Hamster Central - View Single Post - Syrian hamster curious but terrified of everything

Syrianfriend · 07-21-2019, 01:47 AM

Hi everyone

I wondered if anyone has any ideas how I can make my latest hamster, Smudge, happy. He is a curious little thing but he is so scared!

I've had him 6 weeks and he was maybe 8 weeks old when I got him. He was an adoption from Pets at Home, but it turned out he'd just been separated from his cage mates for fighting, so he's not been maltreated or anything. I've had two other hamsters, one timid but loving and one very sociable, but this is the first baby hamster I've had.

When I first got him he was so frightened would jump out of his skin at nothing all the time. I even wondered if he was epileptic. I left him alone for about a week and things settled down a bit, but he still jolts and flinches a lot - big jolts that look really alarming. I've used the bathtub method to get him hand tame, but he still really dislikes being picked up and will never run onto my hands voluntarily. The only thing he's OK with is being sort of grabbed with one hand. Once I pick him up he's wriggly but OK, but I don't think he really enjoys it. This has been going on for around 4 weeks. He often goes to run in his wheel when I approach, to avoid being picked up!

He's a curious little thing and comes to the front of his cage to see what's going on, he likes running in his ball (at least he did, but lately he's started washing his face in it), and he likes it if I sing to him or chat with him. He's fine with taking treats from hands. He quite likes playing with toys, so I got him a big Alaska cage with extra space for playthings, but he's also scared of lots of them, like his hammock. Lately I've started running him free on the floor, as he's very curious, but he's also frightened of the open space and constantly flinching. I had a previous hamster who was timid and didn't like to run free, but he was happy being cuddled on the sofa, whereas Smudge definitely wants more.

I'm trying to take things slowly but I feel like if I totally take things at his pace he will never leave his cage!

Any thoughts on how I can give this little friend a bit more confidence?

Thanks!

07-21-2019, 01:47 AM
Syrianfriend Newborn Pup Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 18	Syrian hamster curious but terrified of everything Hi everyone I wondered if anyone has any ideas how I can make my latest hamster, Smudge, happy. He is a curious little thing but he is so scared! I've had him 6 weeks and he was maybe 8 weeks old when I got him. He was an adoption from Pets at Home, but it turned out he'd just been separated from his cage mates for fighting, so he's not been maltreated or anything. I've had two other hamsters, one timid but loving and one very sociable, but this is the first baby hamster I've had. When I first got him he was so frightened would jump out of his skin at nothing all the time. I even wondered if he was epileptic. I left him alone for about a week and things settled down a bit, but he still jolts and flinches a lot - big jolts that look really alarming. I've used the bathtub method to get him hand tame, but he still really dislikes being picked up and will never run onto my hands voluntarily. The only thing he's OK with is being sort of grabbed with one hand. Once I pick him up he's wriggly but OK, but I don't think he really enjoys it. This has been going on for around 4 weeks. He often goes to run in his wheel when I approach, to avoid being picked up! He's a curious little thing and comes to the front of his cage to see what's going on, he likes running in his ball (at least he did, but lately he's started washing his face in it), and he likes it if I sing to him or chat with him. He's fine with taking treats from hands. He quite likes playing with toys, so I got him a big Alaska cage with extra space for playthings, but he's also scared of lots of them, like his hammock. Lately I've started running him free on the floor, as he's very curious, but he's also frightened of the open space and constantly flinching. I had a previous hamster who was timid and didn't like to run free, but he was happy being cuddled on the sofa, whereas Smudge definitely wants more. I'm trying to take things slowly but I feel like if I totally take things at his pace he will never leave his cage! Any thoughts on how I can give this little friend a bit more confidence? Thanks!