long time ago. when i moved i sold off all my aquarium tanks and supplies. it was a fun hobby and i enjoyed it much more than tv, but there was no way those tanks would have survived all the moving i did afterwards. here i am now and there's not room for a big tank or even little ones. there's a big difference between renting a whole house and having one small room.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

You are a good mom, I couldn't even say yes to taking the class fish for the summer! (not that we don't already have a fish) hopefully she stays comfy and cozy in her new home.

 

[tortoise]

That and I need to make a topper. I am reading that hamsters tend to chew on wire cage regardless of the cage size and enrichment.

I learned that burrowing substrate depth is associated with bar-biting. Hamsters in captivity don't chew on wire cages when they have bedding that is 31" deep. (the study looked at bedding that was 16" and 31" deep). I can get up to 20" deep in the aquarium I have by adding a wire topper.

It seems that I could mix burrowing soil substrate that is 1 part clay and 4 parts sand. It might be possible to cut this in half with garden soil (I like this plan).

24 gallons or 3.25 cubic feet or 247 pounds of garden soil
19 gallons or 2.5 cubic feet or 225 pounds of play sand
5 gallons or .66 cubic feet or 45 pounds of clay

517 pounds. Sounds like a lot but a 55 gallon aquarium can handle 600 - 700 pounds. Should be okay! ...until the day I need to empty it out or move it....

 

[Cecilia's-life]

She’s so cute!!