Standing perfectly still?

Maximus · 07-12-2016, 03:48 PM

I just got my newest hammie Bear (yaaayyyy she has a name) out to play. She seemed perfectly happy although she wouldn't take any treats and then she just stood perfectly still on my hand for like 5 whole minutes, then she was looking around moving her head but standing so still. Her ears were up and her breathing seemed normal so I don't THINK she was panicking.

Is she scared? Or just taking in the lay of the land? I've never had a ham do this before!

She then ran around a bit more and I went to put her back in her cage and she stopped frozen again! Even when I put her into her cage she didn't run off, just stood there. What's she doing?

xFluffyHamsterx · 07-12-2016, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

I just got my newest hammie Bear (yaaayyyy she has a name) out to play. She seemed perfectly happy although she wouldn't take any treats and then she just stood perfectly still on my hand for like 5 whole minutes, then she was looking around moving her head but standing so still. Her ears were up and her breathing seemed normal so I don't THINK she was panicking.

Is she scared? Or just taking in the lay of the land? I've never had a ham do this before!

She then ran around a bit more and I went to put her back in her cage and she stopped frozen again! Even when I put her into her cage she didn't run off, just stood there. What's she doing?

It sounds as if she heard or smelt something, so she stands still and perks up to hear it clearer which is what they do in the wild. Did you try and snap her out of it?

Maximus · 07-12-2016, 04:12 PM

I did. And she just ignored me so I gently stroked her. And she just stood still. I wasn't sure, and I'm still not, whether I'm amazed or worried!

Pebbles82 · 07-12-2016, 04:59 PM

Charlie (Syrian) did something like that recently in his playpen. He'd been running, climbing, digging and then suddenly froze - and sat like that for a good few minutes kind of mid run. I asked him if he'd heard something. Eventually I picked him up for a stroke and he was fine and off again running around a few minutes later.

I think it's if they hear or smell or sense something - in the wild as prey animals they probably do it so as not to be spotted by birds of prey etc.

Piebald · 07-12-2016, 11:17 PM

I think Serendipity has it-- the freezing is a natural behaviour to fool predators. Predators see movement so tiny prey animals have developed the ability to be super-still. When encountering a situation requiring investigation for possible flight they might freeze. Of course they can run pretty fast too!

Maximus · 07-13-2016, 01:08 AM

Does that mean she was scared then? She was freezing because she thought somethin was going to eat her? ��

POLAR WHITES · 07-13-2016, 02:06 AM

Standing very still and listening incase they are in trouble and ready to run. Standing still and swaying slightly from side to side to get a better look at something they are struggling to see. Being very scared they scream it's an awfull sound.

Maximus · 07-13-2016, 04:17 AM

There wasn't swaying. She was completely frozen, then she was moving her head. She was very keen to chat to me this morning so I think she's quite happy.

Screaming? I'd die if one my fur babies was screaming! I never want to hear that sound. Squeaks and charters are fine and sneezes are too cute.

ham888 · 07-13-2016, 08:18 AM

There's a stage before the scream, very still, very flat, ears down and whiskers not twitching. That's clearly fright because with no sniffing and ears down they are no longer sensing their surroundings very well.

Our Syrian did this a couple of days ago mid-play for no humanly observable reason. He was happy to just be covered up by my hand for a little while, then snapped out of it.

Actually I've never had a hamster scream.

CMB · 07-13-2016, 10:47 AM

Could be the mating stance. My some of my female hamsters would freeze when being stroked, mostly when they were on heat or whatever it's called for hamsters.