The BRODENTS! Rodent Enthusiast Thread!

[Keriae]

Yeah, the large P@H cage doesn't actually meet the guidelines. Funnily enough, the guidelines were set by the RSPCA and then disappeared when they became affiliated to P@H, so...

Zooplus is also amazing for deals! It's worth it to keep checking and if you join a couple of hamster groups on FB there's people on there who can make sure you get a 10% discount code, too

[Kisiel]

I don't have hamsters, should have clarified that lol. I have rats but things for other animals are great for them! It's disgusting that they can call that cage "large" and have the cheek to charge &25 for it. Such a shame that there are so many unsuitable homes and other things for animals out there

[jade,]

One of my winter white dwarf hamsters went missing just now, i put cucumbers out for water, but I just have this horrible feeling.. yesterday I heard scratching at the fireplace and it didn't stop, and I didn't think it meant anything but.. if she went in there, we are lighting a fire right now so umm.. help me! I love my hamsters a lot and i would cry for days If I knew she was dead 😭

Some tips please! Xc

[The Lost Gremlin]

One of my winter white dwarf hamsters went missing just now, i put cucumbers out for water, but I just have this horrible feeling.. yesterday I heard scratching at the fireplace and it didn't stop, and I didn't think it meant anything but.. if she went in there, we are lighting a fire right now so umm.. help me! I love my hamsters a lot and i would cry for days If I knew she was dead 😭

Some tips please! Xc

Maybe not light the fire...? At least until you can confirm that she's not definitely not in there.
Otherwise that'll be a very painful way for her to go. If the heat and fire doesn't kill her, then the smoke certainly will.

Put out any fire and tout everything out of the fireplace, check for any cracks or crevices that she could've squeezed into, including in the chimney/pipe grating. If you can't see her then try putting out a small carrier with food and wait a few hours to see if she emerges. If you can't hear the scratching then assume that she isn't around... but if I were you, I wouldn't light the fire for a few days just to be sure.

[jade,]

One of my winter white dwarf hamsters went missing just now, i put cucumbers out for water, but I just have this horrible feeling.. yesterday I heard scratching at the fireplace and it didn't stop, and I didn't think it meant anything but.. if she went in there, we are lighting a fire right now so umm.. help me! I love my hamsters a lot and i would cry for days If I knew she was dead 😭

Some tips please! Xc

Maybe not light the fire...? At least until you can confirm that she's not definitely not in there.
Otherwise that'll be a very painful way for her to go. If the heat and fire doesn't kill her, then the smoke certainly will.

Put out any fire and tout everything out of the fireplace, check for any cracks or crevices that she could've squeezed into, including in the chimney/pipe grating. If you can't see her then try putting out a small carrier with food and wait a few hours to see if she emerges. If you can't hear the scratching then assume that she isn't around... but if I were you, I wouldn't light the fire for a few days just to be sure.

She is definitely not in there, since the cucumbers had a few bites, but I will do the carrier one c: thank you.

[Eevee]

Has anyone had an experience with red eyed Gerbils? I bought two new Gerbils today and they have red eyes. I researched it before I bought them, and it’s normal in most cases. They seem healthy and alert. Their fur is shiny and soft. Just really skiddish (my first two were too when I just brought them home, so this isn’t an issue to me). I just want to know if anyone else had Gerbs with red eyes. It’s just new to me because I’m used to the black eyes ^^ thanks for any input!

[vileqveen]

finally found the rodent section!! so glad aaa.
sadly i lost one of my ratty boys on the 8th last week ;; he was a twin to my other one so honestly im not sure which one he was but im pretty sure he was steel since he was always bigger. (rip, dont get twin rats unless theres a distinct marking to tell them apart ! :<)
ill have them for a year on the 29th and honestly im so heart broken, i dont understand what happened? he was perfectly fine that day, but i found him passed away in his cage a couple hours later. i feel so bad for his brothers ugh. they dont seem visibly upset(depressed/moping/etc). but i let them sniff his body and told them that they wouldnt see him again and i gave them lots of love and treats. i hope the others are fine, i couldn't stand losing another..

[Kisiel]

finally found the rodent section!! so glad aaa.
sadly i lost one of my ratty boys on the 8th last week ;; he was a twin to my other one so honestly im not sure which one he was but im pretty sure he was steel since he was always bigger. (rip, dont get twin rats unless theres a distinct marking to tell them apart ! :<)
ill have them for a year on the 29th and honestly im so heart broken, i dont understand what happened? he was perfectly fine that day, but i found him passed away in his cage a couple hours later. i feel so bad for his brothers ugh. they dont seem visibly upset(depressed/moping/etc). but i let them sniff his body and told them that they wouldnt see him again and i gave them lots of love and treats. i hope the others are fine, i couldn't stand losing another..

So sorry to hear about his passing. If it was very sudden with no previous symptoms it could have been his heart. Nothing that can be done about it unfortunately, it's just one of those "bad luck" things that can sadly happen to anyone 😔

Tip for distinguishing very similar rats - put some sharpie on the base of their tails!

[synastry]

Has anyone had an experience with red eyed Gerbils? I bought two new Gerbils today and they have red eyes. I researched it before I bought them, and it’s normal in most cases. They seem healthy and alert. Their fur is shiny and soft. Just really skiddish (my first two were too when I just brought them home, so this isn’t an issue to me). I just want to know if anyone else had Gerbs with red eyes. It’s just new to me because I’m used to the black eyes ^^ thanks for any input!

Any rodent with red eyes has nothing wrong with them health wise, it's just the way they were born with genetics and such. There's a lot of myths about red eyed hamsters, rats, and gerbils, but it's completely natural. Nothing to be worried about!

[heartleafed]

quick rat question: my two oldest boys are going to be two next month, and they're getting thinner, benjy especially, i'm assuming it's just age since my younger boys are all a little chubby and they get fed the same (they're kept separate from the younger boys so i know it's not like a case of food being taken from them too). what's a good way to put a little weight on them? they're currently eating maz + healthy treats here and there if that helps.



also @bleedingjay; pink/red eyed rodents tend to have worse eyesight from what i've read, but that seems to be the only real difference. it occurs in almost every domestic rodent though so it's nothing to worry about.


and @kiyah; i'm sorry for your loss, sadly sometimes they just go fast, and it's always heartbreaking. usually they do okay after losing a cagemate if they have other rats to keep them company, though personally i've seen it vary from rat to rat how much they mourn.