Why does my hamster keep stuffing its bedding in the tube leading to the second story it cant get down to food or water and every time i take it in the 1st story it wants to go back to the second?

Answer 1

Hamsters are fiercely territorial and resent any interference with the nesting site. The nest plays a very important part of the hamster's environment and is just as important as their food and water. The nest is a place they associate with safety and security and is most probably the cleanest area in the cage. All hamsters are driven by a very strong "nesting instinct," and all are very protective of their nesting site.

Some hamster owners may have experienced a hamster that has abandoned or deserted their usual nesting place (the sleeping quarters) seemingly for no apparent reason. This usually happens just after cleaning the cage. Then discover the hamster has deserted his usual nest and made another nest in the tubes, wheel, or some other inaccessible part of the cage. The reason they do this is the hamster has become aware their nest has been disturbed / discovered.

If the nest is destroyed by cleaning or by removing the old nesting material and replacing it with all new material it removes the hamsters own familiar scent, when this happens the nest smells different to them and if it smells any different it gives great cause for concern and will cause undue stress. Because of predation risks the hamster may reject the site and abandon it as not being safe to sleep there or to use it again. The nesting material can be changed but it must be done gradually and over a period of time. This can be done by removing about half the old material and introducing about the same quantity of new on each occasion. Replacing the old nesting material will keep their familiar scent at the nesting site.