Normal behaviour? Please help put our minds at ease.

[lady jocardi]

I feel i'm being a really bad parent to our new baby by comparing his behaviour to out last ham. Although he is only a 10 week old baby, everything about him is so different to Jocci...Our little girl who went to the bridge in January.
I appreciate he's only young and only been with us on full day, but we have been concerned at his lack of eating and drinking. He isn't pouching and hourding things ( jocci cleared bowls and hid everything) and his not even gathering bedding to nest. He's running lots on his wheel...then likes to sit in there and even nod off dangling out of it.
Does any of this sound like anything we should be concerned about......or quite normal? We just want to do right by our new little boy x

[Rsclio197]

It sounds relatively normal to me. Once he makes that habitat his own he'll start hoarding and making himself a cozy nest. The ham I have now done the same as yours when I first got her and was falling asleep and peeing on the wheel! Just give it a week and leave him be and keep handling at a minimum. Only spot clean and replenish food at this stage. Give him LOADS of toilet paper or tissue and he'll soon make a nest trust me! Try hiding some of his food inside the substrate so he has to work for it maybe. Also check the nozzle on the water bottle is releasing water properly (check this regularly after a thorough hand wash) as some water bottles sold are rubbish in truth.

Please just give him time and don't rush him or stress him or he could become Ill with stress!

[Thin Lizzy]

He's only been with you a very short time, he's probably feeling a bit overwhelmed and nervous. He needs to adjust, mark his cage. Remember every ham is different.
I agree with what Rsclio has suggested. Remember to talk to him ad much as you can, ensure he has plenty food and water.

[Cinnamon Bear]

Since he's only been with you for a day & he's so young give him a full week to adjust & feel secure in his new home. As stated above just feed, change water & talk to your new baby but don't try to handle him right away. He'll be more trusting of you if you give him a little time.

[flowerfairy]

My latest hamster, Arun took a few days to settle in properly and I just let him be to adjust to the new cage. He is totally fine and confident now.

I sure there is no need to worry.

[pinkneon]

Hi!
My little Sweep has now been with me a whole month tomorrow. He still doesn't pouch and hide food. He'd rather sit there happily and eat it which is fine by me But I'd give him some time to settle in

[bunerella]

It took Orion about 4 days before he started pouch in things and then a week before he started to hoard the food. I think the little fluffs need a little bit of time to adjust before they get into the swing of things.

[zak]

This is completely normal behaviour. All of my Syrians acted this way when I first brought them home and they settled in soon enough once they got themselves into a routine. Good luck with your little boy He sounds lovely

[Pebbles82]

As the others say, he's just finding his feet. I also think it is normal that they don't pouch food until they get to a certain age - Charlie didn't and I wondered about that at the time. He probably does eat and drink when you're asleep Agree about putting a big pile of torn up toilet paper out. You could maybe put it near the house - or putting a tunnel over the house door might tempt him to nest in it. The only thing I'd be worried about was if he didn't look well or lost weight.

Maybe he's a lazy boy like ours lol

[lady jocardi]

We've just left him to it tonight. We have been speaking to him but got tried to take him out or change anything. I put a few extra boxes in so he has lots of places to explore and hide....but he's not interested as yet. There is so much tissue paper in there....In and by the house and boxes....so it'd there if he wants or needs it x