To your question if you should not feed him other than just the sprouts it's a big NO. Hamsters are omnivores and their main diet consists of seeds (oleaginous seeds 30% and farinaceous seeds 70% of the mix to keep them in healthy weight), roots and animal protein. Hamsters can eat greens too but they are not herbivores and too many greens will upset their stomach. By feeding him only plants he will most likely get upset stomach fast and will most likely die due to diarrhea and malnourishment. He may also die due to hypothermia (or fall into coma like state which can kill them fast) which you can give him by making him live in moist environment as hamsters can not control their body heat unlike many other animals. Dwarf hamsters should eat fresh greens only the amount of the size of their head every 2 days as it is not their main diet. The plants should be also way more varied than just 3-4 different plants and add various flowers (which are safe for hamsters, not all flowers are). I appreciate the thought of a wheel for your hamster but you could not have picked a worse wheel. This type of wheel easily injures hamsters and there are many cases of hamsters breaking their limbs with it. The wheel has to be completely solid and not have any nudges on the running surface. If you'd like a naturalistic looking wheel I would suggest a beautiful wooden wheel :) Another thing I would suggest against is the fact that you bring twigs and plants directly from outside without cleaning them. They need a proper cleaning before using if you wish to use any. No soil or moss should ever be picked from outside as they are full of bugs and bacteria which is very harmful for the hamster even after cleaning. Buy farmed moss and plants for your pets, they are often available via reptile section. The twigs should be baked in the oven in about 100C for 1 hour at least to kill off any bugs such as bird mites which are very common cause for hamsters skin rashes, irritation and hair loss. I would highly suggest that you would end this experiment or at least put it on hold and study about hamsters a bit more before more experimenting. I have been watching your experiment videos with him and in every video things just get worse and worse. You could easily avoid those mistakes by doing basic research about hamsters before attempting new things. No hard feelings personally. I just do not like seeing experimental videos on animals where even basics are way off. It gives false information for those who do not know better. The trend may spread and cause a lot of damage to already highly abused animals such as hamsters. Thank you for understanding. I am open to answer any questions related to hamsters as I am well educated and have been working with different rodents for many years.
YES thank you. I just lost any will to list all the things that are wrong with this enclosure. The size, the dirtiness (not the dirt itself, just the dirt from the outside), the wheel, the poor diet, the damn cat lurking around (yes it might not want to hurt the hamster BUT THE HAMSTER WON'T KNOW IT, IT'S STRESSED). People are doing so much for their pets and yet they refuse to do like ANY and absolutely BASIC research how to actually make them happy and not just a stressed furball for the views.
I don’t think it’s healthy to limit his food to what can be grown. In the wild, he would have access to more variety (not types of grasses but things like insects, fruit, and grain) to make sure he’s meeting his nutritional needs. Could he survive a month or longer? Perhaps. But with a primarily green grass diet and the constant moisture from watering, I worry about diarrhea and wet tail from bacteria. Hamsters actually prefer making their burrows in more arid climates. At least give the little guy some hay so he can provide a barrier away from the damp.
It seems the dried foods he requires like those carrots are more prone to molding as well. He would probably benefit more from foraging for buried seeds than gnawing on fresh moist plants
While this idea is very cool I really really need people at home to know that even a dwarf hamster needs about three times the size that this enclosure is and a bigger wheel (min 20cm in diameter) to ensure he doesn't over arch his back when running and a wheel that doesn't have holes in it..
yeah this is just painful to see, I don't know why it keeps getting recommended to me but this is just plain animal abuse and it's so sad to see. The hamster deserves WAY more space, drier surroundings and no limited food, a safer and bigger running wheel etc.
