Help! My Hamster is scared of the storm!

[Gemma_xo]

Zak is freaking out with the thunder and lightening at the moment and unfortunately I think it's in for the long haul. Every time a bit of thunder or lightening goes off he darts out of his house and runs from end to end of his cage, he did trip over a few boredom busters in there on the first run, so I've moved everything to the edge of the cage or even out of it to avoid him getting hurt, so that's one worry sorted.

He's not fully comfortable with me just yet because I haven't had him that long and we're still working on not biting me when he's in my hands (I think it's a fear thing as he doesn't do it to anyone else), I put my hand in his cage slowly with a treat to try distract him, but the running continues as soon as thunder or lightening hits. I've got all windows & curtains closed and I'm sitting with him by his cage, I wont take him out of the cage in case he jumps out of my hands.

I don't know how to make him feel comfortable, I am trying to talk to him with a soft voice telling him it's okay & he's okay and calling him a good boy etc when he's not running around.
He started shaking when the bad weather started and every so often stops and shakes.

I'm at a total loss of how to comfort him, I've only ever had cats to comfort during this weather and they're much bigger and aren't too tiny to cuddle.

Any advice please? I have no idea how long this storm is in, but from what I've been told it could be a couple hours at least and I just want him to know he's safe really...

Thank you

[Pebbles82]

It's difficult isn't it. I'm not sure what to advise if you don't handle him much. Do you take him out of the cage at all? ie in his ball? If so maybe you could get him out in his ball or a tube and pop him next to you on a scrunched up blanket and try stroking him a bit. If that's not an option, how about putting some soothing music on - hams seem to like some music and it might be a distraction from the storm noises. Charlie likes nursery rhymes and classical music.

[RubyDG]

Take a thick blanket and cover his cage. Leave a small gap for ventilation. The blanket should muffle the noise a bit and make him feel more secure but make sure he doesn't chew on it. I assume because of the storm the hot weather has broken but do check he doesn't get too hot inside either.

[Gemma_xo]

Got the blanket over his cage (with a thermometer attached to the cage with suckers which is always there, so I will keep an eye on the temperature), thanks for that idea, I'd never have thought about it. I put his ball in there, he normally goes straight in it but now he just wont go near it, won't even entertain it, he squealed at it for a second then carried on running so I took it out after about a minute, I don't think he wants in the ball.
if he doesn't settle with the blanket I'll scrunch it up on my bed & put him on it, maybe that will help because he'll be closer to me without me trying to handle him.

Also got a nursery rhyme CD on low volume (yay for working in Childcare!), maybe that'll also help, thanks for that tip!

I do try to handle him normally on a nightly basis, I'm taking things really slow, he only yesterday climbed on my hand with his own doing and sat there whilst I moved my hand around in his cage (figured if he was on my hand in his territory, he would realise I'm not a threat and the next step would be lifting him up just off the floor of the cage and work my way out of the cage), so I don't want to just dive in and pick him out of the cage, I know I would be insanely unhappy if a huge hand came in and picked me up out of my flat :P

Slow progress is still progress in my opinion, and I want to make sure (with him being my first hamster) that I get right the first time

[Piebald]

Poor guy! I'd be inclined to leave him be, as hard as that seems because I know you want to help. The blanket is a good idea (with the caveats) and if he has a place to burrow and hide if he chooses anything else you do is likely to 1) upset him even more as it adds another thing to manage and 2) create an association in his mind with you/your hand and the thunder. The latter may have longer term consequences. I would not recommend taking him out of his cage where he feels safest even though he is running around in it. xx

ETA I'd also be inclined to leave his cage as much as possible the way it normally is although removing items he might hurt himself on in a panic is a good idea.

[Gemma_xo]

Thank goodness for phones, I've got the blanket on there so there's plenty of air for him, now walked away & left him to it. He's moving stuff around on his own so I'm just gonna let him get on with it, he'll have his cage his way & that's the end of it, I suppose he's trying to distract himself from the noise too.
There's plenty of bedding to burrow in all over the cage so the option to hide in a box, tube or even his house and burrow is all there for him. He's in his wheel now and is going at some insane speed, again probably trying to keep himself busy.

I'll leave him alone then because he wont come to my hand anyway, so I guess leaving him is my only option. Thank you
I've moved his cage into a corner of my bedroom, farthest place away from a window in my flat (he normally stays in the front room, but I'm sure I can manage tonight with him in the bedroom because the windows are different and thicker in there too so it might make it marginally quieter too!)

Hopefully the storm passes soon, it can't be nice for any animal at all =/
I hope everyone else's furry friends are okay too! I can only imagine the struggle others are having!

[Piebald]

How is he today? I imagine exhausted. He'll probably sleep today/tonight. Maybe give him some high energy treats to help get his mojo back.

[Gemma_xo]

The Storm stayed for about 3 hours, Zak rarely settled all night and I haven't slept either. The street lights were flickering like crazy for ages and someone knocked on all of our doors panicking saying turn all the plugs & lights off so I was just sat in darkness for ages with listening to Zak go frantic.

He settled slightly when I came into my room and just lay in bed, so I think leaving him alone but being near him helped a bit. I daren't look outside my window as I live on a park & the wind took a few trees down too, my neighbour was frantic about his roof being put in by a tree (we're on the top floor), so I had him shouting at me most of the way through the storm because he was worried, left me little time to see to Zak which annoyed me!

But I've just changed his food and water, his cage looks pretty rearranged his usual way. He come out for a drink and then back to sleep, I don't expect to see him much until tomorrow night anyway so he can get some rest. Gonna leave him in the bedroom so it'll be super quiet because I'd imagine that's all he wants now!

Thanks again for all your help. Really did help!

[Piebald]

Whew how harrowing! Sounds like your neighbours needed a hamster wheel too
Glad it's over! xx

[RubyDG]

Glad your little guy got through that okay , it sounds like the storm was a pretty big one!