Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Hamster Healthcare

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-01-2018, 07:33 PM   #1
RavenMouse
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 7
Question My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Backstory: I got my hamster when he was roughly two months old when I rescued him from a bad living situation. He was being housed with two litters of young hamsters, about 12 hamsters, in one of those 10 gallon fish tanks and fed lab blocks with one watering canteen. When I got him he was very feisty and screamed whenever he was handled. After only a week though, he showed his true personality and is now a cuddle bug who would never bite anyone. His name is Allen.

My concern: He will not use his cheek pouches. He has several hides and areas he could put food but never does. I feed him in a bowl on the second level of his cage and he just brings his food and puts it in the bowl. If I give him a treat he will carry it to his bowl and drop it in for later. He will make many trips if I put his food in different spots to bring it to his bowl. He refuses to store food anywhere accept his bowl. I thought they enjoyed foraging and hiding their food but he collects everything that spills and neatly puts it away. His food bowl is in the middle of a blank level not at all hidden. I do not understand why he insists on doing this. It's almost like he's OCD about it. Could he have a mental issue?

I have had hamsters before who never acted like this. Is there a way I can check to see if his cheek pouches are okay? He is a long-furred light tan hamster with red eyes, not sure what exactly. I don't think he has ever put anything in his cheeks cause where he came from fed him large blocks that would have been difficult to fit. Could this have affected him physically? Or could his behaviour be mental from his early life? He seems happy and playful regardless but I want to be sure he is okay.
RavenMouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2018, 11:17 AM   #2
BossaNova2
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 13
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Hi.
How unusual! I would recommend you take him to a vet if you think there is something wrong with his pouches. However he may just like keeping his cage clean, I have had one hamster who did this and I researched and researched but all Mr Google came up with is that he just liked being clean and perfect. like you said it is pretty much hamster OCD but nothing to worry about.

Also cute name by the way Allen is cute!
BossaNova2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2018, 11:35 PM   #3
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
cypher's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

I wouldn't worry, this behaviour is more common than you might think, some hams just like to use their food bowl as their stash!
I would continue to scatter or hide some food or treats around the cage so he can forage then he can collect them up & put them in the bowl if that's where he wants them!
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️
cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2018, 07:41 PM   #4
Swirls
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Florida
Posts: 36
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Nope! I don't think there's anything wrong with your ham! It's a normal behavior! Although most hamsters like taking foods to their nest, I've heard stories about hams who just ate out of their bowls and never actually stuffed food into their nests! If you do think there is a problem though, try taking your ham to the vet. It's better to be safe than sorry!
Swirls is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2018, 07:50 PM   #5
Thin Lizzy
Hamster Warrior
 
Thin Lizzy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Posts: 15,575
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Like Cypher said, scatter some treats & food around his cage as well as filling his bowl, all hamsters are different in their own ways. I don't think it's mental issues although some hams can be a bit ocd about certain things. Allen has his way of doing certain things, notching to worry about.
__________________
Mom To Gorgeous Noah
Over The Rainbow Bridge - Master Harvey 2 years & 5 months, Twinkle 'The Diva' 1 year & 8 months, Archie 2 years & 3 months & Xena 2 years & 9 months. Forever loved by T-Liz.
Thin Lizzy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2018, 03:46 AM   #6
dreamtree1234
The Cuddler of Cuteness
 
dreamtree1234's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 3,278
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Hi and welcome to HC. As other members had said, I also do not believe that there is anything to worry about concerning his behavior. Some hams just like to place their food in their bowl. I would just continue to scatter feed and place some food in the bowl and let your ham decide where he wants to stash it. He may always enjoy keeping it in his bowl and eating directly from there. However, he may one day decide to bring it back to his nest to hoard it there instead. My Eros has periods where she wants her food in her and then sometimes pouches it and takes it to her nest for a period of time. Whatever Allen decides to do is absolutely fine. He does sound like a total sweetheart, and I'm so glad that you were able to rescue him from such a horrible living environment. Congrats on getting him. I look forward to getting to know him and seeing him.
__________________

"...she fell into a deep sleep, and dreamed the dreams of the dreamtree." ~Stephen Cosgrove
Mum to Duchess. Fur Angels Eros007, Arwen, Hinata & Snickers 4Ever.
dreamtree1234 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2018, 04:06 PM   #7
RavenMouse
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 7
Default Re: My hamster won't use his cheek pouches!

Thanks for the suggestions and advice everyone! Allen is doing great! I found out he does have pouches, but he doesn't use them because he's a picky boy, plus his cage isn't very large so he doesn't have much space to move things. I'm moving him into a bigger cage soon and I'll see if he adopts his little pouches again
RavenMouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bowl, food, put, hamsters, hamster, cheek, pouches, puts, mental, level, fed, blocks, playful, happy, insists, behaviour, early, life, understand, spills, collects, hiding, neatly, hidden, middle

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:50 PM.