The best way to tell if your pet hamster is not feeling well is to be familiar with its habits. While hamsters have common behaviors, each one also has individual traits that only an attentive owner will notice.

A healthy hamster's common behaviors include:

Stretching, yawning and quickly grooming its fur as soon as it wakes up.

Being inquisitive - raising its nose in the air and vibrating its whiskers - when you open the cage door to give it food.

Busy activity at regular times - filling its cheeks with food, exploring the cage environment, playing with toys or hopping on the exercise wheel.

You can tell a healthy hamster from physical signs, too. The next time you hold your hamster, check it out. Look for bright, shiny eyes with no discharge in the corners; a smooth, sleek, satiny coat; a dry, not runny, nose; and a dry anal area.

Sick hamsters will look and act much differently, with dull eyes and ratty coats, and often will not move much or show the same interest in things. They should be looked at immediately by the vet, as these small creatures can quickly become seriously ill and die without help.

Keep your hamster healthy by making sure it has a great environment. Clean its cage every week and wash or replace its bedding. Keep the cage out of drafty, cold areas, and change its drinking water daily. Provide lots of chew toys and an exercise wheel. Pay your hamster regular attention, not only so it has regular stimulation, but also to accustom it to being held.

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