Hamster stress?

[Pebbles82]

Any change in the cage can stress them - it's very difficult when a bedding isn't right, but if he really doesn't like this bedding (it might be too hard or smell funny to him) I think it would be less stressful to change it to something he does like than to leave it as it is. It's also difficult to find bedding/substrate for long haired hamsters, but maybe you need a bit of a compromise on softness of bedding and tangled coats. I know Kaytee clean'n cozy is supposed to be excellent paper bedding and is from the US - it is supposed to be better than Carefresh I believe - not dusty, very soft and very absorbant. I know it is strips of paper which could get caught in a hamster's coat but is not likely to get ingrained in it like shavings for example.

I should try some - he can't really be any more stressed than he is now by the sound of it and I am sure he will love that bedding as it is so soft. I have also heard somewhere that if they ingest the paper pellets it can make them feel unwell (maybe they look like food or something). It was a rabbit owner who had a problem with that but I guess the same could happen with a hammy.

He could have an allergy to the bedding although it seems unlikely if it is paper pellets, but maybe they are treated with something or have been through some chemical process to make them into pellets or something.

Also maybe look at his diet. Obviously I don't know what food he has at the moment and I am sure it is fine, but give him some fresh veg every day - just tiny bit - a couple of dice sized cubes of carrot, or tiny florets of broccoli or little pieces of cucumber - a different one each day maybe. They'll have natural vitamins in and hammies love veggies - along with something like Hazel hamster mix which has everything in they need. Although if you currently use a good mix then maybe best not to change it as it's another change.

Some changes are good ones - when I've added something my Hamster likes he is ok - if I move things around he hates it.

I don't know much about long haired syrians but I believe there are special detangling combs you can get, although you probably do that already. Getting wet will cause matting so if he wees in his nest try using a hamster potty - although you say you already have a potty. Is it the same pellets in his potty? If he really hates them it might be why he is tipping it up - trying to tell you he hates them lol!

Sorry if you know all this already!

I would go with instinct and change the substrate to Kaytee clean n cozy - I'm sure that won't mat his coat, even if the odd bit gets caught in his fur and he can easily groom it out. If he is trying to pouch the pellets to make a nest he is maybe getting stressed because he can't make a nest with them (unless you have some other paper for his nest) or he might even have eaten some.

You could try this first maybe - he will be able to make himself a nice nest with it and also dig and tunnel in it, plus it will be soft and safe. Also give him a bit of fresh veg every day. If things still don't improve then a vet visit might be necessary.

Suggest getting some earplugs too! If you are sleep deprived everything will seem worse. Try and get a couple of good nights sleep with earplugs after changing the bedding. I believe Kaytee clean n cozy is very like the paper strip nest material so he will maybe use it for both - for floor substrate and to make a nest.

All I can think is - what makes hammies happy is a nice cosy nest and veggies - so it might work!

He might need a bigger cage too but not sure what cage you've got and as cypher says a cage change can cause a lot of stress for a couple of weeks, so maybe get the bedding sorted first and see if it helps.

[Karamelloh]

I don't like that my parents don't support that I have hamsters because they don't like rodents. The vet said its $60 to just be seen by him. Which is a lot! But I h made some changes to my cage and I began closely monitoring him and I think my new changes helped some. His behavior has calmed down to where it was before I switched beddings. I invested in some toys off craigslist and some play sand so hopefully these things will keep him entertained and modify his behavior. Since he has calmed down I noticed his fur is slowly starting to come back in couple spots, but in other spots it continues to thin. I'm hoping that the fur that is coming back will spread to those places

[racinghamster]

Hi karamelloh, it`s nice that you have come here to ask for advice because you do sound stressed because your hamster seems stressed! It`s a vicious circle, isn`t it? The itching could just be due to the stress and nothing to do with mites/lice or any other irritant. I would suggest that you don`t do full cage cleans though as this alone will cause your hamster some anxiety. Having their own scent around, even if it smells a bit, is natural to them, so try and only do spot cleans.

Bin cages can have tall, enclosing sides and I personally feel that this may have a claustrophobic effect on a hamster, who normally likes to feel able to see out, or have some sort of view of the world. Using a barred cage could cause bar chewing (nightmare!) or your hamster may start climbing the bars, so be aware that these alone can be pitfalls.

Try not to use a hamster ball either because the ball will have that `prison` effect and to an anxious hamster, won`t be the best remedy. Wait for playtimes when your hamster is wide awake, so not waking him up to play. Having a daily routine helps a hamsters `clock` in some ways. So observe when he`s sleeping and when he`s just out to drink or eat and leave him be.

Hamsters can be noisy during the night and making their wheel quiet is half the battle! My Russian hybrid lets loose on his wheel during the night, yet I barely see him during daytime hours unless he`s out for a pee or a snack/drink!

If you can, perhaps look for a cage that allows him more view, even meshing a guinea pig cage or finding a large Perspex tank-style cage might help a lot.

Try not to over think things and leave his toys/accessories in one place. I say this because having kept small rodents for a number of years, they do notice when something has been moved or added! let him settle down and only see to his needs and handle him occasionally, when he`s in the mood.

As for a vet, well I doubt this is a case for a vet to worry over unless he shows true signs of illness and apart from the itching you mention, this could well be stress related itching and nothing more.

I`m glad he`s calmed a bit and do come back and let us know how he`s doing. x

[Thin Lizzy]

Good to hear his behaviour has calmed down.
Serendipity and Racing Hamster have given some great advice.
Hammies do like a routine, they can also be very ocd when it comes to their territory.
Sometimes having all the toys in his cage can be overwhelming for a hammie.
The less you clean out his cage, the more relaxed he'll be.