I got a baby hamster 3 days ago, I think it's about 3 inches in length. I've been told everything about how to handle them, but I don't understand this one's behavior becuase I've never had a hamster. He is in a 10 gallon tank, with a wheel, cardboard toiletpaper rolles, a house, toys, and food and a thick layer of bedding. All he does is either run and run and run on the wheel or jump on the glass trying to escape. If I even slowly lower my hand into the tank he scurries the other direction or buries himself. Someone told me to hold my hand out with a treat and wait for him to walk onto it- I waited 30 minutes, and nothing happened and I had to stop because it was cutting off the circulation in my hand!! If I try to pet him myself, he rolls on his back, freezes, and bares his teeth. I did not handle him the first 24 hours, I have no idea what I am doing wrong. He is a male and by himself in the cage
Answers:
Please buy a wire cage for your new hamster with a plastic bottom. It breaks my heart when I see them in glass cages, its so restricting for them. Hamsters need as much space as possible to feel free, to get exercise and to feel at home. The bigger the cage the better. This could well be your problem here, he does not sound a happy hamster.
I have had my syrian hamster a year. When I first got him he was very small. I brought him the basic starter home, plastic bottom, and plastic walls and lid. He hated it. It restricted him, and he would try to scamble and scratch his way up the sides of the plastic to escape and it broke my heart. He grew so fast as well, he doubled his size within weeks.
In the end me and my husband got him a wired, 3 storey cage. So in theory 3 times the size of his original cage, but because it was wired he felt less enclosed. It truly is his palace now. He has a seperate nesting area on each level, secret hidden treats on each level, ceral chew bars, and of course tubes for him to get to each level. Yes, its a chore to clean and disinfect everyweek but he adores it, and he is the happiest, healthiest hamster I know of.
He clearly needs alot of attention too, He sounds scared of you. But dont panic. Please keep doing what you are doing, but get him a better cage first and leave hima week or so to settle in before attempting to handle him again. Its a mixture of pot luck and loving, caring handeling to whether or not your hamster is tame. It will happen though. We were blesses to have such a laid back, cuddley hamster like Harry, but not everyone has this experiance with hamsters. People assume because they are so small, they dont need alot of care and attention, but as your finding out first hand, it could not be further from the truth. Once he has settled in and starts to trust you he will demand an awful lot of attention to come out and play at all sorts of random hours. Harry will want to come out and play, but instead he often just curls up on the sofa next to me for a doze!! Be patient, invest in a proper cage for your hamster and with luck all will be fine.
Because he's a hamster. Get a hound. Give the poor guy a break and give him to my cat already.
because he is a roadent not a dog he is not looking for effection he is looking to eat and reproduce
put a snake in there, that''ll spice up the show
I know a lot of people who have hamsters in tanks, but I personally hate it. The wire cages are good, because not only can they breathe, but you can see him better and it's cooler. Tanks = not good (my opinion). Once I brought my first hamster, she ran away from me all the time.But, once you start petting her and like comforting her, then, I THINK that it'll get close to you. But, depends because some hamsters just don't like to be touched and played with. If u get the dwarf hamster, those are hard to take care of because they're small and like mini...so also wire cages can be an issue with the dwarf hamsters..but, like golden hamsters, they are ok. it's probably because the hamster miss it's home. Try to touch him, but be careful, because he might bite. Some just don't want to be touched. Funny moment- one time, i was sleeping and all i could hear was the wheel moving in the cage, i got really pissed and it was like 4 in the morning, I taped wheel in the wire and 5 minutes later, she ripped the tape and started running again on the wheel. It was annoying, but I understood. Yeah. Well, good luck taking care of your hamster!!
Just give him time and keep trying! He has to get use to you! He probably was not handled at the store you got him from, he is just scared! Keep trying the treats, and maybe some company would help, if you do buy another hamster ask the sales person to handle them 1st to see how it behaves, if it lets him pick it up and doesn't bite or try to run and hide then buy it! It all ways help to see how an animal reacts 1st. Good luck!
ALL BABY HAMSTERS DO THIS. OFFER HIM LITTLE TREARS FORM YOUR HAND AN DHE WILL GET USED TO YOU.
He doesn't sound happy with his enviorment. A 10 gallon tank is very small. There is cage toppers out there (usually metal) that go on top of 10 galls at they basically can use the bottom tank half for digging or whatnot (put soil in there). Then the top you can put a wheel in/food/water/bed.
