Nightmares?!

[Lilafernim]

I’m sorry for posting so many questions recently, it’s just nice to ask people who do know, for things that aren’t so easy to find on the internet. I am actually really worried about this behaviour though.

Daf-daf passed away just over the age of one (female Syrian) due to unknown reasons. And I look back now and I think of her behaviours may have been a sign of illness. One of this was once every week or every two weeks she’d do this screeching loud noise in her sleep. And I’d run in and check on her and she’d just look at me with her sleepy eyes.

I look back now and wondered if that was really unusual, but at the time we thought it was just nightmares. She actually grew out of them more with age but I’d never had it with any other hamster.

I had read up that sometimes they can’t dream like we do but can reflect on memories in sleep and can sometimes have a bad memory. So I just thought something may have happened to her at the pet store before I got her.

Mitzi is approaching her second week here now and she’s a super star now. But she’s done this behaviour also twice now. I swear this is not normal.

Her eyes, fur, bum all of her looks healthy. This was the same with Daf-daf. The only thing I can guess is it’s something I’ve done or in the house.

We have a cat who never comes in the same room as the hamster. Daf daf saw the cat before though, she used to sprint up to the cat and the cat would run away from her! So I don’t think the cat would scare her. We’ve got a baby dove and a rabbit all in different rooms too but daf daf had nightmares before we had these. So I don’t think they’re the cause of Mitzis.

She has a tablespoon of Harry(? Think it’s called) hamster food a day with a small amount of veg everyday and porridge every other to every three days as a treat. Water changed daily loads to burrow paper bedding. I just don’t understand it!

[Ria P]

I think that you are worrying over nothing and overthinking a lot of things.

You will never know if Daf Daf had bad experiences in the pet shop or not so why speculate and dwell on it. It's not going to change anything.

Also, don't believe everything you read on the internet.
Dreams can be bad memories and they can also be completely random.
Hamsters and all animals dream just like humans do. I wouldn't call this abnormal behaviour. Some hamsters are vocal and some even sound alike. Our late Syrian Henry used to dream and make a high pitched guttural sound like a pigeon on helium. Weirdly enough, our Syrian Rory makes a very similar sound which i thought was unique to Henry.
I got alarmed the first time and lifted the roof off Henry's house to be met by a sleepy hamster looking at me.

I think that you need to let go and move on with Mitzi. As long as she is healthy and hamstering about i wouldn't worry or compare her to Daf Daf.

If you think that you need professional reassurance to put your mind to rest then take her to a vet for a check up.

[Lilafernim]

Like you said about your Henry who passed away, Mitzi’s sound is just like DafDafs which is why it weirded me out a bit. I have accepted Daf-dafs death more now though, I miss her and get teary eyed sometimes still, but I don’t blame myself anymore like I did at the beginning and she’ll always be in my heart.

Im so happy with Mitzi and even happier I rescued her. She doesn’t bite at all anymore and she’s really grown in trust.

I just worried about this because it’s such a horrible noise. I was going to give her porridge this evening but I gave her it after she screamed and seemed super thankful.

Maybe it’s something common in Syrians more as you say it happened to yours. Just I’d never had that before with my Russian or robos so it is bizarre!

[Pebbles82]

As Ria says, some hamsters are more vocal than others. I wonder if it’s more a girl thing as our boy Syrians have all been silent. But yes they can have bad dreams. Cats can scare them as well so yes it is best not to let the cat in the same room as the hamster.

Our first Syrian once squealed in terror. He was only a baby and in his pet carrier while I was sorting out his cage. My hand came from above to pick him up and he opened his mouth wide and made a loud squeal - I just knew it was fear. Since then I have learned to be a bit slower and more careful - no hamsters like a hand from above but especially if it’s a bit quick - must be like a giant claw descending! They are prey animals so fear being “got” from above.

I think Mitzi was having a bad dream - who knows what it was about. But make sure the cat can’t get in there at night. I agree that hamsters can dream and there are some quite funny stories.

[Lilafernim]

I had a similar thing with Daf-daf except she was already asleep. I heard a squeal and I quickly grabbed in her home to check she was okay. She rightfully bit me 😂 I guess after a nightmare you don’t want to wake to a giant hand! But yes, like you I have learnt from this to be slower.

I’m glad to hear it does happen and it is true both my Syrians have been females. I really thought it was something bad as my first google search said it could mean they’re in pain but there’s absolutely nothing to suggest she is. As Ria said, don’t always believe the internet!

The cat is pretty much permanently separated except when my partner goes out for the day I’ll have her on my bed so she’s not alone. But this is only in the day time.

Do any of your hamster do it as frequently as once a week then make weird noises? I’m surprised not more people talk about it as it’s such a bizarre noise to hear them come out with. So cute and fluffy and then just make this horrible screeching noise.

[Pebbles82]

Some hamsters are screechers! And very vocal . Having said that they sometimes try and communicate with you in various ways - particularly if there is something wrong - to try and get your attention. I have had - banging about in the cage, long hard stares, and actually looking at you then going to the problem issue (eg water bottle empty or wheel jammed). And of course bar chewing- which is usually stress but can be to get your attention if something isn’t right.

Maybe keep a note of when she does it and how often. You haven’t had her long either - it could be some kind of pining as well while settling in.

[Lilafernim]

That’s a really good idea, I’ll start taking notes on when she does and check certain things.

I’m definitely glad I’m not the only one!

She did bite when I first got her as well so maybe she’s upgraded from biting to screeching as her way of communicating 😂 I won’t argue with her.

[Pebbles82]

Biting is usually fear. Screeching could be as well when they are very young and frightened by new surroundings. But if adopted, is she that young? Do you know how old she is?

[Lilafernim]

The lady I got her from listed her as 3/4 months so I presume she’s 4 months as people usually make them sound younger to attract more people.

I know you can’t know for sure unless I had a vet visit but she looks very healthy and is very energetic so she must be young.

Like you say as well, she was adopted and she had two young kids and a big dog. She was kept in a tiny cage in the living room so I don’t think she ever got much peace in the daytime to actually sleep while there. So this must be a holiday for her.

Maybe she does relay a bad memory from that, or maybe because it’s such a big change she’s still settling. It’s officially 2 weeks ago today I got her now so she’s still new really.

Just weird how Daf-Daf used to do it too, my mum used to joke she could sense snakes in our pipes 😂 something else I wonder is I live in a flat and I know they have really good hearing. I wonder if they panic hearing a noise from a neighbour but I know for a fact there’s no other flat with pets. So it would only be the sound of other people.

I guess it could be any number of things but it’s be nice to know if something does worry them so I could change it.

[Ria P]

The loudest screechers are dwarfs, especially the small ones are very very grumpy when woken. I've woken a few foster ones by mistake and they screeched very loudly and angrily. I had one who would screech if i did as much as rustle the substrate.
Even our laid back dwarf Betsy got mad and screeched when i lifted her coconut to clean around it not realizing that she was in it. It wasn't fear because she gave me one of her looks and went back to sleep.