Inconsistent bathroom

Question
I have a new dwarf Syrian hamster (I've had him for 2 weeks now,) and he is going to the bathroom in his bed, in the middle of the cage, and pretty much everywhere.  I was told that he would pick a corner as his potty corner, and I've tried scooting his poops over to one to try and train him, but he just keeps going everywhere.  Is this normal?  What can I do to stop him from sleeping/eating/walking in his waste?

Answer
Hi Kaia,

The behavior you describe is completely normal.  Although hamsters can be "potty-trained," this means that they will urinate in one spot.  They will still defecate anywhere in the cage.  The good news is, the poops harden and don't smell, unlike urine.

Is your hamster urinating in the designated potty corner?  If so, that's great - you've potty-trained him.  If not, just let me know in a follow-up question and I can tell you how to make sure he urinates in one place, making clean-up much easier!

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly