what's wrong with my female Syrian?

[2manyhamssz]

Im beginning to become scared. I have an utterly angelic dwarf hybrid, And 3 female Syrians, Tiggy, Noodle and teddy. Noodle had escaped a while before this, but a good few months back, noodle chewed out of her enclosure, jumped off it, and somehow, climbed into tiggers enclosure, and I found them in there together. This took me by surprise - as she must have really wanted to get into tiggys enclosure to go to that effort, but I secured her cage and moved their rooms. Then I got teddy. A few minutes ago, I walked into the hamster room. no teddy. I just assumed she was asleep. Then I looked in tiggys cage. There they are. Teddy had clearly done the exact same thing as noodle. I double checked and they are all 100% girls. But what really confuses me is firstly how the hell they got 50cm up straight plastic and through tiny holes, and mostly, they were happy. like no fighting at all. just happy together. no scars, nothing. I might move tiggy out for now in hope nobody will try to get to her. to say im absolutely completely baffled is an understatement. please any Ideas!!

 

[Socks' Mum]

It's interesting! Are they sisters, or perhaps a mother and daughter combination? Hamsters can breed quite young so there might not be much difference between Mom and daughter. Hamsters can jump quite high, surprisingly high if they decide to, and being very light, can clear unexpectedly high enclosure sides. They sometimes climb onto hides and platform and leap from these as well. Female Syrians chew alot and some cage manufacturers state on their product advice that the cage cannot be guaranteed to withstand female Syrians hamsters. It will be worth getting a cage with metal bars that is chew proof in case your girls disappear one day, which would be very sad, or chew up things like electrical cables and put themselves and others at risk

 

[Maz]

Hello and welcome Female syrians are notorious for being quite maverick! And syrian hamsters are notorious for being great escape artists. They were probably both surprised to find themselves in a single cage. It's lucky they didn't fight, but it can happen very suddenly.

What cages are they in? Working out how they escaped is the main thing I think! You have your hands full with 3 female Syrians

Do you want any opinions on their sex at all (from photos) or are you now certain they are all female? I can usually tell quite easily with syrians, but one of my current males was a bit of an enigma for quite a while as he didn't seem to have any male bulgy parts. They did appear eventually.

 

[Maz]

As for any ideas of how they got out. They will always find a way to the top. They can climb the back of a wheel, or pile bedding up in one corner into a mountain and just walk to the top! From there it should be escape proof, providing any roof or door is securely closed. If it's a tank, they have been known to just push the lid up. If it's a barred cage with a door then yes - some hamsters can open some types of cage door! It might need a padlock or a peg on it or something.

Could you show your cages and we might be able to spot something!