[g12gordon]

Hi, I've kept hamsters for years. Sadly Daniel recently died of old age and I now have Emma. Both are lovely creatures, both seem very healthy, both very tame, and both very smart.
I have a Rotostack 'cage' (at times its been more of a mansion, but currently consists of 3 modules connected with tubing). From the first time either hamster was out its house both have been able to work out how to climb up the bars of the lower part then climb up the perspex parts and get back into their house... its all they want to do when I take them out and put them on the table alongside their house. Daniel was never very active, and if disturbed in his bed would simply pull the covers over and turn his back on me... even gentle prodding or coaxing often failed to get him out his bed. I think he was just very laid back and tame, and liked to be comfortable. In fact he used to use some bedding to make comfortable seats in areas where he would sit waiting for fruit and veg to be passed through the bars.
I did wonder whether I was being too nice to Daniel, and wondered whether I should challenge him more rather than indulge him... but I try where possible to let my hamsters do their own thing and work with their character and behaviour rather than challenge it.
As I said, Daniel died, quite simply he was old, and now I have Emma. She is lovely, tame, bright & intelligent , but she has taken up residence in the tubes connecting the various parts of the cage. She has pulled bedding into the tubes, got food there too, and seems reluctant to come out. Again I think she is just very comfortable there. If i take her out and put her on the table she climbs up two stories and is back in the cage and in the tubes in a flash. I did put her into part of the cage and take the tubes away, but she seemed distressed so a minute later the tubes were back and Emma was back in her favourite part of the tubes.
I've had hamsters for years, but Daniel and Emma both seem far too fond of their home and of the areas they have chosen as their bed. I've now had Emma for a week and see no change in her initial behaviour. Tempting her out with treats just results in the treats being taken into the tubes. In the pet shop she was the most active of the hamsters but now she is not tempted by her wheel.
So what should I do? Is it best to let Emma do her own thing as I did with Daniel or should I challenge as nicely as possible,eg putting Emma into one part of her home and removing tubes so she has to become accustomed to home without tubes? (and then reintroduce them? Or what?)
(Photo Daniel (left) / Emma (right))