Hamster shaking after travel: Is it stress or a seizure? How to help?

Poor Baby! If he was having a seizure, they can have a "post-ictal" phase where they are no longer convulsing but are still disoriented. If this is the first time he has ever had a seizure, I would recommend having a vet take a look at him to ensure there isn't a medical reason for why he could have started seizuring. I hope this helps and hopefully he never has another one.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This does sound like she is quite stressed. The good news is that typically this improves on its own just by giving them a bit of space. I would not be too concerned about this. I would recommend you do not handle her anymore today and wait until tomorrow. A bit of space is likely to resolve this issue. Best of luck!

Based on what you are describing it does sound as if Juggie is having some seizure like activity. The cause of the seizure could be from something metabolic (like a too high or too low blood sugar) or he could have a primary neurological disorder. You would need to take Juggie to the vet to determine what is going on and to get some medication to stop the seizures. Keep in mind also that the life span of a hamster is only about 2 years so, if this is close to Juggie’s age, a terminal disease process may be more likely. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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.

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.

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!

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.