Help please? Is our hamster frustrated?

Question

We got a dwarf hamster a few days ago. I know they are supposed to sleep a lot in the day and play at night, but he is running on his wheel at night it seems for hours on end. I'm concerned that he is going crazy, from boredom or loneliness? Sometimes we can play with him and he's calm, but late at night If I take him out of cage he really only seems to want to escape. The idea to have a pet is to care for them and for them to be happy. Does he just need more time to adjust to us? Should we get him a friend even though the pet store says they are better alone? I'm having sleepless nights thinking that we are being more cruel than kind to have him.

Answer 1

First off the pet store guy was right. Dont put another hamster in there with him. They might get along at first but when they grow older they'll fight constantly. They might even kill each other. We bought 2 hamsters from the same litter and when they turned into adults, we had to seperate them because they were constantly fighting each other. This has happened with everyone i know who tried to put 2 hamsters in the same cage..they prefer to live alone. They might like the company when theyre babies..but if you dont want 2 seperate cages when theyre older..Stick with just one.

Secondly, hamsters have alot of energy,and dwarf hamsters seem to have more than their fair share. Your hamster is fine. He's just exercising. He's suppose to be up all night. Go and get him some more toys. Tubes to climb through (they love that) things to chew on, treats, beds they can climb on and chew on, etc. You could get some cheap white towels (from the dollar store) and cut them into small strips and put a few in there at a time. I did this for my rats and my hamsters and they'd chew them up and make a comfy bed out of them. When it was time to clean their cages I'd just throw them out and put more in there. theyre cheap and easy to replace. they sell cardboard boxes with treats inside them at the pet store..your hamster can chew through the box and get to the yummy treat inside. Just give him a few things to do, and im sure he'll be fine. But trust me the wheel thing is normal. All my hamsters would spend hours on their wheels (My last hamster would sit on the shelf in her cage with her back half and run on the top of the wheel with her front legs only..) If you have him in a tank, buy him a regular cage.(make sure its suitable for dwarf hamsters, since theyre smaller than regular hamsters) theyre much better ventilated, and gives him bars to climb on as well.






Heres some sites for you to check out. They should give you some pretty good ideas.




http://russiandwarfhamsters.tripod.com/


http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/hamsters/phodopus.txt


http://www.ahc.umn.edu/rar/MNAALAS/Hamsters.html

Answer 2

Hamsters need to run. Hamsters are nocturnal.
I saw on on TV the other day whose wheel had locked up. The hamster ran around the wheel until it was upside down with it's back on the axle and continued until it dropped down on the other side.
Yours seems entirely normal. Try an exercise ball. You put the critter in a vented plastic ball and he roam around the house just by running. Very humerous.
Don't forget that they MUST chew. Pet stores have many chew products for just this. We still have a couple blankets that "Ducky" chewed holes in while our son had him out

Answer 3

so you read that they are nocturnal and now wonder why he is awake at night. You must have read that they like running in a wheel and yet you are worried because he is running in the wheel. You know that you cannot keep 2 together but are wondering if you should get another one to put in his cage for him to kill as a break from running in his wheel??????
Hamsters, sleep all day and spend all night running in the wheel, they will fight and kill each other if put in a cage together. If this aspect of hamsters doesn't appeal to you, may I respectfully enquire as you WHY you got a hamster?

Answer 4

Hey, my little sister has 2 dwarf hamsters and they get on fine, but seeing as you've had yours a few days I don't think it would be a good idea putting a little stranger in there for him as the hamsters would most likely fight to begin with. Also I've had hamsters, mice and gerbils since I was 5 and I think its best if you let them smell your hands before you pick them up (find they become more friendly then as they begin to recognise your "scent" after a while)
Hope this helps

Answer 5

Dwarf hamsters, the small guys do better in groups. Though it is normal for them to run ALL night. Especially if their wheel is extra squeaky and you have to be up early. It is pretty unusual for dwarf hamsters to let you handle them.

So go back to the smake pet store and try to get another one or two fromthe same litter. make sure they are all the same sex!! but go to a diffrent pet store for advice. They should have told you About them preferring to be with other hamsters.

Answer 6

Hi - my hubby had a dwarf hamster last year, a Roborovski (sp?). Fred (hammie) ran and ran and ran literally until he was lame and we had to take his wheel out! He started to fall over when trying to walk and we figured it was exhaustion. I think if youre worried about the constant activity then give him a break for a few nights by taking out his wheel. We also put Fred into a darkened room when his legs went funny, so it was quiet and hed calm down. Worked a treat and he was back racing around a few days after. Sadly he died at only about 8 months old but he was great fun to have around! If I can help further let me know. Bex xx

Answer 7

I have had many dwarf hamsters in my time. They do spend an awful lot of time exercising. The dwarf ones don't seem to get on too well in groups. I ended up having to split mine up.
Try to spend as much time with him as you can for a while to help him settle.
I think you are doing the right thing to want to find out about your hamster, he is lucky you care. Well done.

Answer 8

Hamsters do normally go on the wheel for hours when you first buy them but my two now don't even go on the wheel. Certain hamsters will fiht if you put them together. Buy a hamster ball our luv being in them

Answer 9

I wouldnt worry about it. Hamsters are naturally strange and act randomly. I had a hamster that would run in its wheel for hours myself and it also did kamikaze stunts in its exercise ball. They are naturally mad! But thats why they make great pets!

Answer 10

If she can get food and water and has a nice place to sleep then I would leave her , maybe feed her more treats than normal. Just put her in a little box when you have to clean the cage . Try tp place things so she doesnt have to move very far. Hold her and feed her treats and see if she seems happy doing that . If she seems to be in a lot of pain , then its time to see the vet.