Grumpy Chewy

[Sammybingo]

I don't know what to do with him. It's been getting worse for a week or so now. He is not running in his wheel much, eating only his dried food (I just sat him down with some Brocolli, Carrot and even a piece of chicken and he just wasn't bothered ) - a week or two ago he was bananas over any fresh food. He's not even pouching it. I've stuck it in his cage and I'll see how he gets on in the morning, but I'm not hopeful. He only runs into the wall / clothes airer in his ball, so I have stopped popping him in there. He isn't getting up until midnight, which means I am staying up to give him his treats and to say hello. He's just been out for 20 minutes and just semed paranoid and mardy - insofar as a hammy can be paranoid and mardy. I don't know what to do.

Is there some sort of hamster adolescence where they behave like.. I dont know, miserable or what? Feeling very unloved by him haha (not that a hamster loves a human, but you know what I mean - i make lots of effort to keep him amused and healthy and he isn't interested at all).

If anyone has any tips please let me know.

[fluffymunchkins]

i'm sorry to here hes being a grumpy boy.
Maybe all he needs is something completely new and exciting! If hes only eating dry food try making a trail through a maze of cardboard boxes and tunnels.
Or maybe bury it in a sand tray so he has to dig about to find it.
I disagree i'm sure he loves you very much no matter how much he misbehaves

Maybe a new treat, heres some ideas: yogurt drops, hamster muffins, crackers, Porridge made with water or even just the oats, defrosted peas, honey covered nut sticks, bonio dog biscuits.
For some hamsters exercise balls just aren't their thing. Porridge hasn't been in his much but i can tell you he moved about 2 inches and then just sat there
So he much prefers just to run around my bed and my sister bed for a new experience.
Today i'm gonna put him on the sofa to see what he thinks!
Whereas Peggy absolutely adores her ball and could run around the whole house for hours if she had the choice. So she goes in it nearly everday and i can't put her on the bed as she jumps straight off. What a plonker!!!
Peggy is the opposite of chewy shes taking advantage of me spoiling her with treats so i'm keeping o mainly dry food atm. Porridge eats both lol
How old is chewy now???

[Sammybingo]

I don't know how old he is - pretty young when I got him, and I've had him .. about 7 weeks? Not that long. He just seems so bloomin grouchy all of a sudden. He isn't even getting up when I call him. He has most of the treats mentioned, and doesn't seem fussed with any of them at the minute. He ate the chicken in the end, so I was pleased with that, first time I've cooked it, let alone given it to him .
Maybe i'll try him on my bed. x

[annie81]

hmm...maybe he is not feeling too well...if it came all of a sudden. i dont really believe that a hamster just gets grumpy as a mood swing or something like that. you said he doenst eat his treats anymore...does he it his normal food or does he just store it somewhere? its really weird...are his teeth ok? does he smell out of his mouth maybe??

[chavers]

I guess that could explain the lethargy if he's not eating properly....

[souffle]

As long as he is eating the dry food there is no need to worry about the fresh at all as it is a complete and balanced diet.
At this age he is now a settled hamster who will have set himself a routine that suits him. Perhaps you are expecting to much of him in terms of him actively seeking your company? Hamsters are hamsters and they do hamstery things. They are curious and just want to run about and investigate. Once he is older he may enjoy sitting more with you but he is still very young just now.
Personally we really don't like balls. To us the animal is going nowhere as it is just in the same place. It cannot sniff, climb, dig, chew and investigate anything as it is stuck in the plastic sphere.
I would go with the bed idea but he won't sit still there either
We use the duvet and pillows and make tunnels and lumps to climb on. They seem to enjoy this but you can never tire a hamster out as they are very active.
That said though if he is constantly lethergic then you need to give him a full check over. He may have some illness brewing or have a sore bit like a leg or teeth problems.
Can you weigh him to make sure he is either growing or maintaining his weight? I would expect a youngster his age to still be growing and maybe put on a few grams a week till he is 6 months or so.
Don't overdo the treats as they get bored with them. Most of ours wont eat them outside the cage so that is not unusual.
I would take the roof off and get him out when it suits you. They soon learn to wake and and come out when you want. I don't mean a lot during the day of course but evening is fine to wake them as they can always go back to bed can't they.
Hope he is OK.
He is what he is and has his own unique and special and very beautiful character

[Sammybingo]

Aww thanks chaps. He seems to be eating his dried stuff quite happily, so I will lay off the fresh stuff a wee bit to make it more "treatlike". I just like to give him as varied and interesting a diet as I can. Overnight things have gone - I'll have a poke in his little store when he gets up. Nosey me! I don't have any scales (I just text my housemate to ask her to look out for some for me actually, I love baking, but all these years of winging it.. it's got to run out soon). But he is definately putting weight on, I can tell you that much. When I got him, you couldn't feel his weight on you, but now he has a solid presence!
I'll have a good sniff of his face when I get him up later, but I'm pretty certain his teeth are find, he is still eating so they must be. I'll try him on my bed when I have my friend round to help . He seemed to perk up a bit last night quite late on, so maybe I'm just seeing him when he's woken up and a bit groggy still. Poor little mite. If he does get worse I'll nip him to a vet for a check over.
I think my cakes done, got to run! Thanks again chaps x