@@ethanmccormack9561 they have a lot more space and exercise in the wild. They definitely do need a wheel in captivity for humane reasons. Especially in this tiny cage
Hi there! Hamster enthusiast and veterinarian here. So I LOVE the natural theme you’re going for. Also you appear to have several inches of bedding which is great! But, just a few things to note if you want to keep improving (as others have mentioned already)… 1. Wheel change: avoid mesh as it can cause injury. Get a size up so your Hammies back lies straight when running (as they can develop spine disease over time when curved) 2. Bigger is better!: hammies can roam up to ~5 miles a night (wow!). Opt for a bigger enclosure so they have lots of room to forage and explore. Hamsters are ground creatures so go for width rather than height. Levels can be put in place but as long as they don’t get too high to cause falling injuries. 3. Food pyramid: hamsters are omnivore (like us!) and enjoy a wide variety of food. They (also like us) can get fat quick on diets too rich in fat. Offer a commercial pelleted hamster food with added snacks on top. Fresh leafy greens are wonderful, but keep sugary foods like fruit, carrots, and yogurt drops to a minimum. Many stores also offer dried flowers and herbs which can be added too! Also, don’t forget to offer a hamster safe salt or mineral lick! There’s lots of other things I could add so feel free to message me if you have any questions! Overall I love the hamster care you’re going for. They aren’t just pocket pets, but members of the family too! Keep up the improvements 🥰🐹
You shouldnt feed your hansters just pellets. They should have a seed mix. Feeding only pellets is like only eating protein bars for your whole life. Salt and mineral licks can cause health problems.
@@cinderace7673 yes! Sorry UK vs US lingo difference. By commercial pellets I mean generally what is in the store is balanced and safe for hamsters (unlike rabbits, etc). This is good as your base feeding, but hamsters are omnivores and require a wide variety of foods (both for enrichment and a balanced diet). Too much of any one thing isn’t good for anyone! True salt and mineral licks could cause problems if consumed in excess or without fresh water access and so should be provided as supplemental enrichment. Always happy to have a more in-depth chat via DM if anyone wants more information on hamster husbandry and welfare! Hamsters aren’t just pocket pals, they’re family! 🥰
I agree with this vet. My hamster is in a 116 qt enclosure (around 110 liters) with an 11" wheel, a variety of 6" deep substrate, sand bath, water bottle, a variety of seeds, wood chews, toys, bridges, rocks, moss, and tubes. Your goals, for your hamster, are admirable but please upgrade his enclosure to give him the best quality of life.
This is great to see. But I would highly recommend for his safety to remove the wire mesh wheel in favour of a wooden or plastic one. The openings in the mesh can trap his feet/legs and break them. Also the flat surface in the wheel will let him get up to his full sprint, which he can't do with the wire mesh as he's aware of the holes in it.
Yes true, i had hamsters, they can hurt their legs in wheels like this. I also suggest a larger wheel, because although Stephan is very small, his body is bending upwards while running, and its not good for them. I prefer the disc-like flat hamster wheels, they can run with a straight body and cannot trip between wires. One of my hamster got also his fur caught once at the axis of the wheel (it was similar to the wheel of Stephans in the video, but cheaper and worse), discovered in the morning, freed it, no serious harm, but walked funny for a few minutes with that leg, probably went numb, he was ok afterwards.
Hamsters forage A LOT. so, give him plenty of options, more diversity in food. Offer some life bugs (hamsters love mealworms for example, but just a few, 2 or 3 or so). In a bigger cage with more plants and diversity, this idea would work.
My beautiful gerbs used to love mealworms. I would hide them around their home when I cleaned it out so they could 'hunt' them down while exploring their switched around stuff, particularly if I was able to get some live mealworms. I miss those little critters so much 😢 Before I had them I had no idea what funny and different characters they had!
It's a shame to see so much effort put into this hamster just to be put in the wrong places. This hamster could have a partial dry tank with plenty of enrichment and have the other part as an ecosytem- the possibilities are endless and it could be so amazing for him if this man actually researched this little guy's requirements. Although he may be in a better place than a little plasic bin with a 10 year old it still doesn't excuse the fact that this man has the funding, and obvious time, to give him an amazing home and life. Best of luck to Stephan, hopefully things change before the humidity, lack of food diversity, and lack of space get to him.
Agreed. In the start, I was quite pleased with it, as it did seem like he was trying, but just didn't quite know much. But by now? He really should figured out that this is way, way too small.
the first mistake was introducing soil, plants, and insects from the wild in the first video. That is how domestic indoor pets become infested with parasites.
Don't use a wheel with mesh. That can cause bumblefoot or other painful ailments. And again, I recommend a bigger enclosure. He's climbing because of stress.
