Chumley

[Hammy Chum]

Hello, we're back!! (had to change username a bit!)

Here's our fluffy best boy, Chumley is cheeky, funny, overly picky, often sulky and very clever! Likes: sunflower seeds, strawberry, his coconut hide, his wheel and sand bath and chew sticks. Dislikes, being touched or held in any way haha, looking at places he cant get to via climbing or digging, and anything clear plastic must be attacked immediately.

We think he'll turn one around November, we've had him since January. Our first Syrian (and hamster) so a learning curve, made lots of mistakes along the way.

 

[Maz]

He's still very cute and fluffy I've reconnected your previous posts with your account now, so all back as before

 

[Hammy Chum]

Question! The last two nights Chum has come out earlier than usual, and immediately pouched his fresh food and half his bowl in almost a paniked way then gone back in for an hour or so to his lair. He has seemed a bit frantic with it? Tonight he was also quite bitey with his water bottle along the metal bit - I had a panic it wasnt working but Id just changed the water and it was working fine when I tested it and water is coming out!
No big changes in cage, I put a small new climbing wooden thing in a few nights ago by his sand bath but he's had lots of little changes like that before and was ok?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Hmm, Chumley, what's the matter? How old is he now? He might have got to a stage where his system is producing more adrenaline, preparing him for life in the wild and he has aerial predator angst, something which Socks experienced until recently, which fades a bit with old age Otherwise a sudden loud banging noise might have made him nervous, lots of very noisy human activity, but it would have to be very very noisy, a dog or cat. It's interesting. Levels of light also affect their behaviour as certain birds of prey hunt at dusk and dusk is the most dangerous time for a hamster to be out.

 

[Hammie-O]

Oh my goodness, he's absolutely adorable

I hope he's feeling braver again soon.

 

[Maz]

Question! The last two nights Chum has come out earlier than usual, and immediately pouched his fresh food and half his bowl in almost a paniked way then gone back in for an hour or so to his lair. He has seemed a bit frantic with it? Tonight he was also quite bitey with his water bottle along the metal bit - I had a panic it wasnt working but Id just changed the water and it was working fine when I tested it and water is coming out!
No big changes in cage, I put a small new climbing wooden thing in a few nights ago by his sand bath but he's had lots of little changes like that before and was ok?

Has he had a clean out or spot clean recently? Higgins got like this about food after I had to remove some of his hoard because it was pee’d on.

 

[Hammy Chum]

@Maz I spot clean every day, just odd poos etc so he's very used to that. He's actually due a proper clean out - annoyingly he's ALWAYS eaten his fresh veggies etc straight away so I have tended to leave his lair / hoard as I know it's just dried stuff but the last few times he's taken his fresh food down there too so I'm worried its now going off and he hasn't actually eaten it!

@Socks' Mum we 'think' he will be around one mid November? We got him mid Jan and apparent he was 6-8 weeks old? we dont have any other pets aside from fish haha so pet noise not an issue, we have done odd house bits but nothing out of the usual (eg we've always hoovered when he's been asleep, etc)

I did wonder if it being light an issue as he's usually out about 8.30pm - 9pm ish but these few times he's come out around 7.30pm-8pm, manically pouched then gone back in for an hour... he seems ok when he then emerges, aside from looking very peeved there's now nothing left in his treat bowl!

Will see what he's like tonight!

 

[Maz]

Sometimes we don't know what triggers a sudden behaviour change - maybe he just wants attention Or having one of those weeks!

 

[Hammy Chum]

I watched a video back and noticed his ears are flat while he's doing it and apparently they do that when stressed? So something worried him! Last night he was ok, we just left him when he emerged (its quite funny as he has to wedge himself out of the lair hole, he could dig it wider but obviously has decided not to so his ears literally 'pop' out haha) and he did eat his broccoli first.

I guess I'd better plan a nest clean out soon though in case anything going mouldy! Its a nightmare to get to.

 

[Hammy Chum]

fluffy little grump!

 

[Maz]

It can mean they're unhappy if their ears are flat, but it's also normal for their ears to be flat when they've just woken up So it's possible he'd just woken up and headed straight for food.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Reaching for the coffee? It's a lovely photo His eating well is a good sign