Hamsters are skittish all of a sudden?

erins_hamsters · 02-26-2019, 12:03 PM

Hi everyone! I have a problem...
My two Russian dwarves had been getting on great, they were both super tame and really calm when I was handling them. About 3-4 days ago I noticed that they ran away as fast as possible and hid when I entered the room and wouldn’t come out again until after I left, this has happened every time for the past few days and the only contact I’ve had with them is when I managed to pick one of them up yesterday, but as soon as I set him down again he dashed off into hiding. I’ve also noticed Ozzy freezing a couple of times. I have no idea what has caused this behaviour and I wouldn’t be too concerned apart from the fact that it has started out of the blue even though I have had them for about 7 months!! Any advice??

Pebbles82 · 02-26-2019, 04:03 PM

Have you been hoovering?!

Or cleaned the cage recently? Or maybe they are just going through a funny phase.

cypher · 02-26-2019, 10:20 PM

I remember you posting about seeing dominance behaviour going on, did you intervene at all or change anything in the cage to try to prevent it?
Any changes in or around the cage can trigger changes in behaviour, sometimes it might even be a small thing we would hardly notice.

erins_hamsters · 02-28-2019, 01:35 AM

I think it may just be a funny phase, as Serendipity said. Today they both took some food from my hands and Ozzy is practically back to normal. Thank you for the advice, I will have to keep it in mind when I put the hamsters into their new cage!

Pebbles82 · 02-28-2019, 02:38 AM

If your moving them to a new cage this needs to be done very carefully. If you didn’t know already. And even then, that change could lead to them falling out - at least temporarily. So keep a close eye at first. With a pair you really need to have them both taken out at the same time while you do the transfer and they’re in a safe place like a playpen or play cage. And transfer all the old bedding, hoards etc across. And try and have all the items in a similar layout. Adding new things is ok but transfer old things and don’t clean anything when moving everything over. Resist the temptation!

It can really help settle them in a new cage if you do a transition period. Eg set up the new cage with new substrate and 2 or 3 toys - anything new you plan to have in it eg and a familiar tube or something from out of cage time but don’t take anything out of the old cage yet. Then put them both in the new cage for a sort of playtime. Not too long as they could get anxious and want to go back to the old cage. If they seem happy in there then a bit longer. Then next day transfer everything across from the old cage to the new cage. Put all the old substrate on top of that already in the new cage and set it up in the same layout if possible. Eg house and wheel in same place as before, toys in the same place and any new items added. Then move them in and leave them alone for 2 or 3 days but with careful monitoring. Don’t clean anything for two weeks. Then just minimal spot cleaning for a while. If you have plenty of substrate in that will be fine.

They can develop sole territorial behaviour very quickly. So for example if one was out of the old cage or in the new cage for 5 or 10 minutes longer than the other one they would claim the territory for themselves and fighting break out. So always take them out/put them in together.

Cypher mentioned dominance behaviour. Keep an eye on that in case one is getting bullied or not getting enough food. Scatter feeding may hel as well as putting food in their bowls.

Assume you know about having two of everything and no levels. Any tubes need to be large ish so both could easily fit inside or one could block the entrance. Houses need more than one entrance.

Pebbles82 · 02-28-2019, 02:39 AM

Move the old nest across as well, inside the house/houses.

Sebario · 02-28-2019, 05:38 AM

Is the cage in a different direction in the new room?

I remember needing some work done in the room which the cage was in so I moved the cage into my other room and it was facing a different direction.

Since I've had my hamster he has been in the same position on top of a chest of draws and is straight infront when opening the door. When I moved the cage into the other room I entered from the back and my hamster was very scared and ran away.

From what I have witnessed I think hamster hearing is the main way they recognise so if the noise came from the front of the cage and now coming from the back of the cage or side, that could startle them and make them scared.

erins_hamsters · 03-01-2019, 12:53 AM

I have kept everything the same, cage direction, cage place, there have been no changes in environment, so I think it may have just been a phase!

In regards to the new cage I was thinking of exchanging everything over while the hamsters are in the playpen. Then I will place them in and let them explore for 5 minutes. Then the next day I’ll leave them in for 10 minutes, then the following day 15 minutes, etc.
Does that sound ok?