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Old 04-29-2016, 06:10 AM   #1
Libby01
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Question Handling a grumpy hamster during the day

So, I have a Russian dwarf who is really sweet but during the daytime he gets a bit grumpy, even if he's up on his own. He mostly seems to wake up at gone 1 AM, so I hardly ever see him unless I'm up at night working. He's really sweet and lets me stroke him and pick him up but it's just not ideal. I feel mean that I don't get to get him out much because of this reason. What does everyone else do to make sure that their hamster gets some socialising/bonding/enrichment time with you? I don't want to keep waking him up during the day because I don't want him to hate me, I haven't had him that long so he's still quite nervous.
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Old 04-29-2016, 06:47 AM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Handling a grumpy hamster during the day

How long is not long?

He may still be a nervous about coming out although if he lets you pick him up & stroke him it does sound as though he's settling in well.
When you say grumpy during the day when is he getting up other than 1am that is?
Most russians, or at least the ones I've had seem to be early risers in the evening but then prefer to do their own thing more with less interaction later in the evening or late at night.
It may well be worth trying to coax him out earlier, do it gradually & make it worth his while, give him some of his food or a treat or two if he does come out when you try to wake him, just make some gentle noises in the cage & see if he'll come out of his own accord rather than taking him out of his house or anything too scary.
What's his set up like? Does he have places to hide away around the cage if he gets a bit nervous?
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Old 04-29-2016, 07:07 AM   #3
Libby01
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Default Re: Handling a grumpy hamster during the day

I've had him about a month or two now (I can't exactly remember!) he's got three cages joined together by tubes and he's got toys and hides in each cage (he's also got a hammock arriving soon). I think he just gets a bit territorial if I make him jump. If I start rummaging around in his cage and it wakes him up he'll make noises at me or run out at me. I do worry about giving him treats though as I know they can have nothing sugary. I was just wondering if there was any way to acclimatise him to being up more in the evening without disturbing him too much.
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Old 04-29-2016, 07:14 AM   #4
cypher
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Default Re: Handling a grumpy hamster during the day

I think your cage set up is probably making taming & interacting more difficult tbh, it is a lot easier if you have them in one larger cage & can access them easily through a large door without scaring them so I'm not sure how to help there.
You will only get him used to being up more in the evening by waking him & encouraging him to come out.
Treats don't have to be sugary, I did mean healthy treats, something like a bit of millet spray, a sunflower or pumpkin seed, a mealworm, a little piece of fresh veg or very occasionally a tiny piece of plain cooked chicken, anything like that would be fine, you can just put some food mix on your hand to feed them.
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Old 04-29-2016, 09:51 AM   #5
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Default Re: Handling a grumpy hamster during the day

Quote:
Originally Posted by Libby01 View Post
. I think he just gets a bit territorial if I make him jump. If I start rummaging around in his cage and it wakes him up he'll make noises at me or run out at me. .
This may be why he's scared to come out

Seriously though, try not to go after him & let him come to you. Like Cypher said Russians generally are active in later evening & earlier morning hours. Maybe he will start to settle into a routine but he'll be scared of you if you wake him up during the day
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