How often do you interact with your hamsters?

[Dax]

Hammys sleeping pattern is a little better now. And I have been getting him out of his cage to run around in his little playpen every other morning for afew hours at a time. Its really hard to drag myself out of bed when he wakes up every morning, so doing it every other day suits us fine.

On the days that he doesnt come out to play i usually handle him 2/3 times a day, just so he knows i havent abandoned him.

He seems pretty happy with this but im worried that he's not seeing enough of me. Do you guys think that they miss alot of social interaction?
Because he's been seeing less of me than usual due to me trying to cope with my pregnancy symptoms.

Also, do you think that around 3 hours on a monday, wednesday & Friday (poss sat/sun if i can get up) is enough?
Lastnight i was ill before sleeping and didnt get up this morning to get him out and i feel so guilty.

x

[Angie B]

I interact with Skittle only during an evening when he wakes up, anything from 10pm. He's then put into his ball for an hour, then onto my lap for his raisin, then back into his cage. I do put him onto the lounge floor for a run about though, but not for long (about 10 mins) after his ball, though not every night.

Prior to the above, my daughter (who he actually belongs to) tries to wake him about 8pm so she can play with him for a good half an hour before she goes to bed though. She does handle him a lot during this half an hour.

If Skittle's awake in the morning when we have our breakfast (7.30-7.45 on a school day) then we'll steal him from his cage for a quick 2 minute cuddle, but as he's generally only woken for a wee and a drink we don't keep him out for long - can't afford to anyway else the children might miss the school bus!

On a weekend/school holiday if he wakes in the day he may find that he's removed from his cosy cage and played with for half an hour or so as well.

That's about it.

Don't beat yourself up about not being able to handle your hamster too often. I think you're very good getting up early to play with him - I don't and I'm fairly sure that not many others do either.

Being pregnant (I have 2 children) you need all the sleep you can get so personally I would suggest that you sleep while you can (when the baby's born you will barely get any - I was physically exhausted and one night my husband woke to find me in tears sat on the edge of the bed with an unsettled baby and I said "all I want is some sleep". He took my son and I was asleep before he got downstairs!). Play with your hamster during the day when he wakes and again say at night - wake him if you have to about 8pm, he'll soon get used to the routine and your sleep won't be affected. I'm sorry to say that my sleep is way more important that playing with the hamster - and if I was pregnant I'm afraid he would be even further down the list! Providing he is getting out of his cage for half an hour to an hour each evening then he'll be fine. On saying that, we went on holiday and he was at the boarder's for 10 days straight and did not come out of his cage once - too dangerous as they had cats so if he had managed to run off ... and he was fine.

Don't over-stretch yourself. Sleep. You'll need it; trust me.

Play of an evening rather than in the morning; it will benefit you more especially given you are pregnant.

When's your baby due? First one?

[Dax]

I have actually done just that. I just got him out in his pen up in the bedroom while my partner is up there on his computer.

I make sure i get as much sleep as i need, but it means having to go to bed so early when getting up at 7am. Im not used to it at all. I also nap during the day before work. Pregnancy is exhausting. At the moment he's fitting in with when i get up in the mornings usually. But on the days he doesnt come out i will sleep until my boyfriend goes to work at 8:30 by which time Hammy has gone back to bed!

Ive decided ill start waking him at 7-8 ish in the evenings and if he is up and about when i wake up in the morning ill get him out for a while then too..

Baby is due early september. I am 8 weeks gone at the moment so still in the throws of morning sickness that lasts the entire day and night and the sleeping ALL the time!
And yes, this is our first.

x

[barley]

I don't really interact with Rupert in the morning. I am up at 6.30 and it's a case of quick shower, cup of tea, walk the dog and then out the door by 7.30 to go to work. I say a quick hello if he's awake but more often than not, he's already asleep by the time I wake up.

In the evenings I spend twenty minutes or so just sitting near him and stroking him. I've only had him a week so can't handle him yet. Then I bring his cage into the room where I spend the evenings so he's just got company around him. When he's tame I'll spend longer handling him and hope to get him a playpen too.

[Thin Lizzy]

I always talk to mine. Several times a day.
I get them out for one on one contact and cuddles.
They prefer to play in their cages as they have loads to amuse them.
They've not been too fussed about going in their exercise balls, so I don't make them.
I spend most of my time in my kitchen/living room and that's where they live, sleep and play.

[Bbhami]

My hams only get out at night since I have work in the morning. Although only BB is keen to go out and roam around. He stays out the moment we get home taking breaks in between (to drink water and groom). Mellorine is still very jumpy and doesn't enjoy exploring, she will run and hide when she hears an unfamiliar sound.

The robos also don't enjoy going out, Louie and Huey are too