And what I don't understand is why do pet stores still sell those things? Same goes for too small bunny cages and even the extremely small bird cages? It's rediculous. U would think they would stand up for animal health and safety..
@@sweetluvgurl yes which us weird because, or atleast here in the Netherlands, you are not allowed to give advice about animals in a pet store (birds, rodents, bunnies etc) if you don't have an official certification. I study paraveterinairy and I'll get my certification for dogs and cats this year and for small rodents (the certificate also includes alpacas and camels, super random) and we learn about all the requirements, what is extremely bad for the animals, about etics and laws, health conditions and so on. It's a full program and full classes you have you in order to get that certificate. Only then you are officially allowed to give advice to whoever about the animals. You won't get it if you don't have the empathy and show you can work and handle the animals cus u litteraly get a practical exam for it. Yet there are still idiots giving the wrong advice also here in the Netherlands.🤦🏽♀️ I don't get it
We need more updates, I hope he didn't die from poor research. You know that this is wrong because so many comments have pointed out the problems and you continue to abuse Stefan. I hope he has a bigger cage and a better life.
Stefon will likely die, this person is abusing him, he doesnt value this animals life. Most likely will replace the hamster with another one that looks similar because this one isnt gonna survive.
This is a great idea, however, as a hamster owner I'm seeing several problems: *the size of the enclosure is too small. When hamsters are in too small of an enclosure they will show signs of stress including running around the perimeter of the cage and trying to climb up the walls/the wheel, which he is doing. * Speaking of the wheel, metal wire wheels like that are dangerous. A hamster's foot can easily get caught in the holes while running, and can result in him accidentally breaking his leg while running. I would suggest a solid plastic wheel, and also one that's a bit larger than he has now. * It would also be a good idea to keep the cat and other animals away from his enclosure since this usually also causes stress in hamsters. especially if it's a predator. I'm sure your cat is friendly, but the hamster doesn't know that. He also obviously didn't enjoy that insect being in his space * He could have a small sand pit, and a few more things to chew on *Remember that hamsters are omnivores, and while (most) fresh greens aren't bad for them, they don't provide all the right protein. Make sure to also feed him seeds, lab blocks, and stuff like mealworms or crickets!
Sorry I wouldn’t agree with having just fresh vegetables all round. It sooner or later will upset his stomach. Hamsters still will need seed mixes and seeds. Please do change his wheel, wire mesh wheels are dangerous as it could easily hurt their feet. Keep into consideration that they are home pets and not being brought up directly from the wild.
I don’t get why people are treating them as if they are wild when these are domesticated. Also, domesticated care is better and helps the animal live longer than they would in the wild.
I agree 100%, to many veggies is gonna cause problems.. I really hope he does research on the proper levels of nutrition and I’ve been nervous about wet-tail from watering the plants in there. Along with the cage just being so awfully small and not having any safety… it’s honestly a bit sad to watch
I think it's a wonderful concept, but given the size constraints of the "hamitarium" it seems congested. I'd think it'd be a bit less chaotic with a larger size "hamitarium". I'd love to see this concept, but where he or she would have space to roam n still have the farms. Adorably charming and creative!!
1) Wire mesh wheels are both uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for hamsters, especially for dwarf hamsters like Stephan, as their legs can get caught into the holes and break (because the wheel keeps going). The hamster won't stop, either; they'll keep running, likely causing permanent damage, and in some cases painful death. 2) Bigger enclosure. That thing is a fucking shoe box. It's a fancy-looking shoe box, but still a shoe box. 3) Every time you change something major, you're stressing Stephan out. A hamster in a well-sized enclosure/cage does not try to escape. You put in "anti-escape measures"; meanwhile, a hamsters at ease in their area rzrely even try, especially after a little while. Seriously, like I said in a different video, get a Detolf from IKEA. It would fit your set-up perfectly. Also, I really, really hope you don't leave the lights on when recording overnight and such. At one point it looked like you did, but I can't be sure. Obviously, hamsters are largely nocturnal, and hate bright lights, and equally obviously they prefer darkness as they do their business in the night.
