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Old 02-02-2017, 09:26 PM   #1
Rinkodesu
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Join Date: Feb 2017
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Unhappy Is my hamster shy or sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Hi! I got a sweet Russian Dwarf female hammie yesterday. In the shop she was very active and when I took her home in the car (in her new cage) she was also running through tunnels. At home, she's pretty active if I take her out and let her run around. However in her cage, she doesn't rip up any tissues I gave her or doesn't dig, run on her wheel or drink water from what I could see.

I'm worried about the not running on her wheel part. The wheel works properly. She often just sits in hee "house"in the corner or sits in a tunnel. Is she missing her sibling who was in the shop too? Is she sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Also, do hamsters need sunlight? I heard they prefer darkness but I don't want to deprive my hammie if she likes sun too.

Thank you!
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Old 02-04-2017, 01:39 AM   #2
EnerHam
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Default Re: Is my hamster shy or sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Hi Rinkodesu, congrats on getting your new friend!

It sounds like your little one needs some time to settle in. Give her a few days to get used to her environment before attempting to handle her--you don't want to stress her out too much. SHe's probably sitting in the house or tunnel because she's afraid of her new environment and so is choosing to sit somewhere she is hidden where she feels safer, but the good thing is that will reduce once she's had time to explore it on her own.

For now, give her enough food to last a few days without you needing to open the cage and let her get on with turning her new house into a home. Once she's settled or as she's settling she'll more than likely begin using her wheel.

Direct sunlight is not a good thing. It can cause them to overheat and/or dehydrate or damage their already limited vision. In the wild, hamsters make burrows underground and since your cage will be your little one's home its not a good idea to expose it to sunlight.

After that few days is up, start introducing yourself to her. Offer her a treat either by hand or place it near your hand in the cage and let her come and get it. Don't chase her around the cage with your hand, just keep it still and let her come to you when she's ready. Depending on how tame she already is, she should come over and take it.

You can then try placing another treat on the palm of your hand and see if she will crawl on and take it. Keep doing this until she is comfortable sitting on your hand, and then gently lift her out. This process could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks. The important thing is not to rush things.

To me she just sounds like any other hamster in a new environment, but if you're still concerned about her health in a few days then a vet may need to be consulted. But you didn't give say and specific symptoms so I'm going to assume she's just healthy and scared.

When you've got some time, have a look around the forum. There is plenty of information to help you take the best possible care of your little one here. Good luck!
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Old 02-04-2017, 07:25 AM   #3
Drago
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Default Re: Is my hamster shy or sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Welcome and congrats on your new little friend! It sounds to me like normal new hamster behavior. Leave her alone for at least a week so she can settle in and get used to her new environment. Once she's used to it, she'll come out of her shell and the taming process can begin. Your ham doesn't really need sunlight as they're naturally creatures of the night/times when the sun isn't around and thus they don't really need it anyways as it could possibly do more harm than good. May you have many long and happy years together
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Old 02-06-2017, 04:55 AM   #4
Thin Lizzy
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Default Re: Is my hamster shy or sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Hi and Welcome to HC. Congratulations on your little one.
I agree with the others, let her settle and adjust to her new surroundings, she'll mark her new cage by rubbing herself all over it so she can smell her scent. Be sure to leave cleaning the cage for 3 to 4 weeks, do daily spot checks on her toilet area and remove any soiled substrate and place some fresh in with the old. When cleaning the toilet area just use warm water, this will ensure she can smell her scent.
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Old 02-12-2017, 05:20 PM   #5
vanna05
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Unhappy Re: Is my hamster shy or sick or just getting used to the new environment?

Hi everyone, so im obviously new here and trying to figure out ow to post my own post howevr i saw this post and thought there might be some help in here.
We just got a new robodwarf hamster for my 9 yr old daughter.
The first night he was calm .
The second evening she had her bday sleepover w her friend and i think the noise was a bit much. Even when they were out in the living room. At one point he was in his tube when my daughter noticed it wasn't fully connected. She panicked thinking he was gonna fall thru the small space and tried to push it together. Of course it scared him. Although her heart was in the right place.. I told her to give it a few days not to mess with it any so it can get used to the cage itself. Well its taken some bedding up into the tube that leads to the wheel.. (it has the critter trail turn about habitat cage) but i've noticed its been sleeping in the big wheel as well as continuously cleaning itself it seems. it appears to be shaking a tiny bit but I can't tell. It goes down to the lower stage for it's water I'm sure due to that it's eaten a bit and goes back up to sleep. when it wakes for a second it appears to be cleaning itself again.
We haven't been interrupting it just observing it. Has anyone seen this?
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