Massive change in behaviour..

Elibobs · 04-12-2014, 05:35 PM

Hey!
So we have had Eli for about 6 weeks, 3 weeks ago we got him a nice new cage.
We also made him a new play pen! Taming him has been a hard process so far, we are both totally new to this and we don't think he was handled at all before we got him! So far he has been really jumpy, nervous and half the time - scared of his own shadow! Over the last 2 weeks he has reluctantly let us stroke him but he didn't really seem to enjoy it! He also had a pretty solid cage routine, he would wake up, hide somewhere, do some cleaning and then we would get him out for play time (which mainly involves hiding in corners and attempting to escape!), after playtime he would go back in his cage, hide in his house until we went away and then he would play on his wheel when we were asleep! And that's how it has been until about 5 days ago...
On Monday I put his ball in the cage to transfer him to his playpen and he refused to get in. On Tuesday I did it again and after about an hour I managed to get him into his play pen for him to just hide on the corner. On Wednesday and Thursday he refused to come out AGAIN and then suddenly, on Friday he went MANIC! Climing areas of the cage he's never been in/on before, jumping off things and running around like a maniac! And he spent all yesterday's and todays playtime climbing all over us like we are his new favourite toys! And after play timr he's been going crazy in his cage again. No hiding!

I'm not moaning, im happy that he seems happy but is this change in behaviour normal? Is it his age? It just seems very sudden!

Elibobs · 04-12-2014, 05:39 PM

He has also been doing lots of sniffing and rubbing!

Also, sorry for the spelling and bad grammar, my phone doesn't like it when I write long posts!!

SmallPetLoverUK · 04-13-2014, 04:54 AM

Eli is probably just one of those naturally skittish hamsters. What I would do is try another taming technique. Go on Erinshamsters channel and look at her video on how to tame a hamster. Go slow and if the anti-social behavior continues, ask your local vet. He could just be stressed out

BrainGirl · 04-13-2014, 07:03 AM

Elibobs, I would just enjoy the new behaviour

It doesn't sound worrying at all and he probably does think you're his new favourite toys! It's amazing sometimes when it seems that something just "clicks" and they go from being fearful to, "Hey! This hooman is a source of good things!"

RhiannonJ · 04-17-2014, 12:13 PM

About the rubbing, if you mean rubbing his body against his cage and toys, my hammy did that too when he was about 6 weeks old too! I think it was him scenting everything. He was running round and round repeatedly (and dementedly) rubbing against the sides. It really freaked me out, but I think he was just scent marking as two little wet patches appeared on his scent glands. I guess they just sometimes go a bit crazy as they hit hamster puberty xD