Hamster Central - View Single Post - PLEASE HELP

sarahbutterflies · 12-19-2019, 02:32 PM

I wouldn't be worried about his behavior too much because he is fairly new and still settling into his cage. Hamsters are mostly nocturnal so you won't see much of him for the most part during the day. They will eat and drink when they need to and like to store food near their nest so you may not be seeing him eat or drink directly but he still probably is doing so. He also may not be super food motivated when you are trying to tame him. Since they are most active at night he may be very active while you are asleep and you just won't know. Also he might feel more comfortable when the lights are out.

I wouldn't recommend lifting up your hamsters hide unless you need to because that is where they feel secure. It's also not recommended to wake them up. I understand that you want to check on him but I'm sure he's fine and is sleeping.

I would recommend giving him plenty of bedding since hamsters are burrowing animals. They should have at least 6 inches but it doesn't hurt to shoot for more, like 8-12 inches and have the appropriate wheel size.

In my opinion I think a 20 gallon tank is a tad on the smaller size. Most people buy a 40 gallon breeder. Bin cages are another great option and you can get a 110 quart bin for about $20. Also there are other great diy options from furniture or from Ikea. Hamsters actually need a surprising amount of space which I wasn't aware of myself before owning one because they can travel long distances in the wild, especially Syrians because they are the larger of the species.

12-19-2019, 02:32 PM
sarahbutterflies Hamster Pup Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 50	Re: PLEASE HELP - Syrian Hamster Hiding all day not eating I wouldn't be worried about his behavior too much because he is fairly new and still settling into his cage. Hamsters are mostly nocturnal so you won't see much of him for the most part during the day. They will eat and drink when they need to and like to store food near their nest so you may not be seeing him eat or drink directly but he still probably is doing so. He also may not be super food motivated when you are trying to tame him. Since they are most active at night he may be very active while you are asleep and you just won't know. Also he might feel more comfortable when the lights are out. I wouldn't recommend lifting up your hamsters hide unless you need to because that is where they feel secure. It's also not recommended to wake them up. I understand that you want to check on him but I'm sure he's fine and is sleeping. I would recommend giving him plenty of bedding since hamsters are burrowing animals. They should have at least 6 inches but it doesn't hurt to shoot for more, like 8-12 inches and have the appropriate wheel size. In my opinion I think a 20 gallon tank is a tad on the smaller size. Most people buy a 40 gallon breeder. Bin cages are another great option and you can get a 110 quart bin for about $20. Also there are other great diy options from furniture or from Ikea. Hamsters actually need a surprising amount of space which I wasn't aware of myself before owning one because they can travel long distances in the wild, especially Syrians because they are the larger of the species.