^This. I can't believe the lies they sell you in petstores because they still make and sell those shoe boxes for hamsters. I owned a hamster over 20 years ago, and he was in a cage like that because we didn't know any better and believed the store owner. Now there's little to know excuses because the knowledge is widely available, but still.. they keep making tiny cages and people are buying them because?? A 'professional' told them to? I don't really understand it. Also, no one mentions it because Stephan seems to be cool with it but: I'm surprized he gets along with Cookie. They should be natural enemies, but at one point Stephan even approaches Cookie. Cookie only tried to take a cockroach out of the terrarium once. Okay, I said 'only' because I don't like them but apparently that's a pet too so it was a risky thing for all parties.
While this is a cool little project, both his old house and new hamsterium are too small for hamsters long term, at minimum the enclosure should have 3 ft×3ft of space for him to run around and explore. This much surface area will also allow you to grow more varied plants for a well rounded diet. Also I recommend replacing the mesh wheel with another wheel that doesn't have holes, much safer and healthier. The bigger the wheel, the less damage to his back as well (you don't want his back curving to much)
You're going to need a bigger enclosure if you're going to have a garden for the hamster. I think it's possible to give him a little ecosystem, something he could live off of if you went away for a week or two. The growing food is too close to his burrow though, make sure you have some distance so the wet doesn't soak him while he sleeps.
Not sure how many of you all know of the AntsCanada channel (though I'm guessing at least a decent amount), but while watching this poor little guy repeatedly try to find a way out of his too-small space, a thought struck me. I think this enclosure here is actually smaller than most (if not all) of the dozen plus terrariums that AntsCanada uses for his numerous colonies. His numerous *ANT* colonies. _Maybe_ there's one or two that are smaller, but at the very least, I do know for sure that the vast, _vast_ majority of his enclosures (which, again, are meant for friggin' *ANTS)* are bigger than this little thing...which is meant as the only living place for a hamster. And for a lot of AntsCanada's terrariums, I'm talking a _lot_ bigger. Like, embarassingly bigger. I mean, what can you even say to that
Even though it looks lovely and does capture a lot of the naturalistic ideals for a hampster pen you need to do more research on their care. Stephen needs a much much wider floor space, and if you can't do that please provide a safe wheel. Everyone keeps saying it but wire wheels can catch their feet/toes, leaving them to get caught in a spin and even break bones, theyre very dangerous.
the hampstarium needs to be much larger. like a habitat. two square meters perhaps. that way bugs and natural seeds can float in and maintain the hampstarium naturaly
charming concept but he desperately needs a larger enclosure (hence his escape attempts), more variety in his diet (just plants won’t suffice) and a wheel that doesn’t have holes in it (as to not damage his feet when he runs).
The plant which I think you called wundwert (sp?), in English it’s called wood sorrel. It contains a lot of oxalic acid, which can cause diarrhoea and bladder stones. I would be careful giving him access to it in high quantities.
Agreed. This is just sad by now. The first round, sure, I was willing to give him the benefit of doubt, and assuming that he just did not think it through. By now? I really doubt that there is no bigger tub around, somewhere.
I had a hamster living like this for more than 2 years, its probably the best way to have them the only thing i spent was water. The thing is you kinda need to make it bigger at least 4x bigger.and dont wory about diseases, because this is probably the cleanest home for a hamster.just make shure you rotate the types of seeds once in a wille.
I recommend adding some protein in his diet, he also might want a little bit more space in his enclosure. The wire wheel gives him a chance of bumble foot, or getting his foot stuck and injured. It looks cool though! I really recommend adding some protein or something like dry meal worms. (Victoria Rachel on RU-vid has great advice)
People have consistently been so respectful and gentile with their criticisms of his improper care of his hamster, at this point it's clear that this dude is aware that he's not providing proper care for his hamster but does not care.
Stop watching this channel then if you care about hamster wellbeing. This channel is literally some random dude translating a RUSSIAN GUY's original videos with the hamster and the RUSSIAN GUY doesn't speak any damn English and doesn't give a rip what you have to say because engagement of any kind makes money for channels.
This is such a cool idea! As for him surviving on what food he has in his terrarium; maybe? What do hamsters eat in the wild? It could be that what grows in there is his main food source, but you still give him a few other items now and then for variety and health.
