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Old 12-18-2020, 09:59 AM   #1
LittleBoo245
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Join Date: May 2020
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Question Change of coat: new attitude

Hello,
My hamster, Artemis, is a hybrid and has had quite a dramatic coat change which has been beautiful to see. I have also noticed that around that time she got very irritable, began burrowing for the first time (so cool!), and also slowly lost a fair bit of weight. She is now slowly putting it back on and is no longer irritable but this all made her seem like a totally different animal. If I did not live alone I would genuinely have thought that someone had swapped her.
Is this normal? Is it irritating for them when their coat changes? Anyone else experience this?
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Old 12-18-2020, 10:15 AM   #2
sushi_78
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Default Re: Change of coat: new attitude

The exact same thing has happened to my hybrid, Bramble. Her coat is changing, she's lost some weight, she's more active and demanding, she's burrowing for the first time and her hoard is massive. She constantly wants food, not to eat, but to hoard.

I did some research and found that Winter Whites in the wild lose weight in preparation for winter (less weight means they need less energy to survive) and the females become more aggressive.
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Old 12-18-2020, 11:36 AM   #3
Ria P
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Default Re: Change of coat: new attitude

My female Hybrid started off as almost black and has now a coat that is a light grey. She looks like a different hamster and for the last month or so has taken to living underground but surfaces to drink and forage. If there's nothing exciting to forage for she'll dive into the nearest hole leading to her underground world.
I don't think changing coat colour bothers them.
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Old 12-18-2020, 11:44 AM   #4
Shannonmcn
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Default Re: Change of coat: new attitude

My little dwarf went from his normal soft grey colour to an almost pure white fluff last year, it was lovely! I didn't notice any behavioural changes though.

This year as he isn't getting quite so much natural light where his cage is he's just gone a bit patchy looking lol both pics I think almost exactly a year apart.

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Old 12-19-2020, 01:27 AM   #5
LittleBoo245
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Default Re: Change of coat: new attitude

Sushi_78 Thank you so much, this is a huge weight off my mind!! At no point has she seemed unhealthy but I was starting to wonder if I was stupid for not taking her to the vets!

Thank you Ria P and Shannonmcn also for your replies. Shannonmcn your dwarf is adorable!!
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