Hamster SUDDENLY scared of almost everything and is very jumpy

[choco_kat]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Not necasserily so. Thing is, when we get a new hamster we don't know what they're personality is like. I have a dwarf who was seemingly born tame and never showed any fear of humans. She walked onto my hand in the pet shop (her sibling bit me) and walks onto my hand now when she wants out of cage time. Another of my quintett took over three months to pluck up the courage to take some seeds off my hand. My newest hamster i've had for a month now and i can stroke him and pick him up but he still jumps or hides sometimes for reasons only known to him.
I'd give him a few more days to settle in but keep talking to him and mention his name as well. Once you think he's ready for some taming it may help to do that out of his cage, in a secure play pen like a foldable kiddies ball pit with toys in it and places to hide or a very large cardboard box. You can tempt him into a mug or bowl with a treat and transfer him that way but be quick to cover the mug. Some hamster like being in a mug and others want to get out. Again that is something you're going to find out by trying. I had a dwarf who loved "flying" through the room in his mug (we even made silly plane noises, don't judge) and another who just wants to jump out of it.
What kind of hamster is Potato? I'm really looking forward to hopefully see a photo of him in the future.

One more thought. Does your hamster have enough cover to move around comfortably in his cage? Many don't like to feel exposed and need tubes like toilet rolls for dwarfs and washed Pringle tubes for Syrians for example, bendy bridges, shelves, egg boxes etc, strategically placed so they can get to where they want to go with overhead cover.

Hi! I've been doing that now, just talking to him calmly. He doesn't seem to be scared whenever I would walk past his cage, which I think is good. I think my ham's a very nervous one, he even gets spooked by his own wheel sometimes! He suddenly jumps after getting out of it because its movement freaks him out. Kind of the same thing with his see-saw, actually. He gets spooked when he climbs up and it moves all of a sudden. He's currently running on his wheel (that's the only thing he does), only taking a break to eat, drink water, and groom lol.

And yes! Planning to get a playpen for him once he's settled down. I'm not quite confident about doing it right now, since he might run away from me and freak out again (like how he did when he accidentally got out of his cage).

As for his cage, he's got plenty of tubes and has 2 hideouts. He never pays attention to the tubes, though. I've even put treats inside just for him to notice it, but he still hasn't and the treats remain untouched. The only things that seem to be comfortable enough for him is his hideout, sand bath, and the wheel. He doesn't explore other areas of his cage. I've put plenty of bedding as well (around 7-8 inches), but he only digs and never really burrows (bedding is aspen).

Oh, and Potato is a Syrian! Here's a photo of him with his cheek pouches full.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CAoH1WyTtpanup2W6 (I hope the link is working).

[Ria P]

Aww, Potato is lovely.

Does he have a big bottomless house to make a nest in? They usually like to keep a hoard in their house as well.
My two Syrians, the old one and the young one, they both sleep in their houses in big nests made from plenty of substrate and plain white toilet paper strips.

I've never tried Aspen because i use paper based substrate like Kaytee clean and cozy which seems to be ideal for burrowing in. Maybe worth a try to use Aspen in part of his cage and Kaytee or Carefresh in another.

Could you post a photo of your set up so we could have a look?

[choco_kat]

Yes, his current hideout is bottomless and he likes to dig and store his food in there. I did include a ton of toilet paper for him to use as nesting material and he loves it so much!

I actually intend to use paper bedding on his next cage (had a DIY made, around 120 x 60 cm) and would like to make it more natural in design! I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to suddenly move him to a different one considering that he's still adjusting to his new home. Should I wait a bit more to move him or would you recommend to move him asap? His current cage is so small though. Here's a photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wLvGR1n4pwD2nwyVA

Just an update: he seems to have calmed down quite a bit and is more receptive now. I've tried handing over a treat and he took it from me without hesitation, as if nothing happened the other day lol. I'm glad. But I did notice that he gets spooked quite easily. A piece of toilet paper startled him for reasons unknown to me.

Edit: also, the wheel is 8 inches. Getting a 12 inch one, but he fits perfectly in it right now since he's still pretty small.

[Merlina]

