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Old 02-22-2018, 03:22 PM   #1
ChocoMintAnswersSincere
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 152
Exclamation Need help

So I had a couple paragraphs with all the info needed but then my computer glitched and deleted it. So long story short, I got a new hamster about a month after Wasabi died We put it in its new cage and let it adjust. But then one day I opened the cage lid while he was walking around and he started freaking out. I feel so bad because I have to do this every day to fluff the bedding, renew the water, and check the food. It got to the point where I stopped opening the lid when he wasn't in deep sleep because it looked like he would actually be hurting himself because he would sprint to the bars his wheel was connected to and like, throw himself into them just so he could get away. What should I do?
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:38 PM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Need help

Which cage do you have?
Hamsters can get very scared when approached from above or if they see a hand coming into the cage from above especially if the cage is quite small so it may just be that.
What's his cage set up like? Does he have enough places to feel safe if you're hand is in the cage?
You don't need to fluff up the bedding, it's better not to touch it unless you need to do a bit of spot cleaning.
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Old 02-23-2018, 04:54 AM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Need help

What Cypher said Maybe put his food and water out while he's asleep (or before he wakes up for the evening) and avoid doing anything else in his cage (we do get tempted to sort things out for them but they are quite territorial about their cage area and like to do it themselves! He probably thinks someone is going to try and steal his most prized possession - his hoard!

He sounds frightened. Our Robo does that too - if a hand comes into the cage he runs behind the wheel and flattens himself between the back of the wheel and the stand (clearly figured it is the safest hiding place).

It sounds like taming might need some gradual time. Suggest maybe leaving him to settle for a week without disturbing anything at all, and then get him out by puttting a tube or hamster ball in the cage with a bit of cucumber in and letting him walk in and then lifting him out in the tube or ball (with the tube you'd need your hands over both ends) and then putting it down in a taming box and taking him to the dry bath tub for a run around and first taming session maybe.

Do you have a Syrian or dwarf hamster? They do freak at anything coming from above because they are prey animals and it must be like eagle claws coming at them! Instinctive probably. With a top opening you could - when he's tamer - maybe put your arm in at an angle from end with the palm of your hand flat so it's not directly from above.

If he walks into a tube you've put on the floor of the cage with cucumber in - he won't see the hands coming in to pick it up

Also have a look at Erin's animals cage cleaning tips video - it has some good ideas for avoiding cage clean stresses I also never remove the nest or hoard - unless it is pee'd in. And in that case leave a little bit of the old nest behind in the same place and put new strips of torn up plain white toilet paper in a heap somewhere in the cage and he can take them to rebuild his nest. With the hoard, try and leave a little bit of old dry hoard behind and replace any you've removed with new food in exactly the same place.

I know you've had a hamster before but their personalities all vary and although your new little guy maybe more nervy or take a bit longer to tame I think the bond will be even greater in the end. Basing that on our last Syrian who was a nervous wreck and took about two months to hand tame - and totally freaked if anything in his cage even moveda few millimetres! But once tame he was so cuddly and would go to sleep on my knee
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Old 02-28-2018, 05:46 AM   #4
ChocoMintAnswersSincere
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Default Re: Need help

Quote:
Originally Posted by cypher View Post
Which cage do you have?
Hamsters can get very scared when approached from above or if they see a hand coming into the cage from above especially if the cage is quite small so it may just be that.
What's his cage set up like? Does he have enough places to feel safe if you're hand is in the cage?
You don't need to fluff up the bedding, it's better not to touch it unless you need to do a bit of spot cleaning.
It's a bin cage with a 27" x 6" base. The wheel is on the left 6" side connected to this wire set up thing that he grooms himself next to. on the other top right hand corner is his hut which he finally started sleeping IN instead of next to. In the bottom right hand corner is his water (a bowl and a bottle since he is used to a bowl but I hope he starts using the bottle). Halfway in between his wheel and his water is a chew-able tunnel. And halfway in between his hut and wheel is his food. He has plenty of space to walk around but only 2 places to hide. 1 is in his hut (ALWAYS his first choice) and the other is the tunnel.
Thanks for the advise he is starting to not be as jumpy.
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Old 02-28-2018, 05:49 AM   #5
ChocoMintAnswersSincere
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 152
Default Re: Need help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
What Cypher said Maybe put his food and water out while he's asleep (or before he wakes up for the evening) and avoid doing anything else in his cage (we do get tempted to sort things out for them but they are quite territorial about their cage area and like to do it themselves! He probably thinks someone is going to try and steal his most prized possession - his hoard!

He sounds frightened. Our Robo does that too - if a hand comes into the cage he runs behind the wheel and flattens himself between the back of the wheel and the stand (clearly figured it is the safest hiding place).

It sounds like taming might need some gradual time. Suggest maybe leaving him to settle for a week without disturbing anything at all, and then get him out by puttting a tube or hamster ball in the cage with a bit of cucumber in and letting him walk in and then lifting him out in the tube or ball (with the tube you'd need your hands over both ends) and then putting it down in a taming box and taking him to the dry bath tub for a run around and first taming session maybe.

Do you have a Syrian or dwarf hamster? They do freak at anything coming from above because they are prey animals and it must be like eagle claws coming at them! Instinctive probably. With a top opening you could - when he's tamer - maybe put your arm in at an angle from end with the palm of your hand flat so it's not directly from above.

If he walks into a tube you've put on the floor of the cage with cucumber in - he won't see the hands coming in to pick it up

Also have a look at Erin's animals cage cleaning tips video - it has some good ideas for avoiding cage clean stresses I also never remove the nest or hoard - unless it is pee'd in. And in that case leave a little bit of the old nest behind in the same place and put new strips of torn up plain white toilet paper in a heap somewhere in the cage and he can take them to rebuild his nest. With the hoard, try and leave a little bit of old dry hoard behind and replace any you've removed with new food in exactly the same place.

I know you've had a hamster before but their personalities all vary and although your new little guy maybe more nervy or take a bit longer to tame I think the bond will be even greater in the end. Basing that on our last Syrian who was a nervous wreck and took about two months to hand tame - and totally freaked if anything in his cage even moveda few millimetres! But once tame he was so cuddly and would go to sleep on my knee
I have a Syrian. Thank you for the advise, I am doing that and he is slowly starting to adjust.
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