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Old 05-19-2021, 05:33 PM   #1
LolasMom
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 19
Default Questions

Hi everyone. I had a hamster a long time ago as a kid but this is my first hamster I own by myself and I have questions and comments. I have a Chinese dwarf hamster. I say him/her because the pet store said it was a male then someone convinced me it was female hence the name lola but it turns out it might actually be a male after all but I’ve been referring to it as a she for so long and I wasn’t changing the name

1) can I put my hamster on my bed?

2) I give it Poland spring water. It’s room temperature. Should it be colder?

3) my hamster doesn’t run on the wheel or use the chew sticks but he/she chews on a mini milk bone once a week. Why doesn’t he/she run on the wheel or use the chew sticks?

4). When I take him/her out of the cage it stays nice and calm in my hand while I pet it. Does that mean he/she is comfortable with me or is it scared? It’s like it’s in a trance and then it comes out of it and starts crawling all over the place

5) are the squeaks happy squeaks?

6) it never uses the toilet paper tube I put in the cage

7) it just likes to bury herself in its bedding

when I’m holding him/her it stands up and brings its little paws to its face. Is that a good sign?

All in all he/she is a good hamster. Friendly. Never bites. Just a first time worried momma
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Old 05-21-2021, 05:08 AM   #2
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Default Re: Questions

Once you get to know your hamster's personality then you will be able to find the answers to your questions. I don't know your hamster so can't really answer your questions but will try and give a general response.

1) that depends and is not necessarily a safe thing to do because a hamster can fall or jump off a bed. I'd put her in a playpen or a hamster safe area on the floor if you have one.

2) the water i give my hamsters is room temperature and don't think that it has to be cold. In fact, its recommended to give fresh food at room temperature and not straight from the fridge.

3) that's unusual for a young hamster not to run on the wheel. I'd check the wheel to make sure that it is working ok. Is it big enough? She may be running when you're asleep so put some substrate on top to see if its gone in the morning.

Try a whimzee dog chew. Most hamsters love those.

4) i don't know but some hamsters are like that, they sit still and sniff to check if all is well around them.

5) no idea because some hamsters are silent and others are vocal. Observe her and see what she's doing and what you are doing when she's squeaking.
Is she stressed or calm? I had a foster dwarf who would squeak loudly when woken by mistake.

6) uses it what for, to run through it or chew it? You could make some toys from cardboard tubes and hide treats like seeds in them.

7) sounds like perfectly normal hamster behaviour and make zure that she has plenty of substrate.

they do that a lot and wash their faces

You're a lucky hamster momma to have a hamster that is so tame already.
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Old 05-22-2021, 05:23 PM   #3
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Questions

I think Ria has answered the questions Just to add - male chinese hamsters tend to have very large protruding testicles that stick out at the back end, so it's easy to tell the difference between male and female. It looks like an extra lump on the back. A female will have a more rounded back end.

Also she (assume it's a she) may only run on her wheel at night when you're asleep. Some hamsters get into that habit after the initial excitement of the wheel has worn off. You can test that by putting a piece of toilet paper or substrate on top of the wheel when you go to bed and see if it's gone in the morning. Or - I have a "hamstercam". It's a little £30 security cam/babycam - it records all night in infrared and you can view live on your phone. I often sit in bed and watch what our hamster gets up to when all the lights are out! One of the best Christmas presents I've ever had!

The nesting. Do you have a big enough house/hide? I find hamsters won't use a house if they don't find it suitable and then they just dig a burrow under the substrate - which can make life more difficult. If you give them a large house that's dark inside, it mimics a burrow and they almost always use it and build a nest. Labyrinth houses are popular. Rodipet make excellent ones but they're not cheap. Or a shoebox house or guinea pig house with a bendy bridge over the door works well (makes a tunnel entrance and also helps make it dark inside). If the house is too small they will ignore it sometimes as not dark inside.

I am not sure what you mean by a toilet paper "cube"? I usually just tear sheets of toilet paper into strips and put a pile of the strips out somewhere in the cage near the house (but not actually inside the house - they like to forage for it).

Is the wheel big enough and running smoothly? I a good wheel for a chinese hamster is the 9" Silent runner (that's "runner" not "spinner). It's yellow with holes in the front. It's quite expensive but completely silent and spins really well - easy to run in. They also last a lot longer than other wheels I've had and have a safe sturdy base (or can be bar mounted with a very secure attachment sold separately).

They're imported from the US. Usually sold by the sugarglider shop. It's showing as out of stock but if you message them they let you know when they'll be getting stock.

Silent Runner 9″ Hamster Wheel – Sugar Glider Shop

This is the rodipet labyrinth house for a dwarf hamster. I had one for our robo and he stopped having a burrow and used the house - he even used the toilet inside the house! It appeals to their instinct to have separate rooms in burrows for nesting, hoarding and peeing.

Rodipet® Hamster House Maze DaVinci 31x20 cm, Ø 5cm

Not necessary - but they can work well A cage needs to be big enough to fit it in though - I had it in an 80 x 50 cage.
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Old 05-26-2021, 09:22 AM   #4
LolasMom
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 19
Default Re: Questions

I put an empty toilet paper role in her cage. I never see her run through it or anything. I wonder if the wheel might be too big for her? Shes even good with my niece and nephew and they are 10 and 6. She lets them hold her and she crawls on my nieces shoulders. I've put her on my bed a few times but I'm always on top of her. Its so cute. She sticks her little head underneath the sheet and stays that way with her little hamster butt sticking out. A few nights ago she snuggled into my sweatshirt and slept on me for about an hour. Oh I love her to pieces I just want to squeeze her.
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