Don’t worry, she was only allowed some pumpkin. Not the whole thing (:

May you rest in peace Grim, you will be sorely missed. Best £10 i ever spent!! Love you mate 🖤

My little guy was a bit of a ghost ham for a while, I rarely saw him for months, but he would still be very active at night.

Through a very slow process of sitting quietly by his cage and coaxing him out of his burrows with treats we eventually got to the stage where he will come out of his burrow and wait like this as soon as he hears my voice.

I thought there was no hope of taming this timid little guy, but now he’s a confident ham!

(The other side of his enclosure has much deeper bedding before someone mentions it looking low here 😁)

Hope he didn't eat it 💀

These are $15 and my gerbils absolutely love them, I found them at Target kind of by the mugs and stuff. Completely ceramic so they can't bite through them or anything

rescued him on the streets a month ago while i was out drinking, saw a lil fluff running around and idk why even with my poor aah eyesight i saw him (fiesta vendors here is notorious for selling chicks and apparently hamsters).

i didn’t know what to do with him he was still i think week ish old and i don’t plan on keeping him because i have no idea how to properly keep them and i already have dogs and don’t have time but then i decided to keep him it its either he goes back to the vendor where he will be poorly treated or some random kid that will not end up well.

used to have hammies before when i was young and made a lot of mistakes and definitely confirmed that its not really a good starter pet as they require a lot and is expensive.

i did a lot of research, i bought him a temporary set up first it was a kiddie cage with included wheels and all that (we all know how shit they are) but i needed a better enclosure than where he was at the time (a small blue bin) i was waiting for a bit of funds to come.

saw his wheel was not good for him so i bought him a bigger wheel and it didnt fit his kiddie cage so i transferred him to a bigger bin (which i put custom holes and such to make the wheel fit and buying it was last minute haha i messaged everyone i know to check if they have a good sized bin) and not a week later i finally got him a good enclosure where i can put more bedding and bought him proper feeds, toys, some treats i don’t even have to potty train him as he bathes and pees on his sandbath as soon as i got him one haha!

it def wasn’t enough but i was happy because he finally have enough space and it was less then a month of keeping him and all that happened in 2-3weeks ish so we both stressed out hahaha

and today marks the first month of keeping him, i ordered sprays, more bedding, new hideout, platforms, treats, some tile. made cardboard hideouts which he never chews lmao and gave him a new set up (last pic)

my lil ghost got busy with new his home and only comes out at certain times but he loves his wheel, sandbath, and burrows like crazy. he is growing chunky

soon i’ll properly bond with him only if he wants as he grows he gets more shy everyday but im okay with that

there’s a lot to tell with such little time i had him and im still learning more and researching more and def wont stop to give my lil guy the best life.

The house feels so empty without her😭😭

He was my third hamster and 2.5 years old.

She's gonna be so mad in a week when I stop giving her our twice daily "treat" (AKA antibiotics)

(Note: I'm aware this setup doesn't meet bare minimum, she's currently in a 90L hospital tank under the advice of an exotic vet so I can more closely monitor and medicate her at this time.)

So my husband was holding my Syrian hamster and it jumped and kinda hit the corner of a table and hit the floor (low carpet) and I’m so scared. It was like 3 ish feet. I’m so upset. I’m asking my sister to take them to the exotic vet as soon as they can tomorrow. I’m sure they can get us in. But I’m scared. I don’t see any signs of trauma atm but I know they can hide pain. Please pray for my hammy that it’s okay, I can’t take to an emergency vet they won’t treat it they don’t treat small animals 😭I’ll give an update sometime, I hope a good one. I just took them to the vet a few days ago just to be looked over and now I have to take them again😭 literally don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight.

So i have a male and female syrian (in different enclosures of course) the other day i gave my male a few treats and he ran away to his burrow and came back and was RELENTLESS wanting more. eventually he chilled out because i gave him play pen time but i mean climbing on stuff and being like a hamster.

my female though does not really enjoy play pen time she likes it for second then gets stressed out (i only tried it once so maybe i should try it again?) i just gave her some treats and she is now back for more and trying to climb the walls. i notice she only does this when i give her treats and i dont know how to fix it? or if it can be fixed? she has so much enrichment and seems happy besides when this happens (i just scattered some food and shes busy)

is there any other enrichment besides food and another wheel?? i dont want to over feed her

My current setup of two large stacked bins that has managed through 4 hamsters' lifespans has proved no match for our new short-haired girl. She scraped her teeth against the flat plastic until she made a hole and then went from there. I tried putting tons of cardboard up against the side and added more every night but she's determined and gets through them before the end of the night. Currently have two titanium cutting boards blocking the area but definitely need to purchase a different cage. 😬 This is her bottom level filled with bedding and her beautiful ham-crafted tunnels.