@@shelleycharlesworth5177 depending on what species of hamster stephan is his natural diet would be very varied when it comes to the exact plants. More importantly, he'd need proteins too. Usually by eating worms and small insects. Hamsters in most places base their diets off of the seeds of wild weeds and flowers plus those insects. Stephan digging out the sprouts and eating the seed is a very natural behaviour - and the primary reason why many species of hamsters are considered cropthieves.
I’m actually pretty disappointed 😕after all the comments explaining on your original video that the enclosure is too small you’ve simply ignored quality of life in favor of aesthetics and subpar care 💔 🐹 Hamsters are one of the must mistreated small animals in the pet trade, so while I love this idea I just want to see it done in a way that also makes the animal happy and healthy. + This hamster is going to STARVE TO DEATH ☠️☠️☠️ He’s lived his entire life on pellet food and will NOT get proper nutrition from rando plants 🌱
THIA CHANNEL IS SOME RANDOM GUY UPLOADING TRANSLATED VIDEOS! THE GUY MAKING THE ORIGINAL VIDEOS IS SOME RUSSIAN DUDE WHO HAS A DIFFERENT CHANNEL AND HE CAN'T FUCKING UNDERSTAND YOUR ENGLISH COMMENTS! BE DISSAPOINTED IN YOURSELF FOR WATCHING THESE VIDEOS THE UPLOADERS DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT YOU THINK AND JUST WANT ENGAGMENT STOP WATCHING IT!
It is possible for stephan to live like that , hamsters naturally live in grasslands so it won't be a problem . However you'll have to occasionally supplement him with whole grains aswell.
I completely love this! Stephan is adorable 🥰 I would recommend getting a wheel from a petstore, but since his cage is so natural-themed you could also buy one online! A wired wheel could hurt his cute little feet by giving him bumble foot or possibly just injuring him 😟. I've also seen some messages of buying him a bigger cage.. I would recommend a clear see-through bincage! You can get a big one from somewhere like Kroger or Walmart for just 10-15 dollars. I love your videos and cant wait to see more!
No companions in a pet situation and specially not to be considered in such a small terranium. There would be one or two dead hamsters by morning. They're territorial.
Keep pushing this natural hamstarian concept, slightly bigger and better, you are on a winner. Have faith this is definitely worthy of becoming a fulltime youtuber content.
The most salient fact about all these videos: the hamster repeatedly tries to escape from the enclosure, which is clearly too small for such a naturally active creature. As, admittedly, are nearly all cages/enclosures designed for pet rodents.
i don't understand why this isn't bigger, especially when its meant to simulate their natural habitat which would, of course, be huge and essentially unlimited. not to mention he built this himself and still made it too small?
@@Godblessuss burrowing happens regardless of cage size, and even more if its a bigger cage as the hamster can create more elaborate burrows. if a hamster just didn't like to burrow, then making the cage smaller would 1) not force them to burrow if they don't want to and 2) stress it out even more. you have to change an enclosure to fit the hamster's needs and wants, not make it fit to what you want it to do, that's just cruel.
@@onedirectioninfection5756 I have a strong feeling that it is the only transparent box he could find. Basically, prioritizing getting good videos vs the hamsters wellbeing.
While I love the idea of having only food that grows from inside his enclosure, he'll need a much larger amount of grow space for it to be sustainable in any way. Not to mention that you would then need to supplement in live insects for him to forage. And even after that you'd still probably want to offer treats for him. A few other people also raised the point of the water necessary for the plants. It'd be awfully damp for a hamster, and he could get very sick as a result. It would need to be much larger, with about half the space as dry non-grow area, and the other half as grow area, along with it being deeper, and provide a separator of some sort, so the topsoil water doesn't drain down into his burrow. The ultimate conclusion? He might be able to which answers the question, I suppose. But he could get very sick, and would end up malnourished if he doesn't get an upgrade to something designed with that purpose in mind.
Make sure to get Stephan hamster safe soil because some soil can be unsafe for hamsters and don't let anymore bugs or insects in his cage. Personally I think that Stephan should have a normal cage. You also shouldnt be saying "Will he survive?" because thats betting on whether or not the living conditions YOU put him in will kill him. Also dont put him in a mesh hanster wheel because he can get injured.
