Why is my new dwarf hamster shivering, not eating, and squinting?

I'm sorry she isn't feeling well! A good first step would be to make sure the environment she is is warm enough as hamsters can go into hibernation if their environment is too cold. Making sure she has plenty of access to fresh clean water and food, and fresh bedding may also help. If she still doesn't perk up after these changes, a vet visit to rule out any health issues is best.

I am so sorry to hear that tour Syrian hamster is not well. It sounds like he is possibly in pain and may have an infection. Unfortunately with prey animal species like hamsters, they do not tend to show signs of being unwell until they are actually very sick. They tend to hide signs their body is not well longer, then other species. For this reason I would advise taking your hamster to your veterinarian. It is very likely they will be able to provide medication, such as antibiotics to try to help him recover. The vet will also be able to provide medication for pain relief and healing. Best of luck to you both and please feel free to ask as many questions as you may have here on the forum. We want to support you through this time.

Thanks for reaching out about Daabool and including a photo. Hamsters are desert animals, highly capable of extracting water from their food. Biting is a common fear response in hamsters, and continuing to earn/win trust by offering treats, keeping movements slow and deliberate. Try removing Daabool from his environment with a scoop or cup, to move to a neutral territory (i.e. table top). Then see if interactions are aggressive. Sometimes its just territorial defense. Good luck.

There are some environmental things that can make hamsters shake, including temperatures, as you mentioned. Ideally, around 70-75 F is a range to keep hamsters in. Also, making sure their cage is not near a window or door to avoid excessive heat and drafts is a good idea. Too little bedding can also contribute to shaking - ideally, hamsters would have at LEAST 3-4 inches of bedding to dig/burrow into. Please avoid cedar and pine shavings as they can be irritating to a hamster's respiratory tract (lungs). Being sick can also make hamsters shake. Unfortunately, shaking is a vague sign, so there are numerous causes - a common one is weight loss associated with disease as they can become skinny which makes it hard for them to keep warm as well. I would recommend making any of the environmental changes above, and if there is no improvement in a couple of days, having Bebe evaluated by a veterinarian. They will be able to see if Bebe is thin, and perform a full physical exam. Depending on what is found, they may recommend diagnostic testing, or may have treatments for you to try. I hope that gives you a place to start!

Those symptoms tend to happen in very sick hamsters, usually due to severe dehydration. most hamsters do not recover from turning that ill but if you want to give her a chance to survive you will have to take her urgently to a vet in order to attempt supportive treatment.

Poor Bubbles! The signs you are describing can be due to low blood sugar, seizures, or a severe infection. I recommend making sure that Bubbles has access to plenty of food and water, you can also try moistening some of her pellets with water to make them easier to consume. If this continues, I recommend having Bubbles seen by a veterinarian for supportive care.

This sounds like Peanut may be very ill or in distress. I would bring her to your vet as soon as possible. Until you can get to a vet, keeping her in a quiet, warm, darkened area with plenty of food and water may help her to relax enough to settle some.