Will this huge nest hinder taming?

[Kiki_3173]

Hi HC friends. I'm sorry for SO many questions, but Chinese hammy's are new to me as is taming (my dwarf hamster was somewhat tame when I got her).

Pippa has proceeded to build this HUGE nest, moving tons of substrate around her "hammy condo", which seems to be where she likes to sleep on the bottom level. I read somewhere that you should start out with a few hidey places so as to help with taming (and then add them in), but I don't know if that's correct. Help! Will this huge nest hinder my seeing her enough to tame her?



I don't want to upset her as she just came home, but I want to see her enough to work on taming...do I remove some of her hideys?

[DrKMcK]

Oh my! I don't know about Chinese hams Kiki, but, boy, has she built a volcano, or what? Funny little ham.

[Kiki_3173]

Originally Posted by DrKMcK

Oh my! I don't know about Chinese hams Kiki, but, boy, has she built a volcano, or what? Funny little ham.

She certainly has been hard at work!! I'm pretty sure she's got some tunnels under there too!

[WendyAnne]

I've heard and read that Chinese hamsters like to hide a lot. Mine certainly does, but she comes out when she's in a sociable mood. Our Princess Snowflake does pretty much the same thing that your Pippa is doing. We talk to her, hold her & get her out for some exercise when she emerges. Hopefully Pippa will be as easy to tame as Princess Snowflake.

[LoveMyHams]

My chinese blocks up her hut with tons of bedding as well. It's pretty normal since they are more shy and like to feel secure. I wouldn't take anything out. First it might stress her out since she is so new, second, going back to them being shy, they will appreciate having places to hide when they don't feed social.

[racinghamster]

Yes, that looks familiar! Personally, I would leave her nest as it is Kiki and even when you are cleaning, they appreciate spot cleans and not having their `nest` destroyed. Chinese hamsters dig down and form a kind of ball-like birds nest. It`s really well constructed.

As for taming, well that would again, be on her terms, when she`s out and about and just go with her. Flat hand, gently movements, talk to her and offer a little sprinkle of millet either directly in front of her, or start doing that and then offer some on your flat palm. It`s really important that she feels `at home` and by the looks of things, she already is!

[TraceyH]

My chinese sleeps under the base of his flying saucer. It does look funny when he's moving around underneath it, shaking like mad the saucer is then he comes running out the front part of the base, between the two forks on the base.

[frostberry]

I love her nest! I often have to get my Frosty from her nest. I wait until evening, then gently make a little hole in her nest with my finger until I see movement. Usually then Frosty comes out on her own and her nest is only a little disturbed. Sometimes she is really sleepy and I just pet her in her nest and she closes her eyes and looks really content. I think that taming them is easier when they are happy and have a super comfy bed to sleep in when they are not playing with their humans.

[Grubbbery]

My syrian does this o.o

[Kiki_3173]

I'm kind of sad about the taming though. She used to occasionally take treats from my hand, but now, as soon as she knows I'm near, she runs and hides & doesn't come back out, not even for a treat. I feel like I'm never going to get anywhere with her.