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Hamsteh · 12-17-2015, 04:59 AM

Didn't want this to be my first post, but I'm concerned about my mum's Hamster.

We've had her about two weeks, so she must be approximately 9 or 10 weeks old, but she's very small, and we haven't seen her much for at least a week. Today, she seems unenergetic/sleepy.

Her eyes are closed and her ears are back, she's long haired and the hair around her bum is slightly matted but not wet. (I'm thinking just poor grooming, I hope) I tried to stroke her, she didn't care the first time, the second time she reacted normally.

I scooped her in a mug and took her upstairs. She let me pick her up and cup her in my hands, gave my hand a test nibble and had a sniff. When I stood her up to look at her bottom/belly, she gently nibbled the side of my thumb. She nibbled slightly harder when I showed my boyfriend her belly, but not hard enough to hurt me.

Before I picked her up, she seemed to be foraging in the wood shavings slowly, she was biting in the corner where the glass meets the wood (She's in an Ikea Billy.) When we first got her, she was very energetic, exploring and climbing her water bottle, she doesn't seem to have run in her wheel last night (We placed sunflower seeds in to see if she used it)

We have also placed a heat mat under her enclosure, under the spot her nest/house is as we were worried she might be getting cold and not wanting to come out, but it doesn't seem to have changed her behavior. I feel better knowing she won't be too cold, though.

My parents installed some LEDs about a week into having her that have softly lit her tank, last night I suggested turning them off and covering half of her enclosure with a towel to make her feel safer as we hadn't seen much of her. That must have worked a little cause she was out at 11am when I decided to try to check on her. Could the light overnight cause this behaviour?

I think that's everything I know... Sorry about the massive post.

12-17-2015, 04:59 AM
Hamsteh Newborn Pup Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: UK Posts: 3	Unwell hammy. Didn't want this to be my first post, but I'm concerned about my mum's Hamster. We've had her about two weeks, so she must be approximately 9 or 10 weeks old, but she's very small, and we haven't seen her much for at least a week. Today, she seems unenergetic/sleepy. Her eyes are closed and her ears are back, she's long haired and the hair around her bum is slightly matted but not wet. (I'm thinking just poor grooming, I hope) I tried to stroke her, she didn't care the first time, the second time she reacted normally. I scooped her in a mug and took her upstairs. She let me pick her up and cup her in my hands, gave my hand a test nibble and had a sniff. When I stood her up to look at her bottom/belly, she gently nibbled the side of my thumb. She nibbled slightly harder when I showed my boyfriend her belly, but not hard enough to hurt me. Before I picked her up, she seemed to be foraging in the wood shavings slowly, she was biting in the corner where the glass meets the wood (She's in an Ikea Billy.) When we first got her, she was very energetic, exploring and climbing her water bottle, she doesn't seem to have run in her wheel last night (We placed sunflower seeds in to see if she used it) We have also placed a heat mat under her enclosure, under the spot her nest/house is as we were worried she might be getting cold and not wanting to come out, but it doesn't seem to have changed her behavior. I feel better knowing she won't be too cold, though. My parents installed some LEDs about a week into having her that have softly lit her tank, last night I suggested turning them off and covering half of her enclosure with a towel to make her feel safer as we hadn't seen much of her. That must have worked a little cause she was out at 11am when I decided to try to check on her. Could the light overnight cause this behaviour? I think that's everything I know... Sorry about the massive post.