Hole? in my hamsters tummy.

Question
QUESTION: I have two male russian dwarf hamsters and I was wondering if they have belly buttons? B/c both hamsters seem to have something that looks like a belly button on their stomachs I was worried if it was something else.Should I be concerned?
Also, should I be worried that they play fight? I believe it is play fighting b/c they dont scream and they dont bleed. It looks as though they topple on each other and kick their arms and legs. It also looks as though they try to mate with one another, although they are both male, I'm not sure. Should I be concerned?

ANSWER: Hi Kimora,

You're right, those are belly buttons.  You may notice a little tuft of fur that sticks out around those belly buttons.  It's completely normal :)

Also, play-fighting among dwarf hamsters is normal and healthy.  Since you haven't seen any injuries, that means that it is definitely play-fighting, and not actual fighting.

When it looks like they're "mating" with each other, they're actually marking each other.  Hamsters have scent glands on their stomachs, and they rub those scent glands against each other.  Once again, completely normal :)

If you have any other questions, please feel free t oask :)

Kelly

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much, and I was also wondering since I have two hamsters should I get two wheels?

Also, they seem to pick out certain things in their food mix, should I just dump the rest and refill it? Or should I leave it so they have to eat everything?

One more thing, so sorry, sometimes when I feed one of them vegetables, he gets diarrhea, so I'm not sure if its the vegetables, or I am feeding too much or too little. I was wondering what kind of vegetables and when and how much? THANK YOU SOO MUCH!  

Answer
Hi Kimora,

Actually, both hamsters will use the same wheel.  And, they'll use the same bed, so you don't need to get 2 beds, either.  (It's healthy for the hamsters to sleep together, since it enhances their bonding.)

Whether the hamsters eat everything or not, you should replace the food every 24 hours.  Also, if the food has a lot of peanuts or sunflower seeds, pick those out and put them in a separate container.  Give them one peanut/sunflower seed every day.  Peanuts and sunflower seeds are fatty, so consumption should be restricted.

Diarrhea results from the overfeeding of vegetables, which is very common.  Hamsters have to be slowly introduced to vegetables.  Feed your hamsters one small piece of vegetable or fruit 3 times per week.  After about 3-4 weeks, then you can feed them a small piece of fruit or vegetable every day.  By slowly introducing them to vegetables and fruit, you'll prevent stomach problems.

Here's a list of safe, healthy fruits and vegetables for hamsters (from petwebsite.com):

Alfalfa
Apple (seedless)
Asparagus
Avocado (skinned and seedless)
Banana
Basil
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts - small amounts occasionally - not all hamsters like the strong taste
Calabrese
Cabbage - should only be fed in small amounts occasionally as too much can cause health problems
Carrots
Cauliflower leaves and stalks
Celery
Cherries - stones should be removed as they can be dangerous if gnawed
Chestnuts
Chicory
Chinese Leaves
Coriander
Corn-on-the-Cob
Corn Salad
Courgette
Cranberries
Cress
Cucumber
Curly Kale
Dates
Endive
Fenugreek
Feijoa
Figs
Grapes
Green beans
Kale - should only be fed in small amounts occasionally as too much can cause health problems
Kidney Beans (cooked)
Kiwi Fruit
Kumquat
Lettuce - small amounts occasionally - in excess it can cause liver problems
Logan Berries
Lychee
Mange Tout
Mango
Marrow
Melon
Mint
Mung
Okra
Pak Choy
Papaya
Parsley - a good tonic
Peach
Pear
Peas
Plums - stones should be removed as can be dangerous when gnawed
Potato (cooked)
Raspberries
Raspberry Plant leaves - beneficial for diarrhoea
Rhubarb (cooked)
Rocket Chard
Sage
Sorrel
Squash
Star Fruit
Strawberries
Sugar Cane - small amounts
Sweet Potato
Soybean Sprouts
Swede
Sweetcorn
Sweet Peppers
Ugli Fruit
Turnip
Water Chestnuts
Watermelon
Water Spinach

If a vegetable or fruit is not on the list, don't feed it to your hamster, to be on the safe side :)

Have a great day!

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

Kelly