Peeing in Tubes

[truelove719]

How can i get my hamster to quit peeing in her tubes. She like lives in them, she sits in it and eats, poops, and pees. it is really gross. thanks

[PetLuver21257]

I don't think that it is possible to make her stop peeing... Unless you take out the tubes...

[truelove719]

l just didn't know if there was a way to get her to dedicate a different area to peeing. figured i would ask, maybe someone would have an idea.

[janie36]

Hi,
I read somewhere that Hamsters can be trained to use a "toilet" as they tend to use one area to pee in. One of our Hams uses his second "bedroom" as a toilet and always pees in there. I think it could be possible but might take some effort and patience! Sorry I can't be more help!

[Zouave]

I can't say since you didn't tell us if you have a dwarf or Syrian.

But Syrians usually pee anmd poop in a corner; dwarfs sometimes do it in tubes.

The old routine is CLEAN EVERYTHING WELL. Put some soiled stuff you saved in a corner. Hope the ham gets the idea and goes there.

[GillyXBean]

Buy a baby bottle brush and you can use that to clean the tubes out effectivly. If she's peeing in 1 specific area of the tube, use a T connector tube and face the T part down with bedding, and maybe she'll start using that as a potty.

[truelove719]

well, her tubes are in a circle type of design, and she stays up in them all day. Doesn't even use the bed area. She just uses the tubes for everything. She is a syrian. I just don't know a way to get her to stop peeing in them. It leaks through the holes and gets on everything. I want her to have the space and play area of the tubes, just not to pee in them.

[janie36]

Does she have plenty of space besides the tubes, if so it may be worth a try to temporarily remove them so she HAS to start using another area, then put them back when she seems settled in her main house area? What does anyone else think?

[dwankrista]

this is the main reason i do not use tubes and those plastic cages. i used to use them for mice but they just became unsanitary no matter how much i cleaned (and i cleaned every every day, no lie). the urine also soaks into the plastic creating ammonia issues. personally, i think tubes are best if placed flat in a play area that the hamster gets to visit daily. the tubes are often too small for syrians when they become full grown anyway and some become stuck. i put small pieces of tubing in the tank my hams live in but most of the tubing is placed in their playgrund (aka my bathtub) when play time comes. not only is it much cleaner but it also gives them a reason to look forward to playtime other than a time to see that big thing that feeds them. :)

[PetLuver21257]

Do you have a CritterTrail, because that's what it sounds like. Those are usually too small for Syrians and as said by dwankrista, the Syrians can get stuck in the tubes when they are fully grown.

So I suggest that you make a bin cage, get an aquarium tank, or a wire cage that is much bigger than the crittertrail she's in now.

[Zouave]

I usually keep big Spiny Mice in Habitrail tubes. Very clean; very smart; minimal pee.

[GenesisIsGone]

I never liked the tubes because of this reason and not enough space. I like my hamsters having much biger age then a habitrail. Mine are in 20 gallons.