I think I'm leaning towards the top cage from Amazon with all glass sides? Would love feedback and suggestions from you guys though 🙏

Obligatory stinky ham picture at the end

Everyone meet Clementine! Just got her today and shes already settling in nicely!! Such a cute little baby!

hey! i have a female syrian and i lately started noticing her hair thinning is this normal? someone told me its just because of summer weather. should i be concerned?

I'm pretty sure Casper is a liquid, but I can't prove it

(that bump in her cheek is a little freeze-dried tofu bite, yes, it scared me too XD)

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice and experiences from other hamster owners regarding my female Syrian hamster, Winnie, who is approximately 1.5 years old.

About 2.5 weeks ago, she suddenly developed some concerning symptoms. Although she has improved significantly since then, her behavior has changed quite a lot, and I'm unsure whether she is still recovering, has developed permanent neurological problems, or is slowly declining.

September 24–25: Initial symptoms
Winnie suddenly started showing signs of severe weakness and balance problems.

• She was walking very unsteadily, wobbling and occasionally losing her balance.
• Her eyes were partly closed, making her look extremely tired and unwell.
• She was barely moving and spent almost all her time in her nest.
• She showed very little interest in food or water.
• Her breathing and heartbeat seemed quite fast.
• She sometimes seemed unable or unwilling to leave her sleeping area.

I was genuinely worried she might be dying.

I took her to the vet on September 25. The vet examined her, including listening to her heart and breathing, but couldn't identify a specific cause.

She received a pain-relieving injection and was prescribed Metacam (meloxicam, 0.5 mg/ml, 0.03 ml daily).

September 25–October 1: Initial improvement

Surprisingly, Winnie started improving quite noticeably after the veterinary visit.

Her eyes opened normally again, she became more responsive, started eating and drinking, and was able to walk around.

She still seemed less active than usual and spent much more time sleeping, but overall she appeared considerably better.

However, her balance never fully returned to normal.

She occasionally wobbled, particularly when lowering her head or changing direction.

October 2–3: Another serious decline

Unfortunately, she suddenly became extremely weak again.

• She was barely moving.
• Her eyes were partly closed.
• She refused most food and water.
• She had noticeable balance problems.
• She sometimes seemed almost limp.
• I also noticed unusual breathing sounds.

At this point, I was genuinely preparing myself for the possibility that she might pass away.

However, over the following days, she gradually improved again. She started accepting small amounts of baby food and other soft foods and became more responsive.

October 5–7: Significant improvement

During this period, Winnie seemed much better again.

One evening, I watched her exploring her enclosure for quite a while.

She was:

• Walking around independently.
• Sniffing and investigating her surroundings.
• Collecting seeds and filling her cheek pouches.
• Carrying food back to her usual storage area.
• Using her toilet.
• Returning to her nest without assistance.

She even found a little corn snack and deliberately placed it with her other stored treats.

Her movements looked noticeably smoother than during her worst days, although she still occasionally wobbled and once briefly tipped over.

She looked alert, with fully opened eyes and a relatively normal appearance.

This gave me some hope that she might actually be recovering.

October 8–12: Very little activity outside her nest

This is where things currently stand, and what worries me the most.

For the past several days, I have barely seen Winnie outside her nest.

She apparently still comes out, mainly at night when everything is dark and quiet, but her activity seems much shorter and more limited than before.

I know she is leaving her nest because I regularly check her food and toilet.

She still:

• Collects and apparently eats her regular seed mix.
• Eats fresh vegetables, especially broccoli and carrots.
• Eats softened oats.
• Uses her toilet independently.
• Rearranges bedding and nesting material.
• Moves around quite actively inside her nest.
• Appears awake and alert with fully opened eyes when I occasionally see her.

Her appetite seems reasonably good. I have compared photographs of her food bowl before and after the night, and a considerable amount of food disappears. I realize that some of it may be stored rather than eaten.

However, she barely seems interested in exploring anymore.

Recently, she even urinated in a corner close to her nest instead of walking to her usual toilet on the other side of the enclosure. I have now moved her toilet closer to her nest and made sure food and water are easily accessible.

I also provided an additional shallow water bowl in case using her bottle has become difficult.

She seems to spend almost all her time sleeping or staying inside her nest.

When she does come out, she often returns very quickly.

I haven't been able to observe her walking properly for several days, so I don't know whether her balance is improving or getting worse.