Stephan can get his feet stuck in the hamster wheel, you should get one with no holes because if it gets stuck he can go flying and with out a leg or just hang there. I’m just giving an important suggestion, no hate👍
Finally, I found a comment that WASN'T putting down how this guy is taking care of this dwarf hamster. Thanks for your kind comment -- was about to give up hope of anyone having anything positive to say. 😌💚
This type of hamster also eats living food ... like mealworms. I had one myself and he got his daily potion of protein. Normaly this types of hamsters only live up to 3 years ... mine and the hamster of my brother and mother all went older, up to 3, 1/2 years ... it is also interesting to watch this cute little bundles of joy going into kill mode if they see their prey ... not gonna lie that was a lesson learned.
It's too small. They like to dig so u should have at least 6 inches or more of soil. Watch the water content as well, because hamster coats shouldn't be wet it removes essential oils their fur produce. And wire mesh wheels are the biggest no cuz their feet get stuck, the bigger the wheel the better as well just to ensure their spine isn't curving to much.
1) Nice-looking enclosure! Perhaps in the future you could add some drying elements like hay or drier soil? It could reduce the risk of wet tail and help keep his burrows more stable, especially if you make the enclosure larger so he can be more active 🙂 2) In the future, could you perhaps find Stefan a larger wheel, one without holes? Mesh wheels are unsafe for hamsters since their little feet can get caught when they run, and they can break toes. A larger wheel also would help prevent his little back from getting bent out of shape over time. You could make one out of wood or plastic, or even cardboard!
@@mrbigjohnson42 he definitely does promote unsafe care, this cage and setup is not safe for stefan. domesticated hamsters are not meant to live like this and be 'experimented' on. the cage is too small and literally nothing like their natural environment. he is also ignoring the comments to make the enclosure bigger, and he is providing the complete wrong diet for hamsters. this is just irresponsible and neglect
I say make a separate section for the growing and a way to keep moisture from seeping into the actual living space. To much moisture could be bad. Also just green plants is probably not a complete nutritional diet. It's not a horrible idea though.
I like the idea of giving hamsters (or gerbils) a little replaceable garden tray of sprouts to supplement their diet, but I'd be leary (personally) of using dirt as a long-term substrate. Rodents are especially susceptible to moisture and respiratory infections. (It's why, I've been told, a rodent keeper should avoid using cedar chips and to use only 100% pine bedding. PS: If you buy the pine bedding from a farm supply store, it's SO much cheaper than the tiny bags at pet stores.) I have, however, considered trying to make a cage the hamster/gerbil could self-clean. I've noticed that the rodents tend to push soiled bedding to one area, what I like the call the "toilet". I've wondered what would happen if one cut a small slit (too small for the rodent to fit through) in the bottom of the cage and set that hole over a trash can (with an attached side chute filled with fresh bedding), so the rodents would "clean" their own cage's bedding. I'm sure the human keeper would still need to wash it out from time to time, but it could still be a very interesting experiment... :)
sorry to break it to you but he's far from happy. this cage is way too small for him and he's trying to escape because his needs aren't being met :/ hamsters are really complex!
I feel so bad for this hamster. The cage is sooooo small it makes me sad...and the wheel is not good either. Please inform yourself to give him a better life 🥺
He is loving life when he is in there. We had a natural tank for our hamster as my daughter had done so much researching about it. Her hamster loved it but we did feed her food supplements to make sure we were covering all the food groups as I worried to much. We just would just sprinkle and let her forage for it. I think it's such a great and more natural idea, it's great 👍
I bet if if you also pre germinate a mix of seeds and sprinkles them in daily there will always be fresh plants for Stephan. It is something that some chicken owners do in their chicken runs but the main difference is that chickens scratch and the seeds sometimes get buried and then fully sprout so there are always fresh greens.
the cage is alright but im sure he’ll be much happier in a bigger cage, the one he has is so small. and a better wheel, the owners dont even santize/kill off potential bacteria they get from the wild
Thank you so much for sharing this. While it makes for very entertaining viewing, how disorienting and stressful it must be for Stephen. It would be good if, instead of completely remaking his home, you made modular additions. You could make a hole in the cardboard at the top, and use a flexible tunnels to connect high-sided containers.They wouldn't have to be the expensive plexi-glass - but he could visit other area's...and always return to his familiar original home. You can make stands so that they are at varying heights, and take up less horizontal space in your home. You would be able to add quite a few very easily! In this way, you can satisfy your curiosity, offer Stephen varying enrichment and allow him peace of mind. I'm excited to see how things develop!!
