Hamsters

Playing dead If your hamster lies absolutely still, usually on his back, he is extremely frightened. He is trying to pre- tend to be dead to fool a predator. If you see your hamster do this, leave him alone for 24 hours to recover. Think about what might have caused him to have been so very frightened. It may have been a loud noise, a sudden bright light, or being chased and grabbed. Try to avoid the situation occurring again.

Rolling on his back If you startle your pet, for example by trying to pick him up when he is not fully awake, he may roll over on his back, kick, and bite. While freezing and running away are the ham- ster’s main form of self-defence,

kicking and biting is another way of defending himself from what he perceives as a danger.

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