Hamster screeching

[AFOLNERD]

My daughter has a 6 month old Syrian Hamster. She has settled in well and is very sociable and happy to be held. Seems in good health.
However she keeps screaming and I don’t mean little squeaks, a full on loud shrieking screeching noise. Everything I can find online says this is a really distressed noise and she is likely in pain.
However she only does it when someone walks past her cage while bouncing about by the door. She has never done it while being held.
The noise sounds like something is really wrong but she seems fine. Could it just be an attention thing?

 

[RainbowBrite]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Is your daughters hamster eating and drinking as usual? I do not suppose you have a video of this behaviour? This would really help members to work out what kind of screech this may be.

 

[AFOLNERD]

Thank you. I don’t have it on video as it’s very random when she does it. I will try and keep my phone on hand in case she does it this evening. She is eating and drinking fine. Bright eyes clean tail. Happy to be held and run around.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Female Syrians go into season every 4 days and they can become quite energetic during this time. Does the hamster have a playpen that she goes into?

It may also be helpful to show the cage set up. I say this as with such an energetic hamster they need quite a large cage with lots of enrichment and sadly pet shops do not explain this and encourage people to buy small cages and tell them the cages are big. For a Syrian hamster the cage should be a minimum of 100cm by 50cm.

 

[elusive]

Hello & welcome to the forum.
It does sound as though your ham is being upset by the activity by her cage, if she’s well & not showing symptoms of any other problems.
Seeing her cage & set up wold be useful as Rainbow says, we may be able to suggest something to help.
It’s not always easy to read their behaviour but it may be that she’s easily disturbed, if she doesn’t have deep enough substrate or a large enough house to hide away in that might be one reason.
They usually get used to normal household noises but maybe try to keep activity around the cage area to a minimum & see if that helps.

 

[Maz]

Hello and welcome It's encouraging that you say she has settled in well, and is sociable and happy to be held. You also said the noise she makes seems to be when someone walks past the cage while bouncing about by the door. So my first thought was fear - which if you had only just got her, would be a likely explanatation - ie noise or her cage vibrating. But then I read it again and think I may have misread the post. So who is bouncing about by the door? Ha ha - I had visions of people being very active and door banging. But I think you mean the hamster is bouncing around by the cage door whenever anyone walks past. So yes it is likely to be like saying "oi let me out" - unless you have only just got her and then it might be fear with the slightest thing scaring her if she's not been with you long - but at six months she is not a really young baby hamster so it seems less likely.

Neither is she fully grown possibly - in human terms she's more like a teenager/early twenties! Which might tell you something!

As others have said - female Syrians are known for being incredibly active and even quite maverick. And if she's used to being handled out of the cage now, it could well be to let you know she wants out.

What time of day or night is this though? Presumably only in the evenings? Or does it happen in daytime too. Does she bar bite at all? They can get frustrated in their cage if it's not quite spacious enough with enough to do, or if the wheel is a bit small. If the wheel is too small they can get back pain and may even stop using it - and then they get a lot of pent up energy. Unfortunately most commercial cages come with tiny wheels that are usually only big enough for a dwarf hamster to run in comfortably. For a Syrian, they need to run with a straight back, not with their head half way up one side of the wheel and their back end half way up the other side and bent in the middle (like you see on the smaller wheels).

I'd start by trying to arrange a regular session for a good period of time out of the cage at a particular time each night that fits around your household routine. So she knows to expect that. It needs to be a hamsterproof area, so either a playpen area or a sectioned off part of the room you've checked out (eg no holes in floorboards where pipes go down!).

But it may be she needs a cage upgrade. For some female Syrians no cage is ever big enough however! But we had another member recently who had a female Syrian that was constantly bar chewing and a cage upgrade solved the issue. They just get pent up energy and frustrated.

As a final point - hamsters can be quite communicative for a particular reason - they can do this when they're trying to tell you something is not right for them - I have learned this over the years that if it is a frantic type communication, or persistent when they see you they may be trying to tell you something. In the past I've found: Wheel jammed up underneath with bedding and not spinning, or water bottle has drained and they can't get any water, or a ramp has fallen down and they can't reach the water - that type of thing. So she is definitely trying to tell you something - it's just working out what it is!

 

[AFOLNERD]

Thanks for all the advice and ideas. I will try and answer all the questions. It won’t let me upload a photo but She is in a 3 story iMac fantasy cage. She has substrate on the bottom level but she prefers to be on the higher levels
She has lots of toys and hiding places in her cage. She isn’t really a chewer unless there is food hidden in whatever it is.
The only place she sometimes chews the bars on her cage is the catch on the door.
She has 4 levels in the cage each measuring 55cm x 35cm. She also has free run of our hallway every evening which is about 4metres long. She doesn’t have a wheel.
Sorry yes she is the one bouncing about by the cage door while shouting.
She is normally making the noise later in the evening when everything is quiet.
I have 2 younger children who obviously aren’t particularly quiet and I have never heard her scream when they are making a racket.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thank you for answering our questions. I am afraid the cage will need an upgrade. Hamsters are not suited to cages with levels but one level works very well for them. She will need a cage with one floor with the minimum of 100cm by 50cm. If you would like to check out cages like this then there are some on the home page.

