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Old 01-01-2020, 03:30 AM   #11
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Obsessive Pacing

How big is her wheel? If it's too small she may not use it as it will be uncomfortable. It needs to be minimum 20cm diameter and ideally 28cm diameter as they can run easier in a larger wheel without their backs bending.

I think it sounds like stress. When they are new they need to be left alone for 2 or 3 days and no cleanouts for the first two weeks and no hands disturbing in the cage or moving things around or they get more stressed. Some hamsters would actually run at your hand. It's fear until they are settled.

Does she have everything needed to feel secure? Wheel big enough. House big enough to build a large nest. Enough substrate (minimum 4" deep but 5 to 6" deep better). Nesting material (a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper). Water bottle working ok and easy to reach. Food in her bowl every day (never leave it empty).

One thing they do need is somewhere dark to retreat to, to feel secure. So if she feels a bit exposed from above and not many floor toys, and not much substrate to burrow under then she will be a bit frantic. If you don't have one - add a large house. A shoebox house is ideal. Cut the base out of the box so it sits on the substrate and is open underneath. Cut a hole for a door in one of the long sides. Keep the lid as a lift off roof so you can check inside.

Then I would start from scratch with the settling in period and don't clean her out - at least for two weeks. After that you can just spot clean the pee area for a while. It's also best not to clean everything at the same time, when you do do a cage clean - as that removes all their familiar scent and they feel invaded/not at home. So partial cleans are better. Eg wheel one week, other things another week, substrate a different week again and mostly spot cleaning with substrate.
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