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Comments for Hamster Behavioral Problems

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Heather, 11 November 2023

hi, i’m a new owner too hamsters. i’ve never owned one in my whole life, but i’ve always wanted one since i was little. I just got my first hamster back in january, and it’s the cutest little thing ever. she is a russian dwarf and her name is hamantha. (they couldn’t tell her gender, but it was very easy) when i got her, she was a little aggressive towards me. when id put my hand in her little box area she would often try to bite me. the lady had no problem with her at the pet store, so i didnt know what was wrong. i just thought she was territorial. fast forward too now, if i even try to put my hand in her area she immediately tries to bite me. i usually have too lure her into her little igloo then i kinda let her walk out onto my chest. she’s very nice when holding, and if you put her back she’s okay. i have another hamster, different breed but they aren’t in the same area. i’ve tried to let them meet but it didnt end well. but anyways, she’s really nice and doesn’t bite, like at all. she is a syrian and i heard they’re nicer then dwarfs. it took her a few months to warm up to me, but she still is not hand tamed. just like my other one. i believe they just have different personalities. they did come from two different animal stores, though. i’m just wondering why my dwarf bites me and will come up too my hand, but she doesn’t know to climb on. my syrian, just runs away from me. i feel bad for em bc ive dropped the dwarf a few times. she’s okay tho! any tips?


Bethany, 15 April 2021

I have just brought a Syrian hamster and I have never owned one before. I have not yet tamed her as she bites me whenever I try and I’m in the process of getting her a larger cage. Her current cage has a tunnel attached and she will sleep in there all day. The thing that concerns me is the fact that whenever she now goes into the tunnel, she will run back out as if running away from something. She also keeps scratching at herself. I think she may have mites but I cannot hold her to check myself. What should I do?


An Omleteer, 8 March 2021

Background: I’ve owned several hamsters over the years (mostly Syrians) so I’m educated on owning, caring and handling them. Current problem: We picked up a Robo ham 3.5 weeks ago and she has not warmed up to us at all. She is absolutely terrified of everyone. So much so that she gets around in her (large) tank UNDER her bedding like a mole. She will only pop her head out to get water and then she goes back into hiding and moving around in a sort of tunnel system she has created. If we ever walk over to her tank and she’s actually out, she will immediately run for cover like we are some sort of predator. We’ve never done anything to cause her so much anxiety. When we first put her in her tank, we gave her several days alone to adjust. I would have thought by now that she would be a little more relaxed around people but she’s still very frightened of everyone. I’m starting to think we got more of a pet to look at rather than handle or bond with. I feel bad for my daughter who picked out this hamster only to have it be nothing more than a goldfish to watch from a distance. Is there any hope for this hamster? I’ve read that putting them in the bath tub and sitting in there with them might help but I think that will only make her more scared.


Leanne, 29 May 2020

Hi, I have a golden Syrian hamster who has just turned 2 and a half years old, he's a lovley character and he's such a sweet animal very chilled, dosent mind being held never bites. All of a sudden as from yesterday he has become highly distressed and is scratching and running around the cage and chewing on bars ( never done this before). Iv checked his teeth they are a good size, his fur is in good condition with no bald patches, his eyes are bright and sparkly, checked him over for lumps couldn't find anything, eating and drinking fine urinating fine, his claws feel a little sharp, he's going bonkers in his cage, I don't understand we have no other pets, I would take him to a vet but covid 19 is making this difficult. I feel so sorry for him, I don't know how to help him.x


Leanne, 29 May 2020

Hi, I have a golden Syrian hamster who has just turned 2 and a half years old, he's a lovley character and he's such a sweet animal very chilled, dosent mind being held never bites. All of a sudden as from yesterday he has become highly distressed and is scratching and running around the cage and chewing on bars ( never done this before). Iv checked his teeth they are a good size, his fur is in good condition with no bald patches, his eyes are bright and sparkly, checked him over for lumps couldn't find anything, eating and drinking fine urinating fine, his claws feel a little sharp, he's going bonkers in his cage, I don't understand we have no other pets, I would take him to a vet but covid 19 is making this difficult. I feel so sorry for him, I don't know how to help him.x


Dana, 21 April 2020

We have had our dwarf hamster for 3 months and he would always let us pick him up, play with us, and he never bite me. One day he started randomly climbing on his bars (which he never did before) chewing on them, running around and started biting me, so we looked for new cages and new toys for him, we ordered a bunch of stuff and looked in his cage and he was suddenly dead. His feet looked a little blue but we don’t know if it was heart disease. Very sad night for my daughter and I.


Mackenzie, 16 April 2020

I got my hamster from a previous owner and it’s about a year and a half now a long haired Syrian and was always so energetic and exited and kept me up all the time until about just a couple of months ago seemed to have what looked like a strike so I read up on it and it said she might be going into hibernation which isn’t supposed to happen, then two days later was fine so I’m very confused then about a week or two later the same thing happened again and I did everything heat pad under cage heater in room I mean everything and she seemed to be fine again until today she is now acting different again but is twisting her back and walking weird and keeps falling asleep everywhere like while she is trying to walk on her wheel or when drinking water and she isn’t eating much either help someone I don’t want her to die.


Dorothy, 10 April 2020

I have had my dwarf hamster for 7 months and she has always let me pick her up and make a fuss of her, but suddenly a week ago, as soon as she sees me she rushes back to her bed and if I try to pick her up she bites me. Does anyone know why this is? Could it be a health problem? It is very upsetting.


Kat, 30 March 2020

I like to think I do the most for my hamsters. Bookie live in a sideways medium/large bookshelf with at least 6 inches of aspen wood shavings, two sand playgrounds with covering, tunnels, appropriately sized wheel and a salt rock with multiple hiding places and two food bowls on each side. However he is active more sporadically and is not one jumping at his walls but bit me!! More of a pinch bite than grabbed me. I was shocked as this is not his behavior typically. I tried to pet him and he jumped to his side to bite me. He is not scared like my other hamster ghost, but I’m worried he is unhappy. Please help. (Ghost like to be hidden so I hardly see him, but he is doing fine)


Prisila, 26 March 2020

My hamster is so hyperactive, and she sleeps a lot. She doesnt even eat or drink water. She doesnt sleep in her nest/hides, and she never seems to play. She doesnt go in her wheel either. She lives in a 40 gallon tank, and she looks so stressed. Shes always jumping and standing up trying to climb out the tank. Shes always scratching the tank too. I really need help, and I dont want her to die :(

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