My new hamster is shy and freezes. How can I help her adjust?

Thanks for reaching out about Peppermint and including photos (although they are a little out of focus). Hair loss and chewing at the skin could be an indication of a lesion (mites, bacterial, other) and being irritating and over-groomed. Most hamsters are nocturnal, so active at night. If having a skin problem could be more secretive. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic treatment plan. Good luck.

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.

Its hard to say if Pepper is sick without more information. You are correct that most hamsters are active at night time. They usually like to run in their little wheels and scurry about the cage. You need to watch for any signs of diarrhea or wetness around the rectum. When Pepper is awake, are his eyes open or half closed? Is the food being moved around? Many hamsters pack the food to their nest to eat later. Also, offer the pellets as well as the seed mixture. When he is awake, is he active? Most pet stores have a health warranty on their little critters. If you are seeing signs of illness, call the store to ask about having Pepper checked out.

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!

It sounds as though she was still in shock. I would recommend to give her some time to relax and recover from the stressful situation. After some time has gone by check in her again and see if she’s better

Hello, and congratulations on your new hamster! Baby hamsters are so small that you may not notice any urine that gets soaked up by the bedding. Poops will be very small at this age too, probably no larger than 1-2 mm in length. You can search through the bedding for these, but if Pebbles is eating and active, then I would not worry too much. Certainly if her energy or appetite decreases, I would then seek veterinary attention as she may not be feeling well. I hope this helps, and that Pebbles continues to do well!

Thanks for reaching out about F. Junior. It appears he is ill and might require a visit to the veterinarian. Intestinal parasites or infections, respiratory disease are all common in new acquisitions, and the cold weather could have prompted the condition. Offer water via a syringe but contact your local veterinarian. Good luck.