Home
Why Is My Hamster Sleeping In The Corner Of Their Cage?
© Provided by Pets Radar hamster sleeping in the corner of their cage Is your hamster sleeping in the corner of their cage? It's a question that many proud parents of pocket pets can find themselves pondering.
Good news is this is fairly natural behavior amongst our furry friends. Even if you've provided your hammy with one of the best hamster cages with plenty of room to spread out in, you may find that they still prefer sleeping huddled into a corner.
If your hamster is spending a lot of time hanging out in the corners of their cage, there are several possible explanations. Fear and illness are two common reasons for this behavior, but it could also be worth double checking how to set up a hamster cage, as hammies will often sleep in the corner when the rest of their environment isn't quite to their liking.
Sleeping in the corner isn't always a cause for concern though. Hamsters love nothing more than setting up a cozy nest for themselves and corners are a great place to do this. The corners of the cage offer a lot of warmth, comfort and security, so it could be that this is simply your pocket pets preferred sleep spot.
When considering why your hamster is sleeping in the corner of their cage, it's worth noting whether this behavior is new or whether they've always been this way. Abrupt changes in your pocket pets routine or behavior are important to investigate, so if this is a new occurrence, be sure to speak with your vet.
To help you figure out whether your hamster's behavior is normal or a reason to be worried, we do a deeper dive below into the most common causes that drive hamsters to sleep in the corner of their cage. Plus, what to do if you're worried about your precious pet. Let's take a look…
Why is my hamster sleeping in corner of cage?There are a range of contributing factors that can cause your hammy to choose the corner of their cage to sleep in. Some are completely benign, while others have the potential to be more of a concern.
1. FearIf you've only just welcomed your little pocket pet into your family, it could be that your hamster is scared of you and this is causing them to want to spend all of their time sleeping in the corner of their cage. Hamsters tend to be highly suspicious creatures and it can take some time for them to trust both you and their new environment.
But for those of you that have had your hamster for a while, it's likely that other things are driving their fear-based behavior. Loud noises, sudden movements, and changes to their environment are all things that can freak a hammy out and when a hamster is scared, they tend to hide.
Normal hamster behavior will see your pocket pet sleeping a lot during the day but being fairly active at night. If you notice that your hammy seems to be sleeping in the corner of their cage for much of the day and night, it could be that their threat system has been activated and they're feeling scared.
2. IllnessGallery: Is your cat bored? Our top 10 tips to keep your furry friend amused at home (Pets Radar)
Hamsters don't tend to show signs of illness until they are really sick, so if you notice your hammy is sleeping a lot and that they're huddled into the corner of their cage, this is worth paying attention to. Excessive sleeping and uncharacteristic hiding behaviors are a good sign your pocket pet isn't feeling well.
You also want to be on the lookout for other signs and symptoms as well, such as:
If you notice any of the above or you're simply concerned about the amount of time your hammy is sleeping or where they're choosing to do it, we recommend you make an appointment with your vet who will be able to give your pocket pet a good check up.
3. Issues with their environmentHamsters are not ones for putting up with things they don't like and they'll tend to distance themselves from anything that displeases them. When it comes to their sleep spot they're very particular - it has to be cozy, warm, secure and above all else, clean.
Learning how to clean a hamster cage is one of the most beneficial things you can do as a pet parent. Your hammy may be more inclined to sleep in another spot if their cage is regularly freshened up. This means changing soiled bedding daily, cleaning their water and food bowls, and doing a deep clean once a month.
Aside from hygiene reasons, your hammy may also be sleeping in the corner because there are things going on in the surrounding home environment that are unsettling them. Lots of loud noises, from people or other pets, as well as having family members trying to touch or handle them, can cause hamsters to want to burrow into a corner where they feel safe.
4. It's their favorite sleep spotWhy is your hamster sleeping in the corner of their cage? Well, it could be that it's simply their favorite place to get their beauty sleep. Hamsters love creating a little nest for themselves and what's most important for them is that it's warm, cozy, secure and somewhere that they can really burrow into.
The corners of their cage are one of the most natural spots to create their nest as they're nicely tucked away, which creates a feeling of safety and comfort. If you find food or other items from around their cage tucked away in the corner, this is a good sign that your hammy is choosing to make the corner of their cage their home.
What to do if your hamster is sleeping in corner of cageBecause hamsters are prey animals that are easy targets in the wild, it's natural for them to want to sleep in a place where they feel safe and secure. If your hammy is engaging in normal sleeping practices (dozing during the day but being fairly active at night) it's unlikely that their choice of sleep spot is any cause for concern.
