Why does my hamster shake his head when I pet his forehead? Is it normal?

Hi, This is a difficult one to answer without seeing the behavior or at least a clip. If he is otherwise well, eating and maintaining weight then he us probably fine, but if still in doubt - a visit to the vet is recommended.

It sounds like Red may be having seizures. Make sure he is eating and drinking normally. If he continues to do this then I would recommend to contact your vet for an exam to ensure there is nothing wrong that could be causing the seizure like low glucose, an infection, diabetes, and more.

I would make sure bubbles has a large enclosures with plenty of toys to play with. Sometimes hamsters can have a lot of built up energy due to limited space. If he is eating,drinking and defecating normally I would not be concerned. However if he continues to have odd behavior or starts acting ill I would recommend taking him to a vet for an exam

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.

He is probably itchy. Itch in hamsters can be caused by this could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Some skin tests may be needed to rule out mites and infections. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

He could have had a stroke or these signs could be compatible with an inflammation of the middle ear (causing vestibular signs). I would recommend a check up to confirm or rule out these clinical suspicion and give appropriate treatment. In case of an otitis antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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!