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Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY






Mice are hard to take photos of, too. :smith:

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Fewd
Mar 22, 2007

#vmp #opsec #kolmiloikka #happoo
You could climb into those ears and find a new hidden planet. :kimchi:

Zetsubou
Feb 22, 2011
So I have always been wondering, but is this set up too small? I can try to maybe scrounge up some money to see if I can buy a bigger one. I also recently bought that wheel today, cause the one I orginally bought was a tad too small. I've never actually seen them use a wheel before, so if they don't end up using it, what's a good exercise alternative? I'll edit this post if I can get any good pictures of my gerbs, but my only camera is somewhat broken making it very difficult.

Fewd
Mar 22, 2007

#vmp #opsec #kolmiloikka #happoo

Zetsubou posted:

So I have always been wondering, but is this set up too small? I can try to maybe scrounge up some money to see if I can buy a bigger one. I also recently bought that wheel today, cause the one I orginally bought was a tad too small. I've never actually seen them use a wheel before, so if they don't end up using it, what's a good exercise alternative? I'll edit this post if I can get any good pictures of my gerbs, but my only camera is somewhat broken making it very difficult.



That is pretty small. See if you can get a used aquarium instead of blowing money on a new one though. You can often find used ones pretty cheap when people wanna get rid of their old ones. Especially so if they are not entirely waterproof and can't be used for fishies. I just gave my big old + its stand to red cross cause no one would buy it for five bucks and red cross would come pick it up from my home for convenience. :effort:

And aim for a taller one so you can have at least three times the current height in bedding. They will build caverns. Caverns.

Adult Sword Owner
Jun 19, 2011

u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise
Look at this angry guinea pig.



She was lying in her pen right next to me (since my computer is next to their pen) and I had the bad manners to cough really loudly. An explosion of pig and bedding and she's quite happy sitting as far away from me and glaring thank you very much.

(The other one didn't give a crap)

Chin Strap
Nov 24, 2002

I failed my TFLC Toxx, but I no longer need a double chin strap :buddy:
Pillbug
Saint Darwin, do you have a tunnel or pigloo or something for them to hide in? They really need some sort of hiding shelter like that.

Adult Sword Owner
Jun 19, 2011

u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise

Chin Strap posted:

Saint Darwin, do you have a tunnel or pigloo or something for them to hide in? They really need some sort of hiding shelter like that.

I have a big igloo, but they don't both crowd into it until it's finally sleep time. Usually one will hang out in it and the other one will sit right outside it by me or in the hay. When I take pictures of them, it's usually when I'm playing with them, and I usually remove the igloo because they seem to wake up then and start walking around sniffing things and eating hay; they don't seem to be scared or to want to hide, it seems to wake them up. It's in their cage 100% of other times, though.

Sumac
Sep 5, 2006

It doesn't matter now, come on get happy

Fewd posted:

That is pretty small. See if you can get a used aquarium instead of blowing money on a new one though. You can often find used ones pretty cheap when people wanna get rid of their old ones. Especially so if they are not entirely waterproof and can't be used for fishies. I just gave my big old + its stand to red cross cause no one would buy it for five bucks and red cross would come pick it up from my home for convenience. :effort:

And aim for a taller one so you can have at least three times the current height in bedding. They will build caverns. Caverns.

This is really good advice. I was dumb and got a longer aquarium new when I found out that I knew four different people with similarly sized ones they couldn't even give away.

The best reason to get them a new cage is so you can do fun things like this to it:





Whenever I clean out their cage, I cut up some boxes and build them a cool little fort. From a functional standpoint, it allows me to put about 4 inches more substrate in one side of their cage while leaving the other low so it doesn't clog up the wheel and water bottle as often. It also gives exellent support for heavier items like the wood house in the second picture, stops them from making loud banging noises on the glass when they dig into them, and it gives them good hiding places.

On top of all that, there's nothing cuter than gerbils exploring a new environment. It's also possible all of the above is just me trying to justify building gerbil forts.

Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

Oh what the hell kind of water bottle is that? Because that's awesome.

Sumac
Sep 5, 2006

It doesn't matter now, come on get happy
I don't remember the brand, but I got it from Petsmart, which had three or four types of bottle that attach like that.

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:
http://www.bitsforpets.com/clear-seal-tank-with-mesh-lid-18x12x12-p-3738.html

Big enough for a Syrian hamster or two little Russian hamsters? (I'm hoping to get winter white ones if I get Russian hamsters)

EDIT:

quote:

The RSPCA recommend that the minimum size of cage for a Syrian hamster should be 75cm x 40 cm x 40 cm. (29 ½ inches x 15 ¾ inches x 15 ¾ inches).

