Lethargic new Dwarf

Question
I just got a new russian Dwarf female hamster on Sunday. I'm a little worried about her activity level, especially since I have heard dwarf hammies can get diabetes.

The first day she was pretty active and curious about her new surroundings and I'm pretty sure late that night I heard her on her wheel.  Now on Wednesday I have not actually seen her on her wheel since Sunday. In fact, I barely ever see her up at alll unless I come to the tank to talk to her.  I can't be sure because I do work all day, but again when I am there at night, she is sleeping.  I haven't tried to pick her up (because she's new and she's not very tame yet!) but I am just worried something is wrong with her.
I have checked and she shows no signs of illness-- when she is woken she is alert and usually pokes around the cage for a bit, then heads right back to bed.

What's up with her?? Is it because she's new? Too hot? (I keep a small lizard heater on for her because I keep my house cool)   Please ease my worries about my new cutie.

Thank you!

Answer
Hi Adriane

Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes - especially Campbells.  The main symptom of this is that they drink loads of water - normally with a hamster you don't notice the water bottle going down at all, but if they have diabetes, it goes down pretty dramatically.  If this is the case, then you can get a 'diastix' to check her out.  You would need to put your hamster in a carry case with no bedding and leave her in there until she has been to the toilet - then you test her pee with the diastix.  This will indicate glucose levels.  If you think she is diabetic, you can modify her diet - she will need a mix of seeds: pumpkin, linseed, sunflower and sesame - this is a fattening mix, but gives the essential fatty acids to deal with diabetes. You just put a teaspoonful into her cage every day or two.   She also needs her usual food as well - but you must exclude anything containing sugar - such as fruit - fresh and dried, hamster treats that are stuck together with honey etc.  As a precaution I usually put in a second water bottle, just in case the first one accidentally drains while I'm out.  Often hamsters can balance their own sugar levels and live a normal life.

Apart from that, it could be that she is too hot.  Hamsters do get very lethargic in the warm weather and perhaps she is over-heating slightly.  If you turn the heater off - how cool is your house?  Providing the temperature doesn't drop below 5 degrees Celsius hamsters are usually OK.  At this temperature they can go into hibernation and can die, but providing you give her loads of bedding you might find that she is better off without the heater on her.  If the room is cold, is it possible to put a heater in the room rather than on her cage - perhaps on a timeswitch to come on and off during the day/night?  

Providing she isn't showing any signs of illness, I would be tempted to monitor her water level and look at moving the heater from her cage for a day or two and see if that makes any difference.

Good luck with this - hope you get on OK.

Regards


Hi Adriane

Wheels can be too small - if they are, the hamster won't run in them.  This is because in order for them to move the wheel they have to arch their back too much and it is uncomfortable for them. they then tend to ignore the wheel, or try and climb it around the edges.  In the wild they can run up to 5 miles in a night, so it is important to give them the opportunity to be active.   If you can get a larger wheel it would definitely be worth trying and see if there is any change in her behavior.  

Regards