New hamster owner, am I doing something wrong?

[lollybuck]

Hi everyone, my name is Lauren and on Thursday 24th, I got my first hamster, a female syrian. In the store, she seemed very curious, outgoing and active but in the past few days, she's been biting the bars and freezing at times. I don't know if I'm just over reacting because I'm new at this and very nervous but she just seems scared? There aren't many toys in her cage either because the cage is too small. Is she stressed or is she just adjusting to the new environment??

[CMB]

Hi.

Your hamster may need more time to settle in. But it could also be the cage size or layout, toys etc.

What cage do you have at the moment?

Syrians need large wheels (12 inch approximately), toys, hides etc and it's hard to fit them in a small cage.

Zoo plus has some good sized cages. The Alaska was/is on sale at a reduced price. The Barney or Alexander cage are also a good size. Have a look at the let's see your cages thread to see these cages and others. It may help you choose a new cage.

There are a lot of wheel reviews on here too, so see if there are any you like.

[Wisper]

A lot of new hamster settling in do this freezing, it is likely due to them hearing a noise they have never heard before. Remember hamsters can hear a range of sounds that we can't and a new environment will be full of things your hamster won't have come across in a pet store. This behaviour usually lessens after your hamster has settled in and they get used to all the strange noises in their new home.

Bar chewing is usually a sign of boredom or frustration, as you have said your ham only has a small cage and not many toys, as they won't be tame yet so can't have much time out of their cage to explore and play they will need cage space and things to do. Try giving your ham puzzle feeders to keep them occupied, these can be as simple as treats hidden inside a small cardboard box that they have to chew open to get to.

This is a great video for some ideas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OtmGAwAkhA

Some hamsters need more time to settle in than others, patience is a virtue with all animals so make her home safe and interesting and she will settle in fine and then you can start taming.