Back off or persist?

[Cosmic]

We got our hamster, Ozzy, last Tuesday. He's very young (pet shop said 5-6 weeks) and very timid.

We left him completely alone for 3 days to settle. And hoped to begin to tame him, but unfortunately he's so shy and timid that we've barely seen him.

He's coming out at night to gather all the food and I've seen him use the water bottle so I'm confident he's ok in that sense. But he just will not venture out of his box if we're there.

On friday evening, he woke up and popped out of his house (which is the box he came home in, he's built his nest there) very briefly but ran back in as soon as he saw me.

He won't be tempted out with treats. In desperation, I picked up his box and set it on my lap and he did wander out onto my lap and had a sniff about for 5 minutes before I returned him and his box to the cage.

I tried the same last night, but he came out to sniff me and then just snuggled back into his nest and wasnt interested in coming out. I popped him back in at this point and left him to it.

My husband thinks I'm going to spook him more by moving his house. But I don't know how else to get him used to me.

Should I just leave him be for a week or so and try again? Or keep lifting his box each night so he gets used to it?

Help appreciated.

[AmityvilleHams]

3 days isn't much,I'd say just give him a week or more from now.Imagine someone constantly removing your house every night,I'm sure it wouldn't be pleasant at all!Do the usual tissue trick,get him used to your scent and voice,etc for at least a solid week now(as you've disturbed him)and if possible even 3-7 days more than that would be great.You have to be patient and give these things time and they often work out much better in the end with that sort of approach rather than a forceful harsh approach that only makes the hamster see you as a scary person.

[velma]

I think your husband is right in this one. His box is his house and safe place and he needs to know he has somewhere safe to "retreat" to when he's feeling timid. I will occasionally lift a house to check on a ham if I'm concerned about them but other than that, they're best left to it in there. You've had him less than a week and he's very young. He's still getting used to a new cage, in a new house with new sounds and smells. And to top it all off, he doesn't have his litter mates with him for the first time. It's a big thing for a little ham to deal with.

I personally think that if you take things at your hamster's speed and don't rush them then you'll have a much better relationship with them in the long run.

Take some plain white unscented toilet paper and put it down your top or up your sleeve for a while. Then put it in Ozzy's cage. He might use it for nesting or he might leave it there but it will out your scent in his cage and get him more used to you. Talk gently when you're near the cage and when changing his food and drink. Maybe leave a little treat for him, like a sunflower seed, near his house so he doesn't have far to get it. You can move that a little further away each time. It'll get him used to the idea that he gets a treat with no surprises. When he's looking a little braver you can try holding it between your finger tips for him to take from you. That should be a good starting point. He'll soon figure out you're the nice lady with the treats and should start. I img and looking for you.
Don't worry, it's still early days - you'll get there

[Cosmic]

Thank you both.

I will leave his house alone now. And back off for a while. Hopefully he'll come round.

[pinkneon]

Hi, some hamsters take a long time to get used to everything, especially if they are young. I had one boy who took a month before he was brave enouh to come out when I was in the room, and then several more months of taming on top of that! My current little one I've had since March and though we are making progress it oftens feele like we take one step forward and three steps back as one day he doesn't mind being picked up for a short amount of time and the next he runs away from me! It is taking time, but we are happily in the taking treats frommy hands stage. The rest will come when he is ready! Yours will be the same. 5 weeks is very young and now he has to learn to be alone, as well as get used to you and his new surroundings. He's probably very scared but he will get there eventually

[ManxHamster]

I picked up Kensi last Tuesday. She's my first hamster. About an hour ago, I got her to take a piece of carrot from my hand in her cage. She was very hesistant to the point I had to virtually hold my breath and keep dead still as she backed off each time there was slight movement or noise. She took the carrot though

I started the tissue trick yesterday and based on this new development, it already seems to be working, so I reckon you'll get there in the end too

[Cosmic]

He actually came out tonight and was pottering around his cage and using his wheel! First night we've managed to see him. He was very easily spooked by any movements, but got braver as we sat there and did take a green bean in through the bars of the cage.

Definite progress!

[velma]

Pleased to hear it Cosmic I think hamsters are quite "cat" in personality. They can take a while to trust you but slow and steady wins the race And just like cats they may love you for a week and then ignore you for a day or two, that is totally normal But see? Don't push them and they'll come to you as the curiosity for treats usually gets the better of them

[DrKMcK]

Hello Cosmic. You'll find that hamsters are very different from one another. I've had hamsters who were ridiculously tame from the day I brought them home and others who find the changes in their environment terrifying. I've had hamsters who settled in very nicely and were so curious about the human who keeps looking at them and others who will actually scream in fear. The very young ones are usually the ones yelling at me. Very unnerving! You've got some nice advice here. So, slow down and let your nervous little one go at his own pace. He has to learn to trust you. It's hard, but it pays off in the end.