cutehammies
08-06-2012, 01:44 AM
My little dwarf (he displays all the WW characteristics, but I did get him from a pet shop, and so he could be hybrid) seems to be getting depressed. And I need to cheer him up! Thats the short story :) If you want, I can explain more below.
When I first had him, I had two brothers, and the larger started bullying Bumble. I left them two extra days to check it wasn't a petty squabble, but the larger was chasing Bumble round the cage, and biting his tummy, and Bumble was getting thinner because he wasn't allowed to eat in peace. So I seperated them, and rehomed the larger dwarf with a friend (where's he's very happy!) and kept little tiny Bumble.
Without his bully brother, Bumble had the place to himself, and started enjoying life! I bought the Burgess Dwarf Hamster mix, which he loved, and he put weight on to become a little chubster WW (look-alike anyway).
However, over the past 6mths seems to have been getting depressed. He doesn't bother using his wheel anymore, where he used to love it, and stays in bed quite a lot! He gets up quite late, usually after we've gone to bed, its almost as if he's having a lie-in every day! And 'potters' round his cage, but not interested in his wheel. Is it just my imagaination, or could he be lonely for other hamsters?
I'm very keen on hamsters, and have been a member on here for a while, and learnt good tips off everyone. He has a nice cage, with a 'habitat' feel to it, with megazorb to dig in, lots of wooden toys, an extra level with sand in, and he gets various millet, cress, 'Woodlands' dried flower, grass, seeds mixes etc to forage for round his cage.
I get him out every other day, and get my syrian out on the other days. The problem is that while my excitable syrian is waiting at the bars to come out, and really enjoys it when she does, my dwarfie doesn't seem bothered.
What do you think? Does he miss his brother? Is there something I am doing wrong? You might say I need to make a special effort with him, and get him out every day if its not enough every other, in which case I will. Or any ideas would be gratefully appreciated! I try and change his cage round so its fresh for him, and I'm sure someone on here will know what I should do.
When I first had him, I had two brothers, and the larger started bullying Bumble. I left them two extra days to check it wasn't a petty squabble, but the larger was chasing Bumble round the cage, and biting his tummy, and Bumble was getting thinner because he wasn't allowed to eat in peace. So I seperated them, and rehomed the larger dwarf with a friend (where's he's very happy!) and kept little tiny Bumble.
Without his bully brother, Bumble had the place to himself, and started enjoying life! I bought the Burgess Dwarf Hamster mix, which he loved, and he put weight on to become a little chubster WW (look-alike anyway).
However, over the past 6mths seems to have been getting depressed. He doesn't bother using his wheel anymore, where he used to love it, and stays in bed quite a lot! He gets up quite late, usually after we've gone to bed, its almost as if he's having a lie-in every day! And 'potters' round his cage, but not interested in his wheel. Is it just my imagaination, or could he be lonely for other hamsters?
I'm very keen on hamsters, and have been a member on here for a while, and learnt good tips off everyone. He has a nice cage, with a 'habitat' feel to it, with megazorb to dig in, lots of wooden toys, an extra level with sand in, and he gets various millet, cress, 'Woodlands' dried flower, grass, seeds mixes etc to forage for round his cage.
I get him out every other day, and get my syrian out on the other days. The problem is that while my excitable syrian is waiting at the bars to come out, and really enjoys it when she does, my dwarfie doesn't seem bothered.
What do you think? Does he miss his brother? Is there something I am doing wrong? You might say I need to make a special effort with him, and get him out every day if its not enough every other, in which case I will. Or any ideas would be gratefully appreciated! I try and change his cage round so its fresh for him, and I'm sure someone on here will know what I should do.