I just got a Syrian hamster and I've noticed that a few of my things are not quite up to par, mostly her wheel being a bit too small and too small of "cage" I wish I could spring for all new stuff for her but I have to wait for my paycheck. How long is it safe for her to use this wheel? Should I just remove it entirely? There's just the slightest upturn of her head when she uses it. Thank you :)
Do hamsters prefer their environment to be very stationary and unchanging or to have them be changing layout every once in a while?
Hey, thanks for writing!
Sadly I can’t find much information on how long it takes a small wheel to cause permanent damage. But personally I’d advice to take the wheel away if it’s not for a month or even longer. If she’s in a small cage there’s a big chance she’s using the wheel much more often than in a bigger one, leading to an increased risk of her getting problems because of it!
Regarding your second question: Hamsters prefer a cage that doesn’t change too much and not too often. If you want to rearrange things, that’s okay, but don’t change the entire setup! Adding or rearranging one or two items every few weeks is perfectly okay, but your hamster always needs some time to get used to changes in their cage :)
- r