Looks like I'd need to get something bigger, but glass is expensive. :smith: Then again hamster cages being sold seem smaller than that.

Also this PDF guide might be useful to anyone else not experienced with keeping hamsters as pets:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/BlobServer?blobtable=RSPCABlob&blobcol=urlblob&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1169720056106&blobheader=application/pdf

A Sloth fucked around with this message at 02:30 on Dec 1, 2012

Sumac
Sep 5, 2006

It doesn't matter now, come on get happy

A Sloth posted:

http://www.bitsforpets.com/clear-seal-tank-with-mesh-lid-18x12x12-p-3738.html

Big enough for a Syrian hamster or two little Russian hamsters? (I'm hoping to get winter white ones if I get Russian hamsters)

EDIT:


Looks like I'd need to get something bigger, but glass is expensive. :smith: Then again hamster cages being sold seem smaller than that.

Also this PDF guide might be useful to anyone else not experienced with keeping hamsters as pets:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/BlobServer?blobtable=RSPCABlob&blobcol=urlblob&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1169720056106&blobheader=application/pdf

I got a 30" from a local small pet shop for <$30, so if you don't know anyone that might have a used one, you might be able to find one somewhere like that for cheap. Mine was willing to substitute the normal lid for a mesh one at no extra cost.

thexerox123
Aug 17, 2007

If you have a smartphone, I wholeheartedly recommend downloading a piano app and giving your hamster/other rodent a treat every time they make a noise on it.

My hamster seems to have caught on pretty quickly, and now he's eager to mash on the keyboard for frozen veggies. It's adorable. :3:

Ssthalar
Sep 16, 2007

A Sloth posted:

I'm hoping to get winter white ones if I get Russian hamsters

Do you mean Siberian dwarf hamsters? (Djungarian hamsters?)
I had a bunch of those many years ago, they were all grey except for two of them who went into their winter pelt because we had them in a cold room during a very cold winter.
(Not that the cold seemed to bother them at all, but it was a surprise since the colour change happened pretty much overnight. God i miss those fuzzy little critters :3:)

Ssthalar fucked around with this message at 09:36 on Dec 1, 2012

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:
Yes, Pets at Home apparently has them. Going to check out one of the Pet Shops in town on Monday though... and see if the taxman owes me some money back, I think I'm owed a couple of hundred pounds. Money for a tank/cage! :D

Ssthalar
Sep 16, 2007

A Sloth posted:

Yes, Pets at Home apparently has them. Going to check out one of the Pet Shops in town on Monday though... and see if the taxman owes me some money back, I think I'm owed a couple of hundred pounds. Money for a tank/cage! :D

Just make sure that the wheel you give them don't squeak!
Those critters love running for miles every night and if the wheel is squeaky, you will find out!

Also, i never really had a very large cage for my hamsters, though i usually only had two at a time. If they can get along, sure, everything's fine, but the moment they start fighting, you pretty much have to get seperate cages, for they can become downright murderous towards each other in very short time.
(don't seperate them with your hands, use a thin book or something or they'll bite you instead.)

Happened to a friend of mine, one of the hamsters decided one day to literally bite off one half of the other's face. :sigh:

Edit: Dammit, looking at the pictures on Wikipedia makes me want to get hamsters again! I miss the fuzzy, but they live so short lives :(

Ssthalar fucked around with this message at 02:28 on Dec 2, 2012

RazorBunny
May 23, 2007

Sometimes I feel like this.

For silent wheels, I love my Wodent Wheel. The only time it makes noise is when Mordin poops in it and the poops dry up and rattle around. This happens relatively often because Mordin practically lives in the wheel and poops in there all the time. I just shake out the poops and it goes back to being silent.

Problem!
Jan 1, 2007

I am the queen of France.
My problem with wheels is not the wheel itself, but the cage. I have wheels from Quality Cage with ball bearings and the wheel itself is really quiet, but when the fatasses start running on them the entire cage rattles. There's not much I can do about that.

When Dexter lived in my room at college he didn't have his wheel for the sake of my sanity.

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:

Ssthalar posted:

Also, i never really had a very large cage for my hamsters, though i usually only had two at a time. If they can get along, sure, everything's fine, but the moment they start fighting, you pretty much have to get seperate cages, for they can become downright murderous towards each other in very short time.
(don't seperate them with your hands, use a thin book or something or they'll bite you instead.)

Happened to a friend of mine, one of the hamsters decided one day to literally bite off one half of the other's face. :sigh:

Is there really no way to get them to make peace? :ohdear:

Might just get a Syrian now.

