Need help with shy hamster :(

[Colby and the Dwarfs]

The trick, in my opinion, is be dominate, but not scary. Use gloves and hold her. If she bites, don't put her down, but don't rough house her. Don't give up!

And PLEASE don't take her to the shop! She will, ultimately, die there.

[Truffle]

I would just like to add, that most people have a shittish hamster at some point in there lives and it does take time and patience but in the end it can be very rewarding. Mischief my syrian came from a pet shop and it took be a total of three months to tame her as she was very nervous and flighty, she also used to bite alot. I got to the point (like you) of almost giving up, but I persevered and honestly it is one of the best things that I have ever done. Now she is so friendly and confident.

Please remember that your hammie is still very young indeed and you have not had her a great lenght of time. Some hamsters take longer than others to adjudge to there new surroundings...

[Nush]

It can be very disheartening taming a skittish hamster. When I was taming mine, it did feel like I was doing something wrong because my Syrian would jump or run away every time I was near him but in reality you're not doing anything wrong.

I agree with the others you have to take it very slow - baby steps. And build a strict routine around the hamster so they know what to expect.

First, I'd say, make sure the room in which you're in has dim light. It makes a huge difference with skittish hamsters. Before you approach the hamster cage, make sure you talk to her so that she knows you're around but she might still jump when she sees you. Once she realises you're going to visit every night, she'll learn to expect it.
Also I give my hammy a treat every night because otherwise I might not get to see him but I cut up his piece of broccoli in 2 or three bits so that I can give it to him for a long period. After I've done that, I'll close the door and leave so that my hamster doesn't have time to feel scared of my presence.

After a week of that, you can start offering her the ball after treats so that she has an opportunity to come out. The first time, I'd put a treat in there so that she goes in but aftre that I'd let her choose of her own accord whether she wants to come out.

But it will feel like you're take two steps forward and one step back. That's how taming feels sometimes. Don't get disheartened and keep doing what you're already doing. She'll come round at some point.

BTW: The Acorn house looks ok to me. I'm not sure of dimensions but it doesn't have a bottom and should not have condensation so I'd do the cleaning on a weekly basis and see how she does.

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Thank you very much for all of the support. It's just very super discouraging to see her become more frightened than when she first got here. I spent the remainder of last night wondering what would happen to her if I took her back. I would feel guilty and always worry about what would become of her. I will try to be patient with her and I will try to work with her.

I've been reading up on some stuff on hammysworld.com and it seems like I might have done some wrong things after all.

I would clean her nest in its entirety every day because she would pee in her Acorn and I worried about her getting respiratory disease. I wouldn't save anything, I have would just toss everything, even her food nest and give her new bedding. The next thing would be that I did give her cage a full weekly cleaning last week on Tuesday. I didn't save any of her bedding and everything was cleaned. The final thing I would do was to clean her wheel everyday since she kept peeing in it.

Thinking back on it, if I had to pinpoint the time she started acting more scared it would be right after I gave her cage a full cleaning. This worries me because it's almost time for another cleaning.

1. Would these little changes truly frighten her this much?
2. Is it odd for her to lay perfectly still?
3. Should I keep her cage covered so she can adjust or should I let her get used to seeing me around the room?
4. I want to give her the space she needs so she can get comfortable but I worry that by not interacting with her daily, I will be come more foriegn and scary to her.
5. Once I do start to handle her, what should I do if she just sits on my hand and doesn't want to walk? I've carried her before and she will just lay there.

[KWsHamstery]

Woah, no need to take her back to the petshop, you haven't even had her for two weeks yet, and that is how long it typically takes them to get used to their surroundings. And with you taking out her peed on bedding, maybe longer.
I take in rescues often, and if I have learned anything its that every hamster works at their own pace. I took in a rescue about 3 weeks ago, and for the first two weeks every time he saw my hand or heard me he would jump and squeel so loud! He wanted nothing to do with my hand when it was in the cage, and when I managed to touch him he would throw himself on his back squealing like he had been shot!
It is now week three, and with patience, he is slowly but surely coming around. He no longer squeals at me, and will allow me to touch him some, and has actually become curious about my hand.
I've had to hand tame many hamsters, some come around in 3 weeks, some 3 months. The important thing is for you to not get discouraged.
As ElegantHam said, she WILL come around.

Also, yes cleaning her nest that often can cause fear, because in their mind some unknown force is taking over their area, she feels like a guest in her own home! That is enough to stress anyone. I wouldn't cover her over, she needs to get used to your presence. I've found singing in the same room as my hams, talking on the phone in the same room, and just being in the same room as them helps so much with taming. The more used to your presence she is the less fear she will have.
Hamsters are perfectly still if they are unsure, or just curious. I know mine will freeze mid air if they think they hear something interesting. Its just normal behavior. If she just sits in your hand, pet her gently with one or two fingers and speak softly to her. Make sure your hand is low enough so that she can dismount safely if she chooses to.
I would continue to interact daily, just small steps, talking to her outside the cage, giving her treats. But definitely DO NOT continue changing her bedding so often. I wouldn't change any of it for at least one week. And always leave some behind for her.

