syrian hamster not acting normal pls help.

[violet2234]

i have noticed this from yesterday and he has been acting off. my hamster usually is energetic from 2am or 3am but now he sleeps throughout the day. He suddenly wont come out of his house when i call him and doesn't eat much when i give his seed mix . i dont know what to do exactly im scared if its his time to pass away. pls help..

[Ria P]

Hamsters do sometimes change their behaviours and habits for reasons unknown to us.

I have currently the same issue with my dwarf Edwina who used to get up during the day and ask to come out but recently i've hardly seen her.

How old is your hamster?

[Pebbles82]

Hello. Is he warm enough? Not sure where you are but we get freezing weather and frosts overnight right now and they do feel the cold so can stay in their nests if it’s cold. If they do get too cold it can actually lead to torpor where they become unconscious and often don’t survive. I keep a little heater on overnight in winter on a thermostat so it comes on when the temperature goes below 16 degrees.

[violet2234]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Hamsters do sometimes change their behaviours and habits for reasons unknown to us.

I have currently the same issue with my dwarf Edwina who used to get up during the day and ask to come out but recently i've hardly seen her.

How old is your hamster?

i see well i dont really know his age but its been only two months since i got him. he doesn't seem like a young hamster though.

[violet2234]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Hello. Is he warm enough? Not sure where you are but we get freezing weather and frosts overnight right now and they do feel the cold so can stay in their nests if it’s cold. If they do get too cold it can actually lead to torpor where they become unconscious and often don’t survive. I keep a little heater on overnight in winter on a thermostat so it comes on when the temperature goes below 16 degrees.

i made sure he is warm by putting more bedding cuz i dont really have a heater .winter here isnt much cold but i will still make sure his cage is warm enough.

[violet2234]

my hamster has been walking really slowly too and i checked if he got any injuries in his leg but doesnt seem like it. plus he just stays still alot and doesnt respond much when i try to call him.

[Ria P]

Originally Posted by violet2234

my hamster has been walking really slowly too and i checked if he got any injuries in his leg but doesnt seem like it. plus he just stays still alot and doesnt respond much when i try to call him.

That doesn't sound right if he's normally a responsive and busy hamster.
Did you check his water bottle? Does it work ok?
Has he lost any weight? It's always a good idea to weigh a hamster now and again.

[Pebbles82]

How often are you cleaning him out? When they are newly home and young they need settling in time and not to be cleaned out for the first couple of weeks. They can get a bit spaced out if everything is removed when they’re just settling in- especially nest and hoard as they’re just developing normal hamsters behaviours in their new environment and like to build a big cosy nest. A hoard makes them feel secure as well. If the nest is removed they can be a bit lost and not know where to sleep.

Also as Ria says - dehydration can make them wobbly and unwell. It’s a good idea to have two water bottles in case one stops letting water out or drains dry. I tap the spout every day to make sure it’s letting water out.

[violet2234]

Originally Posted by Ria P

That doesn't sound right if he's normally a responsive and busy hamster.
Did you check his water bottle? Does it work ok?
Has he lost any weight? It's always a good idea to weigh a hamster now and again.

i checked his bottle and it does work well.i havent checked his weight yet he seems tired

[violet2234]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

How often are you cleaning him out? When they are newly home and young they need settling in time and not to be cleaned out for the first couple of weeks. They can get a bit spaced out if everything is removed when they’re just settling in- especially nest and hoard as they’re just developing normal hamsters behaviours in their new environment and like to build a big cosy nest. A hoard makes them feel secure as well. If the nest is removed they can be a bit lost and not know where to sleep.

Also as Ria says - dehydration can make them wobbly and unwell. It’s a good idea to have two water bottles in case one stops letting water out or drains dry. I tap the spout every day to make sure it’s letting water out.

i clean the cage daily and he has space to hoard and feel cozy but these days he is just in that cozy area and isnt really coming out at all .