Asked on the Rodent Forum by shellybelly on 3/16/2005, 1:01 pm
Q: Is my hamster screaming at me?
Just yesterday I bought a teddy bear hamster for my son. The pet store told me to not handle the hamster for a couple of days to let it get used to its new environment. Today I opened the cage to give it a carrot and it was making this loud noise like it was screaming. Is there something wrong with my hamster? Or is it just scared? I have no idea what I am doing with it, and I just want to make sure it's ok.
Thanks!
Answered by Ruby_Rodents on 3/16/2005, 5:32 pm
A: He'll be fine :)
Just yesterday I bought a teddy bear hamster for my son. The pet store told me to not handle the hamster for a couple of days to let it get used to its new environment. Today I opened the cage to give it a carrot and it was making this loud noise like it was screaming. Is there something wrong with my hamster? Or is it just scared? I have no idea what I am doing with it, and I just want to make sure it's ok.
Thanks!
It's normal for young hamsters and is something your son's will eventually outgrow. The advice of the pet store employee was correct, and by following it, success in gaining the hamster's trust is much more likely, as hamsters (Syrians more so than dwarfs) tend to require a longer adjustment time in new situations.
It should be noted that Syrian hamsters are rarely vocal. This unsettling screaming phase is one of those rare instances and doesn't last long.
