Any Advice?

[Coral Dolpfin Cove]

Today I switched my CDH from a Mini Critter Trail to the Super Critter Trail Two habitat to give her more space and more items to climb (she's a big climber). Unfortunately, in the Mini she did not have any tunnels to climb UP or DOWN. In her new Super, since the cage design puts her food tray and water bottle on the second level, she has to climb UP and DOWN the tunnels to eat and drink water. Any advice on how I can teach her to climb up and down through the tunnels?

Thanks.

 

[Kiarra]

Are the tubes bubble tubes? What I mean by this, is do they have ridges inside that make it easier to climb them? If so, then she's going to do just fine. Most hamsters take to tubes very naturally and very easily, so long as the tubes are big enough and, in the case of smaller hamsters like dwarves and Chinese, have the bubble design.

If you're worried about it, keep an eye on her food bowl. That'll be your most obvious sign of whether or not she's managing with the tubes. If it hasn't changed overnight, then she's obviously not getting it, and you'll want to introduce her to tubes. (Which really just involves helping her into it, and encouraging her to climb by gently prodding her in the bum...unless she's a biter, in which case, I wouldn't really recommend that particular approach, for the safety of your fingers.)

 

[zelandonia]

Can you put a little bowl of food on the bottom level as well? That way she can discover the tubes in her own time and then when she finds the food on the top floor it will be a big reward. When you are confident she can reliably navigate the tubes you can take away the food from the first floor.

z.

 

[littleimp]

I have russians in a rotastak unit & all you have to do is add ladders if they are having problems, takes them around 2hrs to learn how to use them, even babies can climb them

 

[Coral Dolpfin Cove]

Yes, the funnels are bubbles. Earlier tonight, I picked her up and put her up on the second level to show her where her food and water are. She was perfectly able to climb down the tubes. She kind of keeps going into the tubes like she wants to climb them, but she doesn't quite have the nerve yet. Should I just wait a little longer? She's only been in her new cage for about a day.

Thank you all for your advice.

Littleimp, I'm in the U.S. Where can I find the little ladders that you are talking about?

 

[Kiarra]

You can use wooden or plastic ladders from the bird section of a petstore. They come in various sizes and lengths, depending on the type of bird they're for. Probably want to go with one designed for a parakeet or budgie if you can find one.

 

[flips]

it took my dwarf hamster a few days to climb through the tunnels in her crittertrail X... she got it though and now she's always busy. just takes them some time to get used to it but they do.

 

[Coral Dolpfin Cove]

Thank you all so much for your advice and support. I was panicking the other night because I had searched her cage and couldn't find her. Turns out she had climbed to the third level and was sleeping on her cotton fluff. It was adorable! I guess you guys were all right. She just needed to get the hang of it. Thanks again!

 

[Kiarra]

You'll want to trash that cotton fluff. It's really no good for rodents. They can't digest it, so if they swallow it, it can get tangled up in their intestines. Plus, if it gets wrapped around their limbs, it can cut off circulation to the limb.

Toilet paper is really a much better alternative. Completely safe...and cheap.

 

[Betta_luver]

Yes fluffy cotteny stuff= bad

A super crittertrail? i have never heard of it. have any pics?