EDIT: Will a dwarf hamster be happy enough on it's own?

A Sloth fucked around with this message at 20:04 on Dec 2, 2012

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


I always imagine dwarf ham males are like male mice: tolerate/even love each other completely until, one day, they eat each other and then fight forever.

(Get a Syrian)

Ssthalar
Sep 16, 2007

A Sloth posted:

Is there really no way to get them to make peace? :ohdear:

Might just get a Syrian now.

EDIT: Will a dwarf hamster be happy enough on it's own?

Well, the Siberian's are highly territorial, so yea, they'll be fine alone.
To be honest, i'm rather surprised that i haven't had hamsters that went into a murderfrenzy constantly considering it's only recently i found out about the whole territorial thing.

I guess it's a lot about luck and probably also depending on if they are from the same parents. (offspring? i'm lacking an english word here..)

Also pretty much what Fraction said, they can be best friends for years and then suddenly decide that the other hamster is literally Hitler and needs to die.

If you decide to get two, make sure they are brought together as soon as possible, since a hamster that have already staked the cage as it's own territory will be far more agressive towards a newcomer.

Edit: It is of course personal anecdotes, but most of the Hamster i've kept have been rather friendly towards each other, of course, they were also generally male and female, so i guess they would tolerate each other a bit more because of that.

The only times i can really remember my own hamsters fighting was in fact around when the female gave birth, she would absolutely terrorize the male so he would live in the other end of the cage for a while.

Ssthalar fucked around with this message at 06:09 on Dec 3, 2012

McCloud24
May 23, 2008

You call yourself a knight; what is that?
So I have two Syrians, in separate cages of course, a mother and daughter pair. I bought the younger one from a pet store and then was given her mother for free later when it appeared that no one would want to buy a slightly older hamster.

I realize they can't be caged together, but I'm wondering if there's any possibility of having them interact in a neutral environment where no one's food supply or nest is involved. I find that my bathtub is a good place to play with them, so I wonder if I might be able to put them together in there, with adequate supervision. Their cages are next to each other and they always seem to want to get closer to one another, but knowing what I do about hamster behavior I'm wary of putting them together, also considering that both (mama especially) are huge even for Syrians.

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


I wouldn't advise risking it tbh. Even if they don't kill each other they probably won't get much out of it.

McCloud24
May 23, 2008

You call yourself a knight; what is that?

Fraction posted:

I wouldn't advise risking it tbh. Even if they don't kill each other they probably won't get much out of it.

That's pretty much what I thought. I've had them for a few months now without attempting it, but I just wanted to see if it was something they were missing out on.

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Hamsters can gently caress each other up in seconds if they so choose. And you'll have a bastard of a time separating them before they do some serious damage. The day I separated the momma and daughter was the day I went over to say hi, they both came up to the glass, look at each other, and then just fuckin' WENT AT IT, teeth bared, squeaking loudly, and one took a few good bites out of the other's shoulder before I managed to separate them.

Syrians are solitary and don't seem to enjoy anyone's company for very long. It's sad, but that's their disposition.

Neddy Seagoon
Oct 12, 2012

"Hi Everybody!"

Captain Invictus posted:

Hamsters can gently caress each other up in seconds if they so choose. And you'll have a bastard of a time separating them before they do some serious damage. The day I separated the momma and daughter was the day I went over to say hi, they both came up to the glass, look at each other, and then just fuckin' WENT AT IT, teeth bared, squeaking loudly, and one took a few good bites out of the other's shoulder before I managed to separate them.

Syrians are solitary and don't seem to enjoy anyone's company for very long. It's sad, but that's their disposition.

How is your little Hamster family now? Any chance of more pictures?

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
Yeah, I am pretty busy nowadays but I'll see about getting some shots of them. It would be fun if I could cup them all in my hands at once like I did a while ago when they were babies for a then/now comparison, but they'd probably just immediately start trying to gently caress/kill each other.

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:
I got two 10 week old little Russian hamsters today. I'm not sure if they are actually winter whites or not but one is nearly all white with a slight greyness around the face and a black dorsal stripe, the other is white with a funny pattern of a greyish tones on his back. I haven't managed to get a clear photo of them yet, they move so fast and one of them is a lot more timid and hides in his nest at all times.

Adult Sword Owner
Jun 19, 2011

u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise
Well you are a sloth after all. What are their names?

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:
Wulfstan and Guthrum. :black101:

Adult Sword Owner
Jun 19, 2011

u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise
Very nice. I think I've settled on the names for my guineapigs. I will have to recycle previously posted pictures to show both for now.

