Hamsters away from home

For two consecutive days, we have given away 3 baby hamsters out of the 5. The previously lively tank now seems a little quiet and empty with only 4 hamsters left - 2 parents, 2 babies. Father made them a multi-storey house out of boxes with many holes for them to explore and poke their heads out, just the day before. He also put in the running wheel. I presume the hamsters love the wheel because at one point in time there were 4 hamsters in there and nobody could run. They just kind of sniff around until one gets bored and jumps out. Then when there are 2 inside the wheel and one is running, the other one has to run as well, regardless of whether it desires to do so. The little ones run really slowly because they just aren't used to the idea of a wheel.

Although now you would expect them to be running about late at night, climbing everywhere in the house, poking their nose around, fighting to get on the wheel just so that nobody can run, chasing after each other and practicing their high jump by jumping against the tank in an attempt to escape, last night they were relatively quiet. Only the parents were taking turns on the wheel while the other 2 babies were out of sight. I later saw one lying in a dark area, flat on its tummy and looking rather forlorn. I wonder if it is because it missed its siblings. I would imagine it is rather disconcerting to have 3 gone missing in two days.

Two of the hamsters were given to the brother's girlfriend. The hamsters have each other for company so I reckon that's alright. The other one is now with cousin YY. It was all alone in the small tank we had placed it in and we could see it was rather afraid. It was shitting a lot and scrambling about quite a bit instead of sniffing around calmly like it usually does in a new environment. Although YY has her own hamsters and the little one is sure to be in good hands, it is its first time, and last time, away from home, all alone in a strange environment.

Thinking about it is a little sad.