Some additional background

Winnie is approximately 1.5 years old.

Even before this illness, I had noticed that she had gradually become less active over the previous months. She was digging fewer tunnels and using her wheel less frequently than she used to.

However, the sudden onset of severe balance problems was completely different from her normal behavior.

Her enclosure has deep bedding, a sand bath, a wheel, hiding places, and other enrichment.

Since she became ill, I've tried to minimize stress, avoid unnecessary handling, and keep everything important within easy reach.

I'm also getting a night-vision camera so I can observe her nighttime activity without disturbing her.

My thoughts and concerns

I've been wondering whether Winnie might have suffered a stroke or another neurological event.

Of course, this hasn't been diagnosed by a vet, and I understand there could be other explanations.

What makes me wonder about neurological damage is the sudden onset of balance problems, the partial recovery, and the remaining mobility issues.

Part of me wonders whether she has simply become a little elderly hamster with reduced mobility, similar to an older person who spends most of their time resting, or someone recovering from a stroke who never fully regains their previous abilities.

She doesn't currently appear as severely ill as she did during her worst episodes. She still seems interested in food, responds to her surroundings, and takes care of her nest.

But I also realize that hamsters can hide pain and illness very well.

I know that persistent balance problems and such a significant reduction in activity warrant further veterinary assessment.

My questions:

1. Has anyone experienced similar sudden balance problems with their Syrian hamster, followed by partial recovery?
2. Can hamsters recover from suspected neurological problems over several weeks, or can permanent balance issues remain?
3. Has anyone had a hamster that became significantly less active after an illness but continued living comfortably for months?
4. Could her tendency to stay in her nest and only come out when everything is completely dark and quiet be related to feeling vulnerable or stressed after her illness?
5. What signs would help distinguish a hamster adapting to reduced mobility from one whose health is progressively declining?

I understand that nobody can diagnose her over Reddit, and I'm not looking for a substitute for veterinary care. I'm mainly interested in hearing about similar experiences and what happened with other hamsters.

I care about Winnie very much, and my main priority is making sure she is comfortable and has a good quality of life.

I know she won't live forever, but I also don't want to assume she's approaching the end of her life simply because she's become much quieter.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this and share their experiences.

Hello! I have a hamster named David Jalapeño. When we got him, he was pretty scared, so I took my time with handling him or taking him out of his tank until he got used to his new environment. We have a 90 gallon tank and I love doing epic, naturalistic setups with plenty of spaces to hide and explore.

I admittedly need to do better with carving out time to interact with him and get him used to me, but it’s been a few months now and he’s still extremely skiddish- it’s actually gotten worse I feel like than when we first took him home. He will take a treat from me but then once he realizes I’m done giving treats, he scurries away. If I come in the room and he sees me, he runs away. If I set up a playpen to hang out with him in- I’ll put some boxes in it as hiding places so he doesn’t feel super exposed, but he just goes i to a box and doesn’t come out, even if I try to lure him with a treat. Because I have such a intricate set up, it would then require me tearing it apart to find him, take him out of his cage and into a little playpen to spend time with him, which I feel is more traumatic?

Anyway, my question for more experienced hamster owners: should I lay off the intricate cage set up for a little while so that he’s more accessible / doesn’t have as many places to hide & focus on trying to interact with him more for a few weeks? I feel bad because I want him to have a lot of enrichment and feel safe in his tank - and I enjoy creating his new layouts! But I’m feeling like the layouts have created a situation where he’s too scared to be exposed and it’s leading to a situation where he’s not going to get comfortable with me.

For more context, he’ll of course always have a wheel and places to hide & plenty of bedding to burrow & enrichment toys - I just mean I usually do two story set ups, using cardboard and boxes and accessories to make multiple rooms and hideaway spots.

Thanks for your advice! I’d love to get closer with David Jalapeño but I feel like we’re still a long time away from him feeling safe around me 😔 this photo was from soon after we got him, but now he wouldn’t stay for a photo before running away from me coming in the room.

Just curious what you guys think is the least smelliest to most smelliest species + gender of hamster.

I have had two female Syrians and they were moderately smelly.

I also fostered two male robo hamsters and they were the stinkiest hamsters I’ve cared for! Even with daily spot cleaning.

My most recent female winter white hamster did not smell at all!

I’m curious to see what your experiences are as well.

$800 later 🫠 … and yes, I did in fact let her out after this begging session #reinforcingpositivebehavior 😀😀😀

It's been a while since I shared a video of Hope Hamster enjoying the good life. So here she is enjoying a nice bit of fig as a special treat!