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Old 02-17-2018, 09:02 PM   #1
zarch
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Default djungarian hamster fast breathing

Hey all im new to the forum and owning a hamster. Im trying to make sure i do everything correct. So far ive read a lot on how to take care of my little buddy but i do have a question, when he isnt moving around and becomes still he seems to start breathing fast (?) its just fast enough it seems odd to me. It seems he pretty much falls asleep after a bit of sitting still (might be from still being a new place so he is tired). Is it something i should worry about? nothing else seems wrong. No noises come from him and nothing looks wrong. he is very active and moves around if i take him out and let him run around.
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Old 02-18-2018, 03:03 AM   #2
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Hi zarch. How long have you had him, where did he come from and what substrate is he kept on? Meaning wood shavings, hemp, paper based?

The forum is full of useful information on all species of hamster, so specific to your breed, you will be looking for Russian dwarf hamster. Diet-wise a good hamster food for dwarf hamsters generally will be good for him but sometimes it`s necessary to mix two different foods to get more variety. I used the Burgess Dwarf mix in the UK and would also buy the JR hamster foods from Zooplus occasionally and also fed small pieces of fresh veg and fruit, but just small pieces around 5cm in size. Apple, pear, melon, garden peas, broccoli and any SAFE veg.

Be careful of allowing him to run around outside of his own cage unless it`s in a confined space and not in a hamster ball. It`s much better to have a decent sized cage and a good solid wheel to allow the hamster to feel they have enough space to run around, dig and be happy inside their own space and just having short play times with him or allowing him to sit on your hand inside the cage (low down) incase he jumps or does not like being handled. This all comes with a lot of time and patience.

Take things at his pace and let him enjoy his own space. Hamsters and other small pets will become fearful and scared outside of their cage if they are not allowed to adjust for a few months. So it`s always a good idea to let them settle in, take things slow and enjoy watching them and you will get to know any signs of anything that isn`t normal.
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Old 02-18-2018, 03:12 AM   #3
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Is he tame yet or is he still settling in? If they're nervous they do sometimes breathe faster but even if not their breathing can seem faster & more obvious than you would expect when they're just sitting still. It's quite normal for young hamsters to fall asleep quickly & quite frequently too especially if they've been running in the wheel or just running about exploring & foraging.
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Old 02-18-2018, 03:16 AM   #4
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Hi, zarch! I hope you're having an amazing time caring for your new hamster. It's great that you're responsible and observant when it comes to your new pet. In regards to your hamster's breathing, I think he's probably just relaxing and taking in his new surroundings. To us humans, it may look like he's breathing really fast, but that's just normal. Because hamsters have a larger surface area to volume ratio, their energy expenditure is much greater than ours. They have an increased metabolic rate to help them generate more heat, that's why they also eat a lot. However, if you notice that there are other changes in his behavior and breathing that can be concerning, you might want to consult a vet. I'm sure he's fine, though!
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Old 02-18-2018, 07:52 AM   #5
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Ive had him for 2 days now. they said he might be about 2 months old. I got him from Petco, and he is in "Soft Paper Bedding" which is the brown/gray stuff i see around a lot (i saw "fluffy" was very bad and this is not that stuff as i saw from pictures).

He seems better today, more active and outgoing. Ill try to slow down a bit on interactions so he can get used to seeing me and my wife. I thought we might be coming on too strong, took him out a few times yesturday for maybe 10 minutes each. I read that maybe to tame him i should set him in his play area and keep my hand down to let him come to me rather than me pull him to myself.

when outside of his cage we have a "play pin" we got for him that lets him run around and be safe. We also had gotten him a little pet bed thats a soft and just large enough he can walk around inside and he stays in that on my desk. We did get him a ball as well which he seemed to like but might be still a little small for moving it.
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Old 02-18-2018, 10:55 AM   #6
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Do you know the brand of soft paper bedding? It's hard to be sure what that might be or if it is safe or not, sounds a bit like carefresh but no idea really!
It is best not to go too fast with taming but I never hold back if they seem keen to interact, just go at his pace & he should be fine.
I really wouldn't recommend a ball for a dwarf hamster, they can easily be injured or frightened in a ball, far better to stick to the play bin or a play pen with lots of things to explore than use a ball.
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Old 02-18-2018, 11:28 AM   #7
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

Its called Sophresh. We also got some wood shavings with almost no dust to use in "pool" type thing im going to make in his play-pin.

Ill keep that in mind when trying to tame him.

I got a little 2 story wood house for him, a wheel (i hope metal is ok), a wooden teater-totter, and a little spinning plastic plate like they had at his enclosure in the pet shop.
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Old 02-18-2018, 11:59 AM   #8
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

That sounds fine to me
He may just be breathing fast because he’s nervous but he’ll settle in soon enough
Metal wheels are fine beyond my knolage and all his toys are fine
Just make sure the wood shavings are not too scratchy or they may be uncomfortable
Over all you sound like an excellent hamster 🐹 owner
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Old 02-18-2018, 10:57 PM   #9
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

That substrate looks very much like carefresh & should be fine.
A metal wheel would be ok as long as it has a solid track, no bars or mesh which can cause a serious problem with their feet.
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Old 02-19-2018, 08:01 AM   #10
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Default Re: djungarian hamster fast breathing

It does have a mesh track which is what worried me, they’re larger than his feet but it might still hurt him. I’ll go out and change it today.
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