To let my hamster be a house hamster?

[DifficultSituation19]

I rescued a hamster about 4 months ago who had had a pretty shit life up until then (she was about 8 months old when I got her).

She had never really been handled, but is now super tame and friendly. Her (very large) cage is on the floor of the living room, and since she’s become tamer I’ve been just opening the door of the cage and letting her free roam around the living room every evening, usually for 3-4 hours, sometimes longer. When she’s tired she gets back in her cage and puts herself back to bed.

Last night I was —three sheets to the wind— tired, and fell asleep while she was having her run around. This morning, when I went downstairs, she wasn’t in her house. No sign of her all day, but this evening she woke up and has been running around as normal, popping back into her cage every now and again for food and drinks or a quick run on her wheel.

I closed her cage door at about 10.30, and her little face broke my heart! She just sat at the door of her cage looking very sad indeed. She’s now out running around again. So I’m thinking, people have house rabbits, how about a house hamster? I’d keep her confined to the living room and she’d have the option of being in her cage if she wanted to be there (and I’d obviously put all her food in there).

Is this a bonkers idea? She has a sand bath, soil, deep substrate, and more toys and treats than you can shake a stick at in her cage, but she’d far rather not be in there. We don’t have any other pets that could munch her, and the dc are well trained at keeping the doors closed.

Just been taking photos of the Sylvanian stuff to sell it and Peanut had to get involved

Ooh love the new set up! Is that hamster-friendly peat? And can I ask what substrate you use? I was using Fitch but just went to place a new order and the price has gone up a lot so looking around for an alternative.

The new cage for Rose/Sasquatch is up and running

I wouldn't mind living in there. Is it on wheels?

I know not a thing about hamsters but OP your thread has cheered me up enormously 😊💕

Can you set up an IG account for Peanut please!

Have you asked Peanut if you can sell her Sylvanian homes?

@titanicteaspoons the soil is eco earth coconut fibre which is sold for reptiles but fine for Hammies. The white deep substrate is kaytee clean and cosy, which is really good for holding tunnels. Then I’ve got aspen and hemp on the other side where it’s not so deep.

@TinselAngel yes thankfully! So I can still access my white goods by shifting her about! Need to have a sort out of all my crap at the other end of the kitchen and then hopefully the mega cage can go down there.

@TheNightof1000Fans she has one! It’s peanuthamstar.

@jaimebronde oh don’t! I feel terrible about selling them but I’m poor (because I’ve spent so much on the hamsters recently) and i need to make some money before I go on holiday in a couple of weeks. I think if I did ask her she would say no. Maybe she can get into shopkins or something instead.

This makes me so emotional!

I have LOVED seeing all of the photos more please and even more hearing how much you care about them all, it's rare! So happy when you returned and adopted the new one - do we have a confirmed name yet?

At the same time, I miss my hammys not suitable at the moment but as soon as I can I will be back in to having a little paw wrapped round my little finger 😂 I swear they were more spoiled than DC are! Unfortunately I just haven't got the time to give to them at the moment, and I wouldn't get one unless I could guarantee it plenty of interaction and playtime.

Not saying I'm eager to get back to it, but I still have all the kit, and a hamster sitter....and a backup hamster sitter... Lined up for if we go away 😂

They have such amazing characters if they are treated properly, many of mine were rescued from kids who swore they'd clean the cage etc and then just got bored so the parents got rid 😤 (aimed at the parents not the kids) the hammys were amazed by the space they had when they were brought home after living in the tiny cages that should not be legally sold IMO, and slowly (immediately with some) learned to love the interaction they got here

@TellMeItsNotTrue aww thanks 🥰. The new one is called Pepsi at the moment, although that changes. She has settled into her palace nicely but she is very naughty when she’s free roaming and I have to keep a very close eye on her. This is her tonight with one of her favourite things - a cardboard box.

Peanut has not slept in her cage for a couple of weeks now, so I guess she’s got her way and she’s a house hamster now 🤷‍♀️. I’ve found where she poos (the opposite corner of the room to her nest), so that’s easy to clean up, and she goes back to her cage to wee in her sandbath. She hasn’t chewed any cables, the only thing she is interested in is paper, and her nest is impressively large now. I wouldn’t dream of letting the other two be free range like that, they are way too destructive. We’ve all got into the habit of always closing the doors behind us. She’s become even more affectionate and runs over to jump on my knee for a cuddle as soon as I sit down (there’s a video of her doing this on her insta page).

I know what you mean about the tiny cages, I was at a car boot sale today and saw so many horrible little cages. If I was richer I’d buy them all and smash them up with a hammer to ensure no poor hamster will ever have to live in them!

Update! After many weeks of merrily living behind the bookcase, and popping in and out of her cage for food/drink/her wheel in the evenings, Peanut has had enough of being a house hamster and voluntarily decided to move back into her cage. She’s tucked up in her penthouse now. Dd1 says she probably has Stockholm syndrome 😂.

My hamster escaped once, just for an hour until we found her, and it that time she had chewed;

• Carpet
• Clothes and Towels
• The skirting board

We caught her just as she was nibbling through the lamp cable.

YABU, it wouldn't be safe for her.
I can understand with little face though

Is Peanut still happily caged or is she a free hamster again ?
How is Pepsi doing, is she still Pepsi?

Would love any new pictures

@tellmeitsnottrue sorry I missed your question, only a few months late in answering .

Yes Peanut is still free range. She slept in her cage twice in September but then decided cage life wasn’t for her. She’s made another nest behind the other bookcase now so she has a choice of abodes! Five months of freedom and counting and she’s living her best hammy life (and hasn’t got stood on or destroyed much of my stuff).

Pepsi is now known as Pudding or Fatso, and she’s such a happy girl now. So much more relaxed when when I first adopted her. She loves a cuddle and comes out for a run around every night, then climbs back into her cage when she’s had enough.

Miss Bitey is still going strong too :)

And Peanut the poser.

This is the sweetest thread I’ve ever seen !!

Ahh thoroughly enjoyed this thread and then forgot all about it! Glad to see updates of the hammies

I had a day who was free range. He knew his name though and came when called, very intelligent.Loved that boy. If safety wasn't an issue I don't see why not. Some very narrow minded people on here.

*rat

We had a hamster for a while.

Never meant to have one.

DTwatCat brought it in one summer night. It had escaped from at least ten houses away down the next road (as nobody within that range had children or hamsters when we knocked), climbed over and through multiple fences and walls, scaled our ten foot brick wall, come down our side and made its way to a convenient location for a cat unable to climb a wall due to disability to pick it up and bring it in for tea.

Don't let yours become like our Accidental Hamster.

I've had free-range rats but I wouldn't have a free-range hamster. Hamsters are far less trainable than rats.

(and yes, I did read the thread, they could get out/lost/picked up by less incompetent cats than mine strolling along at any time).

This is too cute for words

Can't get my head around free range hamster. Here's Steve.

I've actually only just seen the OP's update that free range life is going well, that's lovely

@Ffsnosexallowed Steve looks very awesome. And also has a great name.