my hamster keeps making sneezing noises

Question
i have had my hamster 4 1 day now and i have noticed that she has being making some sort of sneezing noises i am feeling quite worried is it just because of the new smells around her or could it be something serious plz help me...

Answer
Hi Sofie

Sneezing can be caused by various things.  Hamsters can get colds, but if your hamster has a cold, there would be other symptoms - she would look unwell, dull, sit in a hunched position, show a fever by shivering and appearing cold, have runny eyes and nose along with sneezing and wheezing.

If she is OK in herself - but she is just sneezing, then this could be some sort of allergic reaction to her new surroundings.  Because hamsters are so short sighted, they rely heavily on their sense of smell - therefore their noses are very sensitive.  It could be that you are using a different type of bedding or wood shavings.  Some wood shavings, have added oils to make the smell 'nice'.  However, this is the for the benefit of the owner, not the hamster.  Make sure your bedding is clearly marked that it is designed for small animals. I've heard that pine shavings can cause problems such as this.  If in doubt, remove all the wood shavings and put toilet tissue or paper bedding down for a day or two.  It will mean cleaning her out daily, but you might find it helpful to see if it is the wood shavings that are causing the problem.  It might be worth checking with the pet store where you bought her and finding out what they use.  Also, check there are no air fresheners or pot pourri, perfumes or similar in the same room as your hamster.
Providing she doesn't develop any other symptoms, such as the ones I've listed above, then it is a case of detective work to find out what is making her sneeze.  If she does develop any other symptoms, then she will need to go to the vet.

Does it definitely sound like a sneeze?  Hamsters do sometimes make squeaking sounds as though they are chatting, and they also snore, both of which are perfectly normal.

I hope this situation resolves itself.

Regards