Is it normal for my hamster to keep hiding under the wheel?

Thanks for reaching out about Little Buddy. He could be scared or ill. Does he appear to have maintained weight? If he is not using the wheel and the cage is too small, take the wheel out to give him more room. Monitor food intake and defecation. If concerns continue, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Pompie is probably not as active as usual because of his new surroundings. Hamsters can be very prone to stress when their environment abruptly changes. He is most likely being more active when he is home alone and at night time because he feels safer. Since he is eating and drinking normally, I would not be too concerned. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

If she will allow, check her teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. Make sure her cage is warm enough and away from high traffic areas, strong drafts/vibrations and loud noises. Monitor for loose droppings, lethargy and a decreased appetite. Although most hamsters are more active at night, this may simply be her personality. An exam with your veterinarian is always recommended to make sure she isn't sick or injured.

This does sound like unusual behavior. The good news is that Sandy is acting normal today. If she is continuing to act normal, exercise and eat and drink, I would just monitor her for the next couple of days. If her behavior changes again, she stops eating, or you notice the discharge again, then I would recommend you take her to the vet to be checked out. Also, if you can determine where the discharge is coming from (or if you can bring in a sample) it would be helpful for your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

While it's unlikely that your hamster is contemplating the meaning of life when she stares off to space, it is possible that she may be ruminating on something, dozing or even snacking on a piece of food in her cheek. However if she is showing any other signs of confusion, circling, disorientation, etc that she doesn't snap out of if you get her attention, it may signal a problem and should be checked out. Otherwise, keeping her entertained with some new toys, a treat or some attention may help.

Hamsters are naturally nocturnal, so it is normal to be active at night and early in the morning. Hamsters may also pace back and forth if they are bored or stressed, so making sure Phish has plenty of fun things to do such as burrowing in bedding, running on wheels, having a toy to chew, etc can help. If he's however losing his balance, has a strange head tilt, or is showing other strange behaviors in addition, then it could possibly be an underlying illness and should be checked out by a local vet.

Typically hamsters are nocturnal, meaning they are more active during the night than the day time. So this behavior is completely normal for Arwen. She may also be more active when you are not around so it may be hard to judge her activity level. It sounds like you have a perfect environment for her to live in with a lot of room and toys to keep her entertained. I wouldn’t be worried about her nocturnal behavior at this point. If she stops eating or her poop changes then you may want to take her in to be checked out by the vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!