I find this site really good for uploading photos:

Postimages — free image hosting / image upload

Provides free image upload and hosting integration for forums. Free picture hosting and photo sharing for websites and blogs.

postimages.org

You upload a photo there and then you can choose a size and insert the picture into your post.

With a cage the size she has it would also be difficult to fit in the correct wheel. Syrian hamsters need a wheel that is 11 or 12 inches.

Sadly, pet shops do tend to promote such cages and will tell you the levels and such are fun for hamsters but it is great you have joined us and can help your hamster. What is her name by the way?

 

[elusive]

Sorry I misunderstood about the bouncing around!
It does sound as though the cage is probably the problem, that sort of cage really isn’t suitable as they do need deep substrate to burrow into & one large space rather than levels.
A wheel is important to them, she would need an 11” wheel so the cage needs to be both big enough & high enough to fit that in.
The Savic plaza is a good cage for Syrians & easy to get hold of so you might want to look at that one.
As Rainbow said it is unfortunate that pet shops sell unsuitable cages & give poor advice & many people don’t realise that when buying a ham.

 

[Maz]

Thank you for explaining. She is trying to get out!

It is so difficult as hamster care and knowledge has progressed so much - through research and experiences. I know at one time - maybe 7 or 8 years ago, a 4 level Imac fantasy was seen as a good option for a Syrian.

Ok so she is a female Syrian and they often need a lot of floor space. The theory is that one larger cage, with unbroken floorspace, provides them with normal behaviours and they get less stressed. If she doesn't have a wheel then she probably will go a bit stir crazy. Again some years ago there used to be debate as to whether or not a wheel was necessary but that was concluded and it's well accepted that all hamsters need a wheel! But not a ball

Cages are expensive as well. I had exactly the same issue with our first Syrian! I bought a 3/4 tier rotostak unit - because I'd had a hamster in one before 25 years earlier. I did see stuff online about minimum 60 x 40 (at the time!) and decided the levels would add up to more than that. I had very similar issues to you. The hamster would chew at the only barred area, desperate to get out. He did actually get cage rage as well.

If you have recently bought the Imac fantasy levels that will have worked out quite expensive. I also had that - having spent a fortune on rotostak bits and bobs and extras I then needed to fork out for a new cage - at the time it was an 80 x 50 cage - and the change in the hamster was amazing - he was happy and enjoyed his cage and no stress behaviours. Even then I found I it wasn't quite enough and ended up upgrading to a 100cm cage. So our first hamster cost me a fortune! And had two big cage changes.

I'm not sure where you are - US or UK or elsewhere? I'm guessing US because I don;'t think the Imac Fantasy is available any more in the Uk. I know most people in the Us end up getting tanks or tank style cages because there aren't really any barred cages big enough. There are a couple but they're only minimum recommended size and not a massive upgrade. On the other hand tanks and tank style cages can be big and cumbersome to move around. A detolf is a popular option as well - it's still a tank but also a bit of a room feature as well (especially when on top of kallax units for storage).

As elusive mentioned as well, Syrians need an 11" diameter wheel. I am not entirely sure but I think one of those fits in an Imac Fantasy, but would probably take up most of one unit. Any wheel needs to have a solid running surface (not mesh) for safety. The 12" silent runner is a popular one (from exotic nutrition) but I don't think it will fit as its' 12" (35cm tall on its stand). Niteangel make some good wheels as well but they're not cheap.

I would start by getting a wheel though, making sure it will fit and then look at upgrade options for the cage. Rule of thumb is - add on units are fine as long as one of the cages is at least 80cm by 50cm and ideally 100cm by 50cm.

I think the cheapest option is something like a 40 gallon breeder tank. Apparently petco sometimes have dollar per gallon sales. Or possibly a second hand Exo Terra Terrarium (90 x 45 x 45). Niteangel make a great cage but it costs a huge amount of money. Some people make bin cages but it can be hard to find big enough bins.

https://www.amazon.com/Niteangel-Bigger-Hamster-Universal-Hamsters/dp/B0B4N3VD8F/ref=sr_1_4?crid=11F5CHMDFRQFO&keywords=Niteangel+cage&qid=1677430944&sprefix=niteangel+cag%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-4

 

[Member ID2]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I think that once you get your hamster a proper cage and a 28cm wheel with plenty of substrate and enrichment your hamster will be a lot happier in her home.

Don't worry though, many of us have started off with the wrong cage including myself. Sadly, petshops don't seem to know about proper hamster care but you are here now to change your hamster's life for the better.

 

[Maz]

The key these days is enrichment - so one large area with plenty of depth of substrate, with the wheel, house and plenty of toys/hidey places and tunnels etc - so they can have normal behaviours for eating, sleeping, foraging, exercise etc all in one "habitat".