I have a very similar young syrian. Although he is never nervous of me and happy to be touched and fed by hand he was so jumpy as a baby he would run from the slightest noise or movement. I was at a loss for a few weeks to know what to do to help him as he was so unlike any hamster i had before. He won't go inside any enclosed space so doesn't like hides or boxes and wouldn't sleep in his shoebox bed (only behind it.) he won't go into a tube smaller than a farm friends sand tube. He doesn't burrow or climb and is uncomfortable in large open spaces like the playpen. He loves his wheel, his sand bath and a rock which he sits on. For at least two months he only ever played in the corner of his cage where those items are. I would leave sunflowers around his cage to check where he went and even sat up at night to see what he did and he never went into some areas at all. I found the only way he was happy to leave his cage was if his wheel came too and then he would jump out for a few seconds and run around between his toys (never in or on them though). Now i put they playpen around his cage and remove all put the base. As long as he has easy access back to his home he will run around quite happily with frequent visits back to his wheel. I have had him for about three months and he has only just started to leave the cage by himself! He does still jump at times but now he tends to turn round and glare at whatever spooked him instead of panicking. I always intended to move him into a bigger cage when i had worked out which would suit him (duna multy maxi would seem the best option) but as he seems so settled now and it has taken a while to get him there i am in two minds if it would be the right thing to do just now. I have never had a hamster that didn't want to be out exploring and climbing everywhere _ he just wants his own little corner and prefers it to anywhere else. His cage is 71cm and he has 28cm wheel and i don't want to move him just because I want a bigger cage if it might upset him. He is a very small and slightly built little guy and came from a group of much bigger hamsters. I wonder if he was maybe the runt and had been bullied and he just needed lots of time to feel safe. It is a joy to see him now happily jumping out for a quick sprint round and a good yawn and stretch even if it is only within a few feet of his cage and only for a few minutes at a time. Your Potato may be the same but once he knows he is safe and secure he should be calmer and it is so lovely to see them getting braver and more confident. Skarloey still jumps occassionaly _ its surprising how far such a small boy can leap _ but it seems to be part of his personality rather than from fear now.

[choco_kat]

Originally Posted by Merlina

I have a very similar young syrian. Although he is never nervous of me and happy to be touched and fed by hand he was so jumpy as a baby he would run from the slightest noise or movement. I was at a loss for a few weeks to know what to do to help him as he was so unlike any hamster i had before. He won't go inside any enclosed space so doesn't like hides or boxes and wouldn't sleep in his shoebox bed (only behind it.) he won't go into a tube smaller than a farm friends sand tube. He doesn't burrow or climb and is uncomfortable in large open spaces like the playpen. He loves his wheel, his sand bath and a rock which he sits on. For at least two months he only ever played in the corner of his cage where those items are. I would leave sunflowers around his cage to check where he went and even sat up at night to see what he did and he never went into some areas at all. I found the only way he was happy to leave his cage was if his wheel came too and then he would jump out for a few seconds and run around between his toys (never in or on them though). Now i put they playpen around his cage and remove all put the base. As long as he has easy access back to his home he will run around quite happily with frequent visits back to his wheel. I have had him for about three months and he has only just started to leave the cage by himself! He does still jump at times but now he tends to turn round and glare at whatever spooked him instead of panicking. I always intended to move him into a bigger cage when i had worked out which would suit him (duna multy maxi would seem the best option) but as he seems so settled now and it has taken a while to get him there i am in two minds if it would be the right thing to do just now. I have never had a hamster that didn't want to be out exploring and climbing everywhere _ he just wants his own little corner and prefers it to anywhere else. His cage is 71cm and he has 28cm wheel and i don't want to move him just because I want a bigger cage if it might upset him. He is a very small and slightly built little guy and came from a group of much bigger hamsters. I wonder if he was maybe the runt and had been bullied and he just needed lots of time to feel safe. It is a joy to see him now happily jumping out for a quick sprint round and a good yawn and stretch even if it is only within a few feet of his cage and only for a few minutes at a time. Your Potato may be the same but once he knows he is safe and secure he should be calmer and it is so lovely to see them getting braver and more confident. Skarloey still jumps occassionaly _ its surprising how far such a small boy can leap _ but it seems to be part of his personality rather than from fear now.

Potato is somewhat like this as well! He only prefers certain areas of his cage and loves to run on his wheel constantly. I've tried placing different kinds of chews and toys but he never paid any attention to them, except for whimzees (he tried carrying the whole thing to his hide, and I'm really surprised he managed to fit the whole thing inside). He doesn't hesitate to take treats for me and he would sometimes even eat them while on my palm. I have yet to try lifting him up though. I might try the cup method at first to see how he would react to being off the ground. I've been wanting to put him out on a playpen but seeing him being all nervous and jumpy right now.. I'm kind of hesitating since it might just stress him out. May I ask how you went about taming your ham? Especially since Skarloey's very nervous and jumpy like mine.

Same. I'm kind of torn between keeping him in his current cage or upgrading him to a new one. I fear it might cause further stress. I might wait a bit until he's a little more settled.

I'm definitely happy for Skarloey's progress! Seeing that is quite normal for hams to be a little jumpy and scared at first is reassuring. I guess they just have different personalities, and more importantly, it takes a lot of time and patience as well.

Thanks for your response!

[Ria P]

Potato is very exposed where he is now. Hamster like to move around with some overhead cover to feel secure and the tubes are too small. The Tiny Friends Farm sand tube Merlina mentioned or a washed out Pringles tube with open ends are far more suitable for a Syrian. They like to sit under little shelves and platforms, walk through bendy bridges and the long bendy Trixie ladders to walk over and sit under are very handy too. You can make things from cardboard boxes by cutting holes out at all four sides to sit in and walk through.
My young Syrian is also still jumpy but has moved into his house and made himself a nest. He likes to groom in his sandpit which has a corner shelf cover to make him feel safe.
If you can set the new cage up with plenty of enrichment and cover, i would be inclined to move him now rather than let him settle just to unsettle him again later. Also, i don't think the current cage provides him with what he needs. Please don't take this as critisismn, its an observation and my opinion and i know from experience that i don't always get it right.
Here's a photo of my young Syrian's Hamster Heaven cage which is far smaller than your lucky hamster's DIY cage to give you an idea of what i mean with cover and places to go to.

