My hamster sleeps in the corner, not its hideout. Is this normal?

Hello there! It's not entirely surprising that Arwen has chosen her water bottle to hide under - this is fairly common for hamsters. As much as we want them to use all the awesome hiding structures we purchase for them, they always tend to pick something else, to our dismay (or turn fancy huts into boats) :) I don't think that there is any medical concern for Arwen unless she is acting strange, or isn't eating and drinking normally. If anything, a rodent that chooses to sleep in an unguarded location as opposed to in a hut is generally assumed to be comfortable with its surroundings, so that is a positive thing. My only concern with being under the water source is if there is any moisture or dripping from the bottle where she is sleeping - this could cause skin issues. You might consider moving the bottle to another location. Of course, if she chooses to move her bed underneath the bottle again, you'll just have to keep a close eye out for excess moisture in that location. Good luck, and feel free to post again if you have any other concerns!

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!

I am sorry that Snowy is hiding under the running wheel. This can be a normal behaviour if something has spooked her. However, it can also be a first sign of a sickness. I would monitor closey for signs of illness. This would include changes to appetite, energy levels, or any changes to her fecal movements. If you suspect she is ill I would take her to a veterinarian for a check-up. Best of luck and I hope Snowy is her normal self again soon.

This may just be their instinct to make the bedding deep so that they can burrow into the bedding at the bottom of the cage. You can try a different bedding (paper bedding such as Carefresh is the current recommendation, if that is not available then pine or aspen shavings) to see if it changes the behavior.

It sounds like Buttercup is quite the energetic hamster. Some hamsters seem to have lots of energy and will spend many hours climbing, chewing, exploring their cage. Others will be lazy and sleep a lot. Hamsters are nocturnal so they are naturally more active at night. It may disrupt your sleep if you can hear him, but I am not worried about his activity level - this is normal.

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.

Hi! Daisy sounds like a very healthy, normal hamster! Hamsters are crepuscular, which means they will be most active at dawn and dusk. Hamsters are also prey species, and have an innate drive to avoid predation. Daisy’s instincts tell her to be still and/or hide if she suspects she may be in danger. The abrupt switching on if the lights likely startles Daisy and until she can assess the situation to be sure she is safe, she will freeze to avoid detection by a possible predator, just like you said. So this is just natural self preservation instinct, and nothing to be worried about. However, it may be a bit stressful to Daisy, so try to minimize how often you turn the lights on during the night. If you’d like to observe her in the dark, consider getting a red or blue light bulb (from petco or other pet store, often in the reptile section) that will allow you to see her, but should disturb her.