Hi all
I know that hamsters are nervous little things at first, but I've had a new Syrian for a few days now and she's still
very skittish. For the first night and all through each day she's been hiding out in the tunnel that goes around the back of the cage. She's been building up food stores and bedding in there so I know she's leaving to get that, but I'm not sure how to get her to come out otherwise.
I've been leaving a treat by her water bottle on occasion because she didn't seem to be drinking anything and she's now doing that perfectly fine from what I can tell, and she's active in the cage a little bit at night and when I'm not around, but she always runs back to the tube the moment someone walks past the room. She sleeps a lot too, sort of on and off all day and night.
She was in her little house rather than the cage earlier but I think I spooked her when I opened the bedroom door and I'm worried that being in and out of the room is making things worse for her!
I guess what I'm asking is for tips on encouraging her out a bit. She'll sniff my finger through the airhole on the tube but sometimes she tries to chew the holes because of it, and she came out last night and was sitting on the shelf watching me while I was in bed but that's the most I've had out of her.
Also, I need to spot clean the cage and clean the tunnel out ASAP really because it's getting quite messy in there - what's the best way to go about getting her out in order to clean it, and should I put the bedding and food back in there afterwards?
Sorry for so many questions!