[choco_kat]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Potato is very exposed where he is now. Hamster like to move around with some overhead cover to feel secure and the tubes are too small. The Tiny Friends Farm sand tube Merlina mentioned or a washed out Pringles tube with open ends are far more suitable for a Syrian. They like to sit under little shelves and platforms, walk through bendy bridges and the long bendy Trixie ladders to walk over and sit under are very handy too. You can make things from cardboard boxes by cutting holes out at all four sides to sit in and walk through.
My young Syrian is also still jumpy but has moved into his house and made himself a nest. He likes to groom in his sandpit which has a corner shelf cover to make him feel safe.
If you can set the new cage up with plenty of enrichment and cover, i would be inclined to move him now rather than let him settle just to unsettle him again later. Also, i don't think the current cage provides him with what he needs. Please don't take this as critisismn, its an observation and my opinion and i know from experience that i don't always get it right.
Here's a photo of my young Syrian's Hamster Heaven cage which is far smaller than your lucky hamster's DIY cage to give you an idea of what i mean with cover and places to go to.

No worries. I appreciate all the help I can get! I am a newbie hamster owner, after all. Will definitely add a ton of hideouts and some sort of roofing once I set up his new cage, which I will probably do soon. I do agree that it may be more unsettling for him to suddenly feel comfortable in his current set-up, then be moved elsewhere all of a sudden. I also feel that his current home is very lacking, hence the decision to make a DIY.

Oh, I like the materials you've used for your cage! Where'd you get the coconut (is it a coconut? haha) hideout?

Thanks so much for this! This will definitely help me improve.

[Merlina]

Skarloey was a pet shop baby who was in a very small glass tank with 3 or 4 other bigger hamsters. I assume they were his litter mates but you can never be sure and don't know what experiences they have had. He was small and fairly skinny and was not in the only covered area of the cage. They had one small wheel between them. I assume as the smallest he was pushed out by the others from the food, wheel and shelter. Fortunately he had no bite marks but must have been very unhappy with his situation. He also probably never had much human contact so was naturally scared for a while. I just did what i usually do with any of my hams _ let him settle for at least a week, then talk to them and feed by hand and gently stroke them when they are comfortable. I usually let them come to me rather than try to approach them. Usually their natural curiosity means they want to make friends. I try never to handle them unless they want me to or make them come out if they prefer not to. Skarloey was never nervous of me (shadows and noises bits of moving tissue, rain on the window, even a monkey nut shell have all caused him to run in blind panic) so when he would let me lift him from the cage in his wheel i sat on the floor with him and just let him sniff and scent mark me as much as he wanted. As long as his wheel was close by and he could jump back in his cage at any time he was fine. As far as handling him we are at the stage where i can hold him with both hands around him as long as his paws are on the floor! He just doesn't like to be off the ground not even to climb on anything.he will walk across my hands and he will sit there briefly when he wants lifting out of the box i put him in when i clean his cage. I don,t try to pick him up too often as he just jumps away and i would not ever try to carry him anywhere as it would not be safe to do so. He has to go in a travel box even for short distances. However he seems to really like to have contact with me and enjoys being stroked. He will sit with his front paws on me and likes to scent mark all the way round me like a little bear scratching itself on a tree. If he goes behind me in his pen i always know exactly where he is as he keeps touching me every few seconds. I assume this makes him feel secure in the same way that he needs to go and sniff his wheel and cage every few minutes. I wear the same trousers when i play with him as they are very well scent marked now and are familiar to him. I am just glad hamsters don't smell like skunks when they mark! I have never tried bathtub bonding but the smaller space might suit a nervous hamster especially if you can put something of his in there for him to sit in if he feels stressed. If you have a cage he can easily climb in and out of by himself he may prefer to do that. I think patience is the key and there will be days when you seem to go backwards. Skarloey still has the odd day when he is super skittish and jumps at his own shadow. Strange as it sounds, some people reckon the full moon can affect them and i am beginning to wonder if that might be true as that is how it seems. I usually let him out when everyone else has gone to bed so there are fewer noises and movements around. My prevoius hamster Wilber was very social and was happy to be handled by anyone and used to come out a mealtimes and sit with us. Now I am the only one who gets hamster time which is a shame but I have to admit it feels extra special to me and i feel I have a priveledged bond with Skarloey. I hope as he matures he will become calmer and more social so others can see what a little sweetheart he is.

[Ria P]

Originally Posted by choco_kat

Oh, I like the materials you've used for your cage! Where'd you get the coconut (is it a coconut? haha) hideout?

Thanks so much for this! This will definitely help me improve.

Are you in the UK? The coconut hut is from pets@home and sells for a fiver. My older Syrian spends every single evening in his, grooming and eating, has the odd nap in it and even tidies it up!

[choco_kat]

Originally Posted by Ria P

Are you in the UK? The coconut hut is from pets@home and sells for a fiver. My older Syrian spends every single evening in his, grooming and eating, has the odd nap in it and even tidies it up!

Thanks!