I had hamsters growing up. They take alot of time to socialize. Don't give up. You could try taking him out, go in the bathroom or sit in the bath %26 let him run around, he will walk on you this way- smell you %26 come near you will getting excersize. Just remember, he's a baby %26 just got taken away from mom- so be patient! Good luck!
my hamster used to not pay attention to me at all. but when i showed her that if she goes on my hand, and i let her run around the room, she knows my hand will let her free. so everytime i put my hand in there, she runs on to my hand. hamsters are generally not interested in ppl, just cuz they're mice and they don't understand things like dogs and cats. if your hamster doesn't come to you, try picking him up and putting him on your hand. but make sure that you don't have any food smell on you or else he'll bite, and don't do it if he's sleeping.
About how old is your hamster and what breed is it? The young ones (under 10 weeks) aren't social mature enough to know not to bare the teeth at you. This is a defense posture and he thinks you are an intruder there to harm him. Try offering a piece of food first to give him a different scent and to say you're friendly. Careful of the fingers, try a piece of wheat bread or something with finger safety distance. Try getting him to go into one of the toilet paper rolls first then get him to come out into your hand, we did this with many of them and it worked quite well. Remember to always talk to him the whole time with a gentle voice. If there's any nervousness on you're part they will pick it up and act that way too. You've only had him a few days and we've had some hamsters that took 2 months to stop this behavior (they were rescues and mistreated). Most were friendlier in less then a month. I was working with one we got in last week and in just a few days, my 11 yr old daughter could hold him in his cage (in case he jumped for his safely), sadly he passed tonight unexplained.
Personally I only use tanks for my mice since they're too small for most all wire cages, but we use mesh tops for maximum ventilation. All my other small animals (rescues and private pets) are all housed in wire top cages and they love them. Just be cautious of the chewing and make them stop (easier said then done sometimes). Bar chewing can lead to broken teeth, misaligned teeth and teeth pulled out at the root if caught where 2 pieces of metal are close together. Plus it's very nerve racking to hear them chew on them.
May I ask you what bedding you use? Using cedar or pine should not be done due to the chemicals in them that when mixed with the urine create toxic fumes thet will build up in a cage and even more easily in a tank. This can cause respiratory infections or death to small animals. Also pine and other wood litters like aspen cause allergies in them that cause watery eyes, sneezing and in some cases respiratory infections. (I know this from past prior experience and getting small animals from those who housed them in the wood litters that became sick within a few days of having them or that were sick and the vet diagnosed these problems.) I only became aware of these problems with wood litters within the last 3 years as a now former breeder. I started small animal rescues this year. We have been using only paper litters such as Care Fresh and the allergies have not been seen. Even our allergies have lessened over the last few years since finding out about what wood litters cause in small animals. I even this my one cat was allergic to the woods because his hair has grown back and stayed, but before he lost his had and itched all the time. I had used a pine cat litter for the last few years and stopped last year.
It's a new home so he is going to be aggitated and rushed for a while. He is just thinking "what the?! where did this cage come from?!" and he is probably used to being with a lot of other hammies just like at the pet shop. Don't worry. He will soon get used to his new home and his new ways of living and he will be calmed down enough for you to start getting friendly with him and he will trust everything more. He is just a little bit startled. Good luck!
He might just be scared so try to soothe him by talking to him softly or just being
near him. I doesn't sound like he is bored so that isn't the problem. maybe he wants some company maybe another hamster. it also might be that he is just not used to his new environment. give him some time. if it continues take him to the vet.
Hope that helps:)
he is just afraid... all you have to do is get him use to being held.. it will take time but soon he will love to sit in ur lap.
sometimes males are meaner than the females, offer him snacks, like sunflower seeds, yogurt drops, etc, yes your bedding is good, you can also get super shavin's at petsmart or petco, its good too. about the cage, I prefer the crittertrail type at petsmart, and petco, they have open air flow which is good, also some have 2 and 3 levels, and get an exercise ball, about $4-5 same store, they love to run in them. if it dosn't get better in a few weeks, get rid of it and get a syrian at petsmart, they sell only females. he's scared because if you put anything over them ie your hand, they assume its an attacker swooping down on them, so go get a crittertrail cage, it has a front door, and also sky towers to get in and out.
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