I love this! Even just as an enrichment container this is amazing (: or maybe you could connect his normal cage to the new one. That way he would have the option to choose where he wants to be.
Perhaps a "rain system" like ANTSCANADA was using for his Fire Ant Terrarium mimicking a rain forest that automatically sprinkles a little bit of water as a mist or drip for a full minute (or two) once or twice a day. To give the impression of real weather conditions. This would automatically help the plants and keep the top soil semi moist. Using tubing, spread above the terrarium with tiny pinholes could pump water through with dripping effect. Set it up to automatically do this at specific times. Test a couple times to make sure there are no issues. Would Stephan enjoy the rain with a cute little hamster sized umbrella? Secondly, I think a terrarium that's at least twice the size Stephan's current one would be nice too, more space means more room to run around, explore, dig, forage, etc. Maybe a couple inches deeper too. The one problem I'd be worried about is a water source that gets dirty or less sanitary over time. I've never had a Hamster as a pet so I wouldn't know if you could leave a large water container with ball bearing for a long period without it needing cleaning after weeks?? Also, if I was a Hamster, I'd like or enjoy the occasional visit from my human, and getting extravagant treats once in awhile too every couple to few days to to make a nice surprise and eliminate or reduce the tedium of having an unchanging routine.
some hamsters love human contact, while others are 'ghost hamsters' and really don't want it, and this has to be respected. i agree that he needs a bigger enclosure, but the rain system can be a large issue. hamsters are from dry climates, and live in dry substrates and don't experience rain much. keeping the soil constantly damp as the person in the video is doing is a horrible idea. :/
I was really supportive of this project but after I saw this: 3:34 You can't be serious that THIS is where he lived all the time? Even the shittiest pet shop will sell you a bigger cage then that. Shame on you! :(
I feel bad for Stephan every time he wants to escape, I love what you’ve done with the plants and such though. I wonder if Stephan were to have babies with another then those babies would be acclimated to more wild conditions and would be better “test subjects” for the sake of recreating wild conditions
I love how the channel take note on every comments! Have a wheel is great but pls not wire it will hurt the hamster >< and we were hoping you have a bigger cage for it so it will not stressing out ^__^
@@witchynerdhermit Maybe it was extreme sarcasm as this poor creature is just a "science project," he will probably die from one of the toxic moulds brought back from the forest, and or the wet soil, as he needs bone dry sand poor thing, and it will happen when they go away and forget they have pets, as they do, it's as bad as the hamster mazes. Very creepy.
Maybe it's an idea to add springtails to the hamstarium. They will clean the floor from bacteria, fungi, rotten plants and hamsterpoop. It will improve the quality of the dirt.
Hamsters are not herbivores, he can eat these plants but make sure to offer protein such as dried mealworms too. Please consider using a wheel that's not metal because this can cause his feet to hurt or he could get injured. I'm sure stefan is enjoying his natural set up.
Yeah, hamsters are in the rodent family, which cats hunt. I wouldn’t be allowing the cat direct access to the hamster. That could go really wrong really fast.
A bigger home for Stephan is best. The size of a 40 gallon aquarium minimum, a wheel with no holes and he needs seeds, meal worms crickets, dried,flowers and fresh veggies and fruit, vitamin C yogurt drop once a week and things to chew for his growing teeth. Stephan is adorable. I have 2 dwarf hamsters and one is just like a dog. Very smart and comes when called and gives kisses! I love both my hamsters dearly!
Terrarium/cage animals tend to be abused the most because of how normalized it is. Bigger enclosure is extremely important for the overall health of a hamster. When small critters are trying to escape its because of stress and bad living conditions.
