Weird Rolling in the corner

Barnlee · 10-02-2021, 12:40 PM

So i noticed this strange behaviour a few times now...

I have had Lucy my female hamster for about 2>3 months now and she is very tame and *loves* me... but here is some behaviour i am still not sure of....

first (main weirdness... only just noticed this a few times)... Sometimes she will go in to the corner and freak out like she is having a fit or something - She does multiple rolls one after the other (roly polys) and she will scratch at the side directly after.. .then she will blitz around her cage for a few seconds...

When she is in this phase... if i try to touch her at all she will bite me (hard)... However, if she goes into one of her tubes and i pick it up with her inside she is completely normal and will hop out on to my hand peacefully... What is going on here??? She is the only hamster and was 10 wks when i got her, so about 6 months old now????

Now this other behaviour has been on going...

As i said she is very *tame* and likes to be handled and climb on me and sit with me on the sofa... but she never does it *willingly* per-say... what i mean is... she will never ever climb on to my hand and let me take her out of the cage... she will just sniff it (but won't bite at all until she is in the above *mode*)

But... once again... if she is in one of her tubes she will let me pick it up with her inside and let me pet her, stroke her, hold her, sit with me, etc...

What is going on here? is it *fake love*? (is she actually scared of me, but just puts up with it???)

But the first question is the main one i would like answered please

velma · 10-06-2021, 01:21 AM

Hi Barnlee, welcome to HC! The rolling in the corner sounds like scent marking to me. My little hybrid dwarf Rex sort of chucks himself on his back, has a roll around and has a wiggle to right himself. I have a sand bath for him which he likes doing this in. It means he can scent mark his cage, clean the oils in his fur & use it as a toilet if he wants.

Lucy sounds lovely and tame to me. Some hams will walk onto your hand, some are more comfortable being moved in something, they are all such different personalities that there is no "one size fits all" approach, from their cages to their favourite snacks or how they like to play or be handled.
Sounds like you're getting on great together.

Barnlee · 10-06-2021, 01:38 AM

thanks Velma...

But does this also explain the *agressive* biting? (she bites so hard that if i didn't automatically react to the pain she would be holding on to my finger and drawing blood

LunaTheHamster1 · 10-06-2021, 01:46 AM

Sounds like scent marking to me too
Some hamsters just don't like hands that much
Hope that helps

This video shows what scent marking can look like

My hamster Moonbeams crazy antics Part 2 - YouTube

hope that eases your worries.

velma · 10-07-2021, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnlee

thanks Velma...

But does this also explain the *agressive* biting? (she bites so hard that if i didn't automatically react to the pain she would be holding on to my finger and drawing blood

Well, all hamsters are different so you can never definitely say but if its the only time she's biting, it sounds like she feels vulnerable mid clean, as she has her belly up so probably just a natural defense mechanism. Or maybe she's startled as she has less chance to see you coming, while she's busy being, well, busy. I know that if I tried to stroke my little dwarf while he was doing his routine he's be very jumpy & would most likely bite.

Ria P · 10-07-2021, 12:45 PM

I got bitten by tame hamsters which was my own fault.
It's not a good time to touch a hamster when they are right in the middle of doing something important like washing, eating, scenting etc. A sudden touch when they are occupied can feel like a thread and they will respond.
I wouldn't call that aggression but the natural behaviour of a prey animal.