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Originally Posted by Ria P
Lovely habitat! I also like colour and coloured plastikote has become my new best friend. My hamster's houses now have stripey roofs, lol.
That is so sad about Twinkle and must have been so traumatic for you as well. One of ours escaped the other night and luckily she was found running around in our bedroom.
I just had a thought. Access to Oreo's habitat is from above so maybe he gets scared because your hand is coming from above and he can't see you coming.
You could try lifting your hand gradually when he is sitting on it to eat and he may let you lift him out of his habitat eventually or to get him used to hands and the movement of hands. When your other hand is level with the hand he's sitting on he may let you stroke him because he can see and smell the hand since it is then not coming from above. That would take time of course.
I once got bitten by a tame hamster because i stupidly approached him from behind and tried to pick him up when he couldn't see me. His natural instinct of a prey animal kicked in and he swung his head round to bite.
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Right, I get what you're saying. I hadn't thought of that but what I had been trying to do was show him my thumb or hand in front of him and then stroke his back and he still flinched but not as badly. But yes I think that you're right in that he is probably nervous with a new home and a hand coming from above probably doesn't help. He is gradually starting to recognise the click of the magnet holding down the lid and stands up on his hind legs to see my hand come down. I believe he thinks I'm the food lady because he always looks rather excited when I put my hand down and then gets disappointed when he realises that there is no food. He will jump up and look at my hand to see if there is any food as well
I always laugh at him because he never stops finding ways to fall over backwards or tumble. Don't worry, I always check to see if he is alright after.