Update for everyone! So, based on further observation / investigation, I believe that my little Houdini is simply a baby who is curious and wants to explore lol. He of course investigates his cage, especially right after it's cleaned, and I think if he finds a path to escape, he tries to take it out of curiosity more than anything else. The two times he's actually gotten out, I have been home and he has been very scared once he's out and realizes that he cannot get back in. So that furthers my belief that he's not "unhappy" and trying to escape, but is just exploring uncharted Territory within his cage, not understanding the repercussions... typical toddler am I right
? As for all the other, he does have a brother with whom he gets along very well, they are in the same enclosure and love each other very much. If anything, he likes his older brother more than his older brother likes him (but OB is very tolerant and patient, bit aggressive at all), so I don't think he's trying to get away from him LOL. they get along fabulously. I'm honestly concerned that there are too many enrichment items in their cage, and I've considered taking some out and just switching them out more regularly so that they can run more freely. I do keep their hay and pellets in the room with them, but in closed bags behind closed doors. I'm sure they can smell them, but they have constant access to an abundance of hay, get their two tablespoons each of pellets each morning, so I wouldn't necessarily think that that was what he was doing either. The truth of the matter is I don't think my cage was 100% suitable for such a small little guy, but I feel 98% confident that we've solved the problem. He's my first GP that's this young, so admittedly I was a bit unprepared
lesson learned! We should be in good shape now, thanks again for all the help!
Other posters ask about incessant bar-chewing and it's often the same sort of thing. There might be something specific he wants to get at - maybe if the hay bag is kept in the same room..?