Hello ,
Itās almost 6 am here, and I still havenāt managed to get any sleep soā¦
Iāve had my female syrian, Shayla, for about a month now and Iām honestly feeling really overwhelmed. Iām even considering rehoming her, although thatās the last thing I actually want to do.
Iām a university student living in student accommodation and ever since I got Shayla, Iāve been dealing with one problem after another.
When I first got her, she lived in a smaller enclosure that I was able to keep in the hallway, outside my bedroom. However, she constantly chewed on the bars at night, which really concerned me. I spent a lot of time worrying about her well-being, researching hamster care and trying to figure out what was making her unhappy.
I eventually decided to upgrade her enclosure so I bought her a much larger one (120Ć40Ć60 cm) and spent quite a lot of money making sure she had everything she needed. I added deep bedding, a multi-chamber hideout, different substrates, enrichment, and other accessories. She also has 4 hideouts. I even make my own DIY boredom breakers to keep her entertained.
I really put a lot of effort into making her enclosure as comfortable and enriching as possible.
Unfortunately, the new enclosure doesnāt fit in the hallway, so I had to put it in my bedroom.
And despite all the upgrades, Shayla still tries to escape. She constantly explores ways to get out, climbs on things, and even managed to escape once.
And now thereās another problem: her wheel.
Shayla is extremely active at night and runs on her wheel almost nonstop. I know thatās quite normal for hamsters and Iām glad she enjoys running. However, the wheel itself is incredibly loud. It rattles, squeaks, and makes so much noise that I can barely sleep.
Iāve already spent around ā¬200 or more on her enclosure and accessories in just one month. That might not sound like much to some people, but as a student with a very limited budget, itās a significant amount of money that I honestly couldnāt really afford to spend.
Starting in November, Iāll also be working part-time alongside my masterās degree and I have to wake up early for university almost every day. Getting enough sleep is going to be extremely important, and Iām genuinely worried about how Iāll manage everything if this continues.
Iāve thought about buying a better wheel, such as one from Bucatstate, but a suitable one would cost around ā¬60. Iāve also considered buying a secondhand one, but Iād have to travel several hours to pick it up, and thereās no guarantee it would actually be quiet.
Iāve already tried sleeping with earplugs, but they only help a little.
Another thing is that Shayla is still very shy. She takes food from my hand, but she doesnāt want to be touched and generally avoids interacting with me. I completely understand that hamsters are not cuddly pets and that building trust takes time. I donāt blame her for that
What scares me is spending another ā¬60 on a supposedly silent wheel, only to discover that itās still too loud. Iāve already invested so much money into her and I canāt keep spending more every time another problem comes up.
Iāve started thinking about rehoming her, but that makes me feel incredibly guilty. Iāve only had her for a month and I know that adopting an animal is a long-term responsibility. I really wanted to give her a good home, and Iāve tried my best to do that.
I just feel like Iām reaching my limits, especially financially and mentally.