Likewise, if your hamster is continuing to eat well, plays with the best hamster toys you've bought them when they are awake, and is engaging in normal hamster behaviors, such as chewing, digging, and burrowing, then it's safe to say that they're sleeping in the corner of their cage because that's the place they've chosen to set up camp so to speak.
There's absolutely nothing you need to do if your hamster is sleeping in the corner of their cage because that's the place they feel the most comfortable and secure, but it is worth paying attention if you see this being accompanied by any out of the ordinary behaviors, such as:
If you're in any way concerned about the health and wellbeing of your furry friend, we recommend you speak with your vet who will be able to offer advice and guidance.
You might also find it helpful to check out our guides on how to help a stressed hamster and ways to keep your hamster happy, both of which are helpful if you're worried your pocket pet is feeling fearful or anxious.
Why Does My Daughter Keep Fainting?
Vasovagal attacks are the commonest reason for fainting.
They typically occur, for example, in a schoolchild who has missed breakfast, after standing for some time (typically in school assembly) or if faced with an unexpected stressful situation.
During such an attack the child may suddenly feel light headed, sweaty, perhaps nauseated and may describe changes in her vision and look pale and clammy.
She may go on to pass out completely and slump to the floor with brief loss of consciousness and some twitching.
The feeling may pass if she moves around or sits down for a while but she may remember feeling confused and dizzy.
Vasovagal attacks are caused by the vagus nerve being over active. This nerve slows the heart rate down and lowers blood pressure. If it suddenly becomes over active this lead to a rapid drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
As a result not enough blood (and therefore oxygen) gets to the brain. This leads to a brief loss of consciousness.
As soon as your daughter falls down, or if there is time, sits or lies down, her head is at the same level as her heart and blood rapidly flows back into her brain, making her come around.
It is important that someone who has seen your daughter have an attack is able to describe it in detail to her doctor. The story is the best way of making the diagnosis.
However her doctor may also need to examine her heart, blood pressure, and run some blood tests to make sure there is no underlying cause such as anaemia,low sodium or diabetes as such conditions could also make her faint.
Sometimes there can be confusion with fits or convulsion as someone who has a marked vasovagal attack may have jerking limbs which can resemble an epileptic fit.
The story of the episode is vital; in an epileptic fit the child has no memory of the fit whereas in a vasovagal attack the child can recall the events leading up to the faint. She will look very pale and possibly sweaty just before passing out whereas such signs are less common before a fit.
If it is a true fit she might be incontinent or bite her tongue whilst this is unusual in vasovagal attacks.
There are certain precautions your daughter can take in the meantime to avoid vasovagal attacks as they can lead to injuries during the fall as well as being embarrassing.
It is rare for vasovagal attacks to cause any long term problems. They tend to be commonest in the adolescent years probably associated with the hormonal changes of puberty. It is likely your daughter will outgrow them.
We recommend readers seek personal medical attention in appropriate circumstances.
Why Does My Daughter Bite?
It is upsetting when your own child bites you, especially if it happens when you are showing her how much you love her by giving her a big hug.
However much her behaviour may seem strange or hurtful to you do not let it worry you too much and certainly do not think that it means she is rejecting you because you are at work. If you love your job you should not give it up because of her biting or because of pressure from your family.
Nearly all young children go through a phase of biting. It is a normal stage in the way toddlers' behaviour develops between the ages of 1 to 3 years.
There are several reasons why a child bites:
It is likely she will bite the person she feels most confident with or closest to, in this case, yourself. This type of biting stops when she learns to express herself better by talking and is able to walk and play with other children ¿ usually by the age of two and a half.
There are some things you can do to try and prevent your daughter biting. First of all, plan activities that allow her to release her frustration.
Examples include physical activities such as taking her swimming, outside to the play park and toddler gyms. Reading her stories and playing with her favourite age appropriate toys will help improve her communication skills and make her feel that you are giving her your undivided attention.
You can give her something else to bite on, examples include teething rings (the ones you can cool beforehand in the fridge are especially soothing), wet washcloths, safe rubber toys etc.
Try cuddling her in a position where she is facing away from you, for example whilst reading her a book or watching a video with her. This will reduce the chance of her being tempted to bite you.
Ideas for coping when she does bite you:
1) Calmly remove her and put her somewhere quietly on her own. Say such things as 'you do not bite - it hurts' or 'biting is not allowed, it hurts me'.
2) Think about the events leading up to her biting you to see if you can predict when she is most likely to bite you. You may then be able to avoid similar circumstances. For example, if she always bites you when she is tired cuddle her facing away from you and make sure she has a sleep.
We recommend readers seek personal medical attention in appropriate circumstances.
Comments
Post a Comment