He needs a much bigger space and a safe wheel to run on. I also hope the enclosure has a lid, especially since there's a cat in the house I love the ideas you have tried, but would love to see them done inside a more approriate enclosure.
In short - as configured now, no, he could not survive long term. Hamsters need protein as well as greens, and your current solution doesn't accommodate that. In a larger terrarium, with the introduction of worms (which would also help with waste management) and/or mealworms/crickets (each of which would need different vegetable matter to keep them going) and some continuous water supply, you could. A long time ago I had a large (25-gallon) fish tank that I converted into a hamster home. It had a constantly refreshed pool (trickle of water from a small hose that ran into a recycled ash tray pool that drained out another hose run to a petcock valve), a mix of pea, kidney bean, alfalfa and mint (more for our noses than for edibility, though she ate that too). We also put three containers (about 60) red wiggler earthworms in the environment. We had a plastic hamster wheel and a few strategically placed stones to make a little enclosure for her, under which she started digging her tunnels. Everything was allowed to sprout and start growing, and then the hamster was introduced. We observed her for several weeks, and noted that she could not even begin to keep up with the food production, but periodically she would foul her water source. Since water dripped from four or five inches above the pool into the pool, she could still get "fresh" water, but materials in the pool would start rotting and smelling bad. We were able to leave her in the terrarium for weeks at a time without touching the environment, but some time later a roommate added another hamster, and despite my hamster being almost two years old, she had pups, and soon the hamsters overran the capacity of the terrarium, so eventually we gave them away and when my hamster eventually passed on, I gave the terrarium to a friend.
Please get him a bigger tank and keep/put a cover on it around the cat you may trust your cat but it’s still a predator also Hampsters need a lot of good variety in food and enrichment. In the wild they run for miles every night this tiny cage can not replicate that or provide him with enough enrichment to be happy id also recommend a wheel without wire mesh as his legs can get trapped and get broken very easily and he can’t get up to the speed he should be able to because it’ll hurt him and most importantly remember that he’s not just an experiment or content he’s a living animal and deserves the best care possible
i think this is great, that you put a wheel there like the comment section suggested, but i think he should get a bigger hamsterium, and the wheel should be wooden, so it matches the vibe of the rest of the tank
That and that tank will develop mold. You can tell he's not going to change the substrate and those plants carry spores. This hamster is going to pass away from mold exposure.
i love this, you should maybe think about planting some tasty flowers for him nasturtium are spicy edible for people too love them in salad! flax and violets are also edible! Stephan needs a bigger crib and a real friend, maybe mickey the mouse who will eat more of the greens, what do they eat for protein?, better keep up the bugs too!
Interspecies enclosures are huge no-no's actually. Having a mouse living with a hampster is not safe, nor is having multiple hampsters in general in such a small space. They are solitary and despite their cute faces are brutal and will fight/kill others if they invade their space. Sad but true
The size of this cage is inappropriately small. I know 450 square inches is the minimum but I always say aim for 600+. Mesh wheels are also terrible for hamsters and can cause bumble foot, and the size should be 8+ inches. Getting materials from outdoors is also unsafe. You never know what diseases and bugs will be there which can harm them. Hamsters like these are not wild. And lastly, factually, I know keeping him in this is not realistic and his “old cage” is probably the cage he stays in which is way too small once again.
I don't think the size of the cage is good for Stephan. Also I would recommend doing some research on appropriate environments and actual bedding for hamsters, because hamsters originate from drier and more plains areas. Stephan should also be given a bigger wheel, that is around at least 8 inches in diameter with no mesh, so Stephan's feet don't get caught in the wheel, like my first Hamster, which died shortly after. Hamsters need big cages with more hides and more forages, as well as either being scatter fed, or fed in a food bowl, not just plants. It also isn't good to put water into the same bedding that the hamster is burrowing in, its not safe and the hamster can get infections from the growth that will happen from the moisture in the soil. If you really want to grow plants for Stephan to eat, I recommend doing it in a different container, then when they're grown, give them to Stephan as a snack/ treat. But Stephan definitely still needs to be regularly fed, or else he can become malnourished and can get sick. Please put these thoughts into consideration, hamsters aren't some object that you can use to make content for you're channel, they are living breathing creatures that need love and care, with all the proper equipment!
