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Snowy_Syrian · 04-12-2022, 03:15 PM

Hello, this is my first post. Looking for some advice on my baby Syrian hamster who I adopted on Saturday.

First, some background info - he's in a Savic Plaza cage with a 28cm wheel and lots of tunnels, hideouts, platforms etc. Bedding is hemp layered with hay (I read that it's good to do this as it holds their tunnels better) and recycled paper bedding for his hideout. He has a sand bath with Tiny Friends Farm chinchilla sand.

On the day we brought him home, he was very active, exploring the cage and seemed healthy and inquisitive, though he did climb round the bars quite a bit and fell once or twice (not big falls and landed on the bedding). The next day, he didn't come out till about 10pm. When he did emerge, he made lots of noises that sounded like sneezing and was rubbing at his nose a lot. I wondered if it could be an allergy to the bedding? (The pet shop had him on pine shavings, which I know is not good, hence why I got hemp instead.) But after a few minutes, he seemed fine and was running in his wheel lots and exploring the cage again.

Since then, it's been much of the same. He's still pretty nervous and jumpy, though he took a bit of carrot from my hand today - progress! He comes out at 10ish and is pretty active. There has been less sneezing, but each day he has had 1-2 mini sneezing fits, sneezing 4-5 times and rubbing his nose, then carrying on as normal. He's eating and drinking fine and seems otherwise healthy.

Should I change his bedding? Or take him to a vet? I don't want to disturb him if it's not necessary, as like I said he's still settling in and pretty jumpy.

Thanks in advance!

04-12-2022, 03:15 PM
Snowy_Syrian Newborn Pup Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: UK Posts: 34	New hamster sneezing Hello, this is my first post. Looking for some advice on my baby Syrian hamster who I adopted on Saturday. First, some background info - he's in a Savic Plaza cage with a 28cm wheel and lots of tunnels, hideouts, platforms etc. Bedding is hemp layered with hay (I read that it's good to do this as it holds their tunnels better) and recycled paper bedding for his hideout. He has a sand bath with Tiny Friends Farm chinchilla sand. On the day we brought him home, he was very active, exploring the cage and seemed healthy and inquisitive, though he did climb round the bars quite a bit and fell once or twice (not big falls and landed on the bedding). The next day, he didn't come out till about 10pm. When he did emerge, he made lots of noises that sounded like sneezing and was rubbing at his nose a lot. I wondered if it could be an allergy to the bedding? (The pet shop had him on pine shavings, which I know is not good, hence why I got hemp instead.) But after a few minutes, he seemed fine and was running in his wheel lots and exploring the cage again. Since then, it's been much of the same. He's still pretty nervous and jumpy, though he took a bit of carrot from my hand today - progress! He comes out at 10ish and is pretty active. There has been less sneezing, but each day he has had 1-2 mini sneezing fits, sneezing 4-5 times and rubbing his nose, then carrying on as normal. He's eating and drinking fine and seems otherwise healthy. Should I change his bedding? Or take him to a vet? I don't want to disturb him if it's not necessary, as like I said he's still settling in and pretty jumpy. Thanks in advance!