[Beenolas]

Hey There,

I'm kind of new to hamster owning, but I've caught on fast. Love the little guys. Have a Cambell dwarf male (approx 3.5 months old or so). Great cage set up.. toys, distractions, the works. First month of ownership, 'Hamlet' would be scared of me somewhat, bite my finger, but would go nuts for his wheel—and be practically running it all night long.

Then about 2 weeks ago, we had a bonding breakthrough. I'd put him in a big tupperware type "playpen" and pet and massage him. Now he's very comfortable with my hand, and loves playing in his 'playpen.' But now when I put him back in his cool cage, nothing. He doesn't burrow, doesn't climb really, and especially doesn't use the wheel any more. It's like one day he loved it. Next day, nothing.

Any hamster lovers who obviously know more than I, have a clue to what's going on here? I'd hate for Hamlet to only get activity now when I put him in his playpen.

Thanks,
Beenolas

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

What does he do when he's back in his cage? Does he look out at you?

Are you sure he isn't running on the wheel at like 3 am when you are asleep??

My dwarves are used to getting out and playing in a much larger space than their cages.. they often look out at me as if to say "I wanna come out and play", but if they don't get to come out, they usually go to their wheel or go back to sleep.

Early early inthe morning though, the wheels are pretty much smoking they run so much!

 

[Beenolas]

Hey,

He usually goes right into his Igloo and starts snoozing or at least hiding. But trust me, he's not scared or nervous. Occasionally he will come out and indeed go right to the bars and look at me...but I think he's looking for food, as I don't re-fill his food bowl hyper often until he 'eat his vegetable, too' (i.e. the less sexy part of his mix like the alfalfa pellets.

His cage is in my bedroom, so I can hear him (or at least used to) run at all hours of the night. It really didn't bug me. But now...silence, best I can tell.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Aluyasha]

Maybe he was running on his wheel because he was uncomfortable and now that he trusts you he can relax.
Some of my mice were like that.

 

[Lacrima]

It just sounds like he is settling in. Hamsters are Crepuscular which means they are most active at dusk to dawn, and that is usually when us Humans are asleep or finishing up for the night. Try staying up late one night, and in the dark shine a red light into the cage so you can watch what he is doing wihtout bothering him. You will see how active he really is!

 

[Beenolas]

Hi,

A good suggestion...and one I've done already.

Unless there's some other sensible explanation, I just really think my hamster's experienced the "outside world" and by comparison now thinks his pad is dull. Funny, I didn't think hamsters could think on a level of relativity. And sadly his cage is really cool...a 3-tier Critter Trail! I've tried to put in other little things of interest in it for him to explore (paper tubes, bi-level house where his food is dispensed, stuff tied to a dangling string, etc.). But like I've said, as soon as he started trusting my hand, suddenly his cage is dullsville.

 

[jeff jey]

I think it loved it at first, this thing that moves round and round was so exciting, but now the BIG world was shown too him, he loves that then the wheel now