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Old 06-14-2019, 05:32 PM   #1
rowan22
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Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Exclamation Rubbing against everything?

Hi,
My hamster has recently started rubbing herself against the side of her playpen and behind the wheel of her playpen. By rubbing herself I mean she rubs her sides/back against the playpen. I rarely see her do this in her cage, I’ve only noticed it whenever I take her out. It’s the same playpen she’s always had, and in fact it’s just a small box and I recently got her a larger, puppy playpen and she did it less in there than she does it in the box, which makes me think she’s not just marking her scent.
Last time I cleaned her out I changed her bedding from hemp to clean and cozy, that’s the only thing I can think of that might have caused this but she doesn’t seem to be scratching. She will sort of ‘roll’ against the side of the box, groom herself a little and then do normal stuff. I also can’t see any change in her fur or anything that might indicate mites other than this behaviour. The trouble is she seems fine when she’s in her cage but when she’s out of it she does the rubbing! Does anyone know what this could be and is it worth taking a trip for the vets? She is acting normal in every other way.
Thank you !
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Old 06-14-2019, 05:41 PM   #2
rowan22
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Default Re: Rubbing against everything?

Update : just watched her for a little longer without interacting with her in her play box and she’s itching herself more than I thought. Is this likely to be mites or allergy to her bedding?
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Old 06-15-2019, 12:56 AM   #3
souffle
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Default Re: Rubbing against everything?

It sounds more like she is trying to scent the bedding up as it smells different to her usual. The way she is acting sounds like scenting. The groom to get the scent spread from their hip glands on to paws and on the fur surface then they rub and roll to spread it. Don't overclean for now and let her get her scent around her. Spot clean the wet corner only. Mites usually show as red skin and pinprick scabs so don't treat unless it is shown that she has mites. If very worried I'd see a vet.
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Old 06-15-2019, 02:22 AM   #4
rowan22
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Default Re: Rubbing against everything?

Hi, I did think that but she has only been displaying this behaviour in her play box where the bedding hasn’t been changed recently, she doesn’t do it in her cage.. also I changed her bedding about two weeks ago so I would’ve thought she’d be used to it by now. Very strange.
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