Question regarding hamsters...

[RitaZ.]

We got one about 3 weeks ago, never had one before. DH has asthma, so our options on pets are limited. The kids named the hamster Patches. He is really cute and gentle, lets us pet him.

Anyway, we kept findings his droppings on the floor and on top of the cabinet that his cage sits on. We couldn't figure out how it was getting there, DH said that Patches had to be throwing it out. I said, "It can't be!". Well, we caught him doing it and it's obvious that he doesn't want the poop in his cage.

Is this normal behavior for hamsters or does Patches suffer from OCD (as in obsessive CLEANING disorder)?

 

[always quiet]

Ours used to do this! If you think is bad, you'll love this trick!! My DD's hamster liked a clean cage so much, she wouldn't do #1 in her cage! How did she manage this trick....she had the cage that was part wire (top half) and a plastic tray on the bottom. She use to raise her bottom high enough so that when she widdled, it would go outside the cage!!! We had to take a piece of cardboard and attach it to the back of the cage where her corner potty was to try to keep the offending liquid inside the cage instead of my daughter's dresser!!

 

[barbeml]

Is it a cage? Hamsters nest, burrow and play, and droppings and litter will fly out of a cage. Glass tanks will remedy the mess, but cages are more fun--my last hamster used to do some neat acrobatics swinging from his cage bars.

Patches sounds darling--give him a pat for me!

Barbe

 

[RitaZ.]

a.q., . LOL. Patches has the same type of cage. I guess we should be grateful that he isn't doing what yours did.

He is in a cage (metal), but I saw how he does it. He reaches "back there" and them pushes it out with his nose/snout, happens really fast. Then he goes through this intense cleaning/grooming ritual, it's hilarious to watch. I read that they are very clean animals. Some droppings do make it to the plastic bottom, but a lot of them end up on the floor or on the cabinet.

The kids love him. Who would have thought that we could be this excited over a rodent?

 

[always quiet]

This is how Gizmo started!!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!!

 

[RitaZ.]

Originally posted by always quiet
This is how Gizmo started!!!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!!

 

[Tuffcookie]

You're not going to believe tthis but they make a hamster outhouse!!! I was goofy enough to buy it and guess what????!!! IT WORKS!!!! They even have hamster litter for it although I don't know why normal kitty litter won't work. I'm thinking of trying it because it's cheaper. Our hamster does his business in the outhouse now and it now I don't have to clean his cage as often.

TC

 

[RitaZ.]

TC, thanks for the tip. We'll have to look into that.

 

[Prince Eric1]

The hamsters I got for my daughters for Christmas have the opposite problem. They ignore most of the cage and nest in the top portion that is supposed to be for petting. They haul their food up there and leave all their droppings there, and sleep there. Its only a little tiny area that they can't even stand up erect in. I guess no matter how cute they are, a rodents a rodent.