We're very lucky in the Uk and Europe to have a reasonable choice of inexpensive barred cages. In the US there is very little choice in barred cages and tank styles are usually adopted. But if you don't want something big and heavy like a glass tank then diy tends to be the way to go.

If you don't mind diy there are some very good tutorials out there - ikea hack cages! The Linmon cage is popular and there are plenty of tutorials on youtube for that. A detolf costs about $60 but needs to lids making out of wood and mesh. The 40 gallon breeder tank is probably the cheapest option, or a bin cage made out of a large Christmas tree bin - but some people don't like the look of those.

One main cage can still be made to look fun and colourful as well - have a look at the Show us your cages thread for some inspiration! Beryl has some great set ups in the Hamster Heaven cage - although they are mainly dwarf hamster set ups. The Hamster Heaven cage is sometimes available in the US and it would be a better cage for her, but I don't think it will be quite big enough for a female syrian and she may still bar chew - and things cost money. I have 100cm by 50cm cages for our Syrians and they are happy in those.

Show us your cages 2022

Hamster Heaven without external tubes and shelves set up for a Roborovski hamster.

www.thehamsterforum.com

The Imac fantasy is not a bad cage - if only the units were bigger! But also the bases aren't deep enough to hold enough substrate.

 

[Maz]

Late at night is their most active time. They are extremely active at night as that is their day really - when we're asleep. And if she doesn't have a wheel either, she will probably spend most of her time trying to escape. It's partly why the minimum cage sizes have increased over the years - the recognition that they need enough space in the cage at night. Even if she can't get the door open or manage to escape, the stress will be building up.

For now I'd put as much bedding as you can in the bottom unit, and an 11" wheel in one of the units and maybe add something kind of house in one unit that's dark inside - they need somewhere dark to retreat to. Putting a bendy bridge tunnel over the house door helps make it dark inside. If she can't burrow under substrate or go to a dark house, the stress will be there.

 

[Maz]

I'll also add our cages article - the link at the bottom shows most of the suitable cages we're aware of - and you'll see there aren't a lot of US ones listed! Because tanks are commonly used in the US. But I believe the Pawhut is available in the US, as well as the Niteangel.

I am in two minds whether to recommend the Prevue cage. It has gone up in price so isn't cheap (sold by Exotic nutrition under a different name now). It's not as big and bulky as a tank and no diy and meets the minimum recommended size for a Syrian but I'm not entirely sure it would solve the issues - because she's a female Syrian. If set up carefully with lots of added enrichment, it might work, but if you can get something bigger, it would be better or you'll end up like I did and needing a further cage upgrade and more money spending.

Choosing the best Hamster Cage

We have a large list of suitable and recommended hamster cages to choose from. Choosing the best hamster cage is very important. It needs to be large enough - ideally 100cm x 50 cm or larger and it needs to have plenty of enrichment - a good...

www.thehamsterforum.com

Zanzibar Cage

Discover comfort and security with Exotic Nutrition's Zanzibar Cage! This sturdy cage boasts a chew-proof metal shelf and ramp, plus a 6.5" deep tubby base for all that bedding that's sure to stay in the cage. And there's lots of room for accessories too! Crafted with a durable plastic base and...

www.exoticnutrition.com

 

[Maz]

I use the Savic Hamster Plaza for Syrians - if you're in the Uk or Europe it's a good option . Or if funds are no object (they usually are!) and you have space, the Eco habitat on that link is a good option. Plenty of space for an active female and no bars to chew. It does need some mesh on the lid though as the holes are too big and they can escape by scaling the wheel and using the holes at the side!

 

[Maz]

If you're in the Uk then the trixie wheel is popular and not expensive

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-61011-Rotating-Hamsters-Assortment/dp/B00365P9NY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3D3KQX11V5G5B&keywords=28cm+hamster+wheel&qid=1677609763&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=28cm+%2Cpets%2C192&sr=1-4

 

[AFOLNERD]

Thank you so much for all the advice. I get paid tomorrow so we will get her a hamster palace. I quite like the idea of the deltolf option but we will see. Definitely want to lose the bars if possible. She has been out for a long run about this evening and no shrieking so far. Oh and for the person who asked her name is Monica (friends fan!)

 

[RainbowBrite]

Monica is a lovely name. I am like you and dislike bars. You could get a second hand tank and there is the Rodipet tank style too available on Rodipet website.

 

[Maz]

If you have kallax units to put it on a detolf can also look very nice in a room and make a feature! It does need a bit of diy with lids making though - it's not difficult though - there are lots of tutorials on youtube and you can get the diy store to cut the wood and mesh to the sizes you want them just screw them together. If you google "hamster detolf" and select "Images" you'll see a few examples of set ups

 

[AFOLNERD]

Been thinking a lot about hamster set ups. Realised the deltof option isn’t going to work for us as daughter is disabled and is going to struggle with a top opening cage. But I suddenly remembered we have a massive Vivarium in the garage from my adult sons dearly departed snake! I think we can make this work. I can get my very handy dad to come and convert it into a hamster palace. He can add lots of extra ventilation and hopefully she will be much happier.
Guess that’s my weekend sorted