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Old 05-29-2019, 12:11 AM   #1
KittyHound
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Default Rescue Hamster Help!

Morning all,

I desperately need some advice please.

We have had Oscar for a week. We are his third and final home (at 7months) but I made a rookie error on his second day. The cage he was in was far too small with a tiny wheel so I went out bought the largest one I could find in Pets at Home and transferred him but only with the ‘burrow house’ he had from his previous cage as the substrate he had was thin and a little stinky.

On his first day, in his old cage, he would come up to the bars and take food from me and seemed generally fine. Since transferring him he just freezes every time we’re in the room - and can be for a long time. I understand why so have left him to it for a week. He’s drinking and eating just fine.

He’s in our sitting room and I have been sitting on the sofa about 3 m away every night so he gets used to my being around and increasing the time i’m there for. I have now started putting food in every night when he wakes up in the hope that he associates me with good things, but I’m not sure if that’s working - maybe i’m being too impatient? I did try and tempt him with a mealworm last night but he just stayed in his frozen state.

So now I have two concerns:
1) I need to clean his home but I don’t know how to do this without freaking him out. I don’t want to remove his scent and I don’t want to scare him by poking around whilst he’s asleep (i’m not really sure where he is sleeping because he is burrowing) but equally I don’t want to fiddle around whilst he’s awake and scare him and set him back.

2) The taming - should I wait until he stops freezing and seems happier before I go anywhere near him? Ie don’t try and feed him directly, only put food in when he’s not there etc?

Any help is gratefully received.

Many thanks K x
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Old 05-29-2019, 01:58 AM   #2
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

It might be better to remove him (using a tube or something) rather than messing around with the cage while he’s in there as it can be really stressful. Then only clean what needs to be cleaned ie substrate that has been peed on or food that’s going off. When they burrow and you don’t know where they sleep it’s a bit more difficult as you pretty much have to collapse the burrows every cleanout!

Personally I would limit taming to speaking to him through the cage instead of direct interactions or you might find things start going backwards when you go too quick. Best to let them settle and feel comfortable in their own space before proceeding with taming. He hasn’t had the best start so will likely need more time and patience than other hams. You’ve only had him a week and it’s good to give them a week or two or settling time anyway.

Last edited by mangoandmimi; 05-29-2019 at 02:06 AM.
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Old 05-29-2019, 05:58 AM   #3
KittyHound
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Thank you so much for your response. He has a rush/grass type tube but I've never seen him go in there, so transferring might be a problem. The toilet roll tube I put in there I think may be too small so I've just been to the shop to buy a bigger one for him. If he won't use it when I'm there what do I do?

Ok, so you think just sit in the same room - talk to him and wait until he's happy to keep busy when we're in there?

Things have changed so much since I owned hamsters as a child - the main thing being the level of responsibility I feel!
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Old 05-29-2019, 06:17 AM   #4
mangoandmimi
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

I mean it doesn’t have to be a tube - a house might be easier as there’s just one entrance. A mug maybe? Sticking a seed or two in might tempt him in. If you just end up chasing him round the cage chances are he’ll get equally stressed so there’s pros and cons of cleaning with them both in and out the cage. Either way it isn’t going to be the end of the world if it upsets him for the afternoon so don’t worry about it too much.

Yes talking to them does help. You can try and feed treats if he’ll take them I just meant no actual handling until he’s settled. Some things have changed yes but a lot of it you’ll find there isn’t a right or wrong answer, different things work for different people and it all depends on the personality of the hamster too.
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Old 05-29-2019, 11:04 AM   #5
KittyHound
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Thank you again, I really appreciate it.

He doesn’t go into the house anymore so i’ll give the mug a go. Having said that the freezing will probably mean he won’t do anything! I can try cleaning with him the cage but my worry was that i’d make him even more scared! Like you say either way i’m going to upset him and it has to be done!

I haven’t tried handling him just feeding but he won’t take anything from me any more so i’m going to give it a rest until he stops freezing when we’re in the room.

I think i may be over-thinking things but i just wanted to give him a loving home and i feel like i’ve made things worse for him and i feel so bad!
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Old 05-29-2019, 11:20 AM   #6
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Just keep talking to him, sit by his cage and let him get used to your voice. Don't feel bad, you are just doing the best you can. My Luna still freezes every now and then, it's just what hamsters do. He may not be freezing with fear, he may just be listening trying to work out what he can hear. Mugs are great for transporting hamsters, they normally can't resist climbing into them to investigate. Goodluck.
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Old 05-29-2019, 11:37 AM   #7
KittyHound
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Thank you for the advice and kind words. He freezes for ages! The OH reckoned it was for an hour the other night! He’s certainly teaching me patience!
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Old 05-29-2019, 01:31 PM   #8
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Just a thought but has he got plenty of places to hide under in his cage, things like hides/bendy bridges. cork logs etc. you might have these already, I was just thinking if there is a lot of open space in his new cage he may be feeling exposed and not very safe
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Old 05-29-2019, 02:06 PM   #9
alpacassei
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

What species is he?

For really nervous hamsters I put a mug with some seeds sideways in their cage and leave it until they’ve climbed into investigate then pick the mug up by the handle. If he’s a Syrian the mug might be too small but any similarly shaped item should work.

As Luna said, he could be feeling exposed in his cage, if you could post a photo of his setup we can more easily make suggestions on how to make changes if necessary.
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Old 05-30-2019, 12:04 AM   #10
KittyHound
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Default Re: Rescue Hamster Help!

Morning,

Thanks for the replies. If i’ve done this correctly then you should see a pic: IMG_0199.pdf

I intended this cage to be a temporary one until I make or find something bigger. I wouldn’t do this until he is properly settled though!

There are plenty of places to hide on the bottom layer. I added the coconut house on the top layer yesterday so he had somewhere to hide if he needed it. What do you think?

Btw, he’s a Syrian.
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