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mh81092 · 06-25-2018, 11:34 AM

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry if this post is so long!!! This is my first time joining this forum and I just really wanted some advice. This is regarding my second hamster (my first hamster is still alive and doing well! 4 months old and extremely well tamed, friendly, and sweet!)

My boyfriend and I bought our second dwarf hamster, Lego, 4 days ago with the hopes of slowly introducing her to live with our other hamster, Gimli. (and we aren't planning on introducing them anytime soon and we know that we need to slowly put them both in a netural zone, etc.)

Both are girls (the name choice is a long story) and both are the same kind of hamster. It frustrated and upset me because when we first got Lego, the pet store worker was very careless and rude in handling her! He just picked her up, even though she was terrified and running away from him and he just put her into the box with no bedding or food... so naturally, Lego is going to be extremely distressed by all of this (I asked another pet store worker to add some of the bedding and food into the box). When Lego got to our house, she started to make that hissing? sound where she is extremely scared and distressed so we got her into her (temporary) cage.

Gimli lives in a big cage at the moment by herself and so we put Lego in Gimli's old cage (we cleaned it/washed it) temporarily while we get her to adjust to her new environment and surroundings. My boyfriend and I did what we were supposed to - leave Lego alone so she can slowly get used to her cage, etc. on her own terms. She was becoming more calm and I noticed that she was starting to come out more/do her own thing while I was around her.

The problem is that her temporary cage is on the other side of my desk and yesterday, I stupidly and accidentally knocked over my desk somehow and Lego's cage fell off the desk!!! I started to cry because I felt so bad because Lego is 100% most definitely traumatized by all of this - ESPECIALLY since she is a new hamster. I immediately picked up the cage and my poor baby is hissing (is that the right term?) again and EXTREMELY frightened. I left her alone again just so she can calm down but this morning, when she saw me, she immediately ran back into her hideout and started shaking. I feel awful and I want to cry thinking about it.

I guess I need some advice. I know time and patience is really what I need for her to build the trust but how long should I hold off from trying to handle her? Is she permanently just going to be traumatized? I definitely won't be introducing her to Gimli anytime soon. Is there any things I could do to make her less stressed? I feel awful and I really wish there was something I could do to make her less upset... I feel so guilty and I really was so stupid when I knocked over my desk. Now I'm scared my hamster will permanently hate me or never trust me again.

Any advice?

Thank you so much in advance!

06-25-2018, 11:34 AM
mh81092 Newborn Pup Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1	I need some advice! :( Hi everyone! I'm so sorry if this post is so long!!! This is my first time joining this forum and I just really wanted some advice. This is regarding my second hamster (my first hamster is still alive and doing well! 4 months old and extremely well tamed, friendly, and sweet!) My boyfriend and I bought our second dwarf hamster, Lego, 4 days ago with the hopes of slowly introducing her to live with our other hamster, Gimli. (and we aren't planning on introducing them anytime soon and we know that we need to slowly put them both in a netural zone, etc.) Both are girls (the name choice is a long story) and both are the same kind of hamster. It frustrated and upset me because when we first got Lego, the pet store worker was very careless and rude in handling her! He just picked her up, even though she was terrified and running away from him and he just put her into the box with no bedding or food... so naturally, Lego is going to be extremely distressed by all of this (I asked another pet store worker to add some of the bedding and food into the box). When Lego got to our house, she started to make that hissing? sound where she is extremely scared and distressed so we got her into her (temporary) cage. Gimli lives in a big cage at the moment by herself and so we put Lego in Gimli's old cage (we cleaned it/washed it) temporarily while we get her to adjust to her new environment and surroundings. My boyfriend and I did what we were supposed to - leave Lego alone so she can slowly get used to her cage, etc. on her own terms. She was becoming more calm and I noticed that she was starting to come out more/do her own thing while I was around her. The problem is that her temporary cage is on the other side of my desk and yesterday, I stupidly and accidentally knocked over my desk somehow and Lego's cage fell off the desk!!! I started to cry because I felt so bad because Lego is 100% most definitely traumatized by all of this - ESPECIALLY since she is a new hamster. I immediately picked up the cage and my poor baby is hissing (is that the right term?) again and EXTREMELY frightened. I left her alone again just so she can calm down but this morning, when she saw me, she immediately ran back into her hideout and started shaking. I feel awful and I want to cry thinking about it. I guess I need some advice. I know time and patience is really what I need for her to build the trust but how long should I hold off from trying to handle her? Is she permanently just going to be traumatized? I definitely won't be introducing her to Gimli anytime soon. Is there any things I could do to make her less stressed? I feel awful and I really wish there was something I could do to make her less upset... I feel so guilty and I really was so stupid when I knocked over my desk. Now I'm scared my hamster will permanently hate me or never trust me again. Any advice? Thank you so much in advance!