This one is :black101: Ancient Hysteria :black101:



And this one is :black101: The Thousand Lies Made Manifest :black101:



Because, you know, little fuzzy demons.

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty

Saint Darwin posted:

Because, you know, little fuzzy demons.

Anhy and Tilm, then?

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
I took all five of the Hamster Family out for pictures. Some were not happy about it, others were TOO happy about it, and one of the cream colored boys was completely indifferent and bored about it.

http://imgur.com/a/x5siy

Some of the flash shots make it look like they've got mange or something, that's not the case, they've all got very thick fur. There's a non-flash and flash subsequent shot of one hamster that shows what I mean.

Also, I got a shot of the little girl was licking my mousepad for whatever reason, and Chip took a distinct interest in the mouse itself. :3:

Neddy Seagoon
Oct 12, 2012

"Hi Everybody!"

Captain Invictus posted:

I took all five of the Hamster Family out for pictures. Some were not happy about it, others were TOO happy about it, and one of the cream colored boys was completely indifferent and bored about it.

http://imgur.com/a/x5siy

Some of the flash shots make it look like they've got mange or something, that's not the case, they've all got very thick fur. There's a non-flash and flash subsequent shot of one hamster that shows what I mean.

Also, I got a shot of the little girl was licking my mousepad for whatever reason, and Chip took a distinct interest in the mouse itself. :3:

I've never seen hamsters with scruffy hair like that, I thought all breeds had smooth fur. Learn something every day, I guess. They're all adorable :3:

Fewd
Mar 22, 2007

#vmp #opsec #kolmiloikka #happoo
The second from top hammy is on the "not so happy" category? It would work out better for him/her if they weren't so cute when angry :neckbeard:

Also Ancient Hysteria is a p awesome pig

Captain Invictus
Apr 5, 2005

Try reading some manga!


Clever Betty
The longhaired hamsters are male Teddy Bears. They grow long hair, especially what I call "butt tufts", to keep their balls warm in cold weather. I did my best to keep balls out of the shots, which is hard, because they're HUGE.

And in order of hamsters in the album, it's Honeydew(mom, not happy at all to be out of her cage), Chip(one of two hamsters that were born black, the other one died early on, he was happy to be out and explore), and then two nameless cream-colored males and a nameless cream-colored female who I just call "little girl". The mom and first cream male were both like "I'M OUT" and kept trying to escape while I was taking pictures, the second cream male is just the most laid-back by far and lets me scritch his chin and stuff, and the little girl was most interested in chewing the couch cushion and licking the mousepad. She is a force of nature, and I have to wear rag shirts when I hold her because she can chew a quarter-sized hole in shirts in literally a second. She has done this to three shirts before I could stop her. :argh:

Adult Sword Owner
Jun 19, 2011

u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise
I bring you...

FORT CAVY



Little bastards keep moving the boxes so I'm looking for my zip ties. They will not destroy my work of art! Unless they manage to chew it all up.

A Sloth
Aug 4, 2010
EVERY TIME I POST I AM REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A SHITHEAD.

ASK ME MY EXPERT OPINION ON GENDER BASED INSULTS & "ENGLISH ETHNIC GROUPS".


:banme:
^Before my houses turned up in the post my hamsters kept squashing behind the cardboard box they had for a nest area.

Seems I underestimated the size of some of the things I bought for my hamsters. They are not strong enough for the wooden wheel... and the playground thing I bought them is too big. They have two cool little houses though.

New wheel time. :v:

Hardwood Floor
Sep 25, 2011

Saint Darwin posted:

I bring you...

FORT CAVY



Little bastards keep moving the boxes so I'm looking for my zip ties. They will not destroy my work of art! Unless they manage to chew it all up.

That is an awesome fort! Why can't guinea pigs respect fine art? :argh:

I can't find it on Petco's website, but they added an awesome pigloo thing mine adore. It's got steps so they can stand on top of it! Cocoa liked to put her front paws on the pigloo when she was excited, now she climbs up that and shrieks at me. :3:

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Fewd
Mar 22, 2007

#vmp #opsec #kolmiloikka #happoo

Pew! Pew! posted:

That is an awesome fort! Why can't guinea pigs respect fine art? :argh:

When The Thousand Lies Made Manifest wheeks the box should be five inches to the left instead, then the loving box will be five inches to the left and you all shut the hell up :mad:

Saint Darwin posted:

Little bastards keep moving the boxes so I'm looking for my zip ties.

Won't pigs eat those (the zip ties)? Or are they actually less retarded than gerbils?

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