I do hope all this helps! x

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Originally Posted by Nush

It can be very disheartening taming a skittish hamster. When I was taming mine, it did feel like I was doing something wrong because my Syrian would jump or run away every time I was near him but in reality you're not doing anything wrong.....

Thank you, it does make me feel better knowing that I'm not alone in this experience.

The room she is in does have a very bright, natural light bulb. Once it gets dark I will turn it off and keep the bathroom light on. I've also been offering her treats on a daily basis so I will continue to do that.

I haven't gotten her a ball because it doesn't seem like she would enjoy it. Seems like she would just sit still like she usually does.

The Acorn seems to measure 5" L X 3.5" W X 4" H. I went ahead and got her an igloo.

What should I do if she doesn't want to come out of her home even if I'm offering her a treat?

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Originally Posted by KWsHamstery

Woah, no need to take her back to the petshop, you haven't even had her for two weeks yet, and that is how long it typically takes them to get used to their surroundings. And with you taking out her peed on bedding, maybe longer.....

Thank you very much! You've managed to make me feel silly and ashamed of myself but that's good, thank you.

Thinking about it from her perspective, I would be irritated if my roommates came into my room and moved my stuff around and took my food. I would be angry and stressed. I honestly wasn't aware that this would cause her such stress but I will be more considerate and respect her more.

Thank you very much for all of the advice. I will keep all of it in mind and practice it.

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Thanks again to everyone for all of the advice and the support.

I won't be taking her back. I will keep her and I will work with her. I do feel awful that I did research through by using hamster books and none of them mentioned anything about how important their nesting area is to them. Had I known I would've respected her nest. I just hope that I haven't done too much harm.

I would be sincerely thankful for any more help or advice for my situation because there simply isn't anywhere else that I feel like I can turn for advice. It also helps to when other people can relate to what I'm going through and tell me that it will be alright. It does make me feel more confident when I know that other people have gone through the same experience, or worse and things turn out for the best in the end.

I do feel ashamed and silly for even thinking about giving up on her... And I apologize for it. I haven't had any kids but this sure does feel like those new mothers who breakdown on their first baby because the whole experience is unknown to them.

[Nush]

I'll try to answer the questions:

1. Would these little changes truly frighten her this much?
It can scare, even a bold Syrian if their scent is taken out of the cage. She's still settling so she's trying to establish her scent in her cage. I think for the time being, don't do a clean. If you give her a sand bath, she can wee in the sand bath and you can empty the corner of the bath every day. You can do a spot clean instead for another week then go back to cleaning the cage.

2. Is it odd for her to lay perfectly still?
She's freezing. It's a defence mechanism when prey animals stay completely still so that predators wouldn't spot them. I've always thought when they freeze it's a very good time to stroke them if they are sat on you. So I gently stroke them and talk to them until they unfreeze. it's good sometimes to give her some cover like a tea (cardboard) box so that when they feel unsafe they go in and I can carry my hamster back to his cage in his tea box!

3. Should I keep her cage covered so she can adjust or should I let her get used to seeing me around the room?
You can keep it covered because it keeps the light down. But I'd talk to her, sing to her and make sure she knows you're around. She'll get used to your voice quicker.

4. I want to give her the space she needs so she can get comfortable but I worry that by not interacting with her daily, I will be come more foriegn and scary to her.
Some hamsters will always want to stay in more than come out. Sometimes you have to let them come out on their own terms. As long as you've provided them with a big space and toys, she'll be ok. But trainging them to come out for a treat every day, means you can check on them and make sure things are fine.
What treat do you give her?

5. Once I do start to handle her, what should I do if she just sits on my hand and doesn't want to walk? I've carried her before and she will just lay there.
Put a hand over her head so that she's in the shadow. That gives her the impression she's covered from predators and talk to her gently.

Also when you give her extra nesting material, rub your hands on the tissues and hold them for a few minutes while your watching tv so that your scent transfers to the tissues. Then when you give it to her, she'll get used to your scent a lot quicker.

Don't worry too much about this set back, she'll definitely settle. Just make sure you take things slowly and you'll get there.

BTW: Does she like her wheel? If she does, she might like a hamster ball and sometimes that gets a hamster to be tamed quicker. They want to come out and they wait for you by the door because they know you'll bring the exercise ball over.

[a_small_pineapple]

On the pee-ing in the bed thing... my most recent monster did the same thing at first. I think she just wasn't used to having such a big space all for herself after those little adoption cages in the shop. It took a couple of weeks before she really seemed to understand that the whole cage is just for her and she doesn't have to hide in her nest.
Once she seemed to feel a bit more secure she picked a new pee corner away from her nest.

I leave the first clean out for a bit longer than usual and only scoop out any very obviously soiled substrate... you could try that now, just skip a cage clean and see if she settles at all.

You've been doing well really, better than most probably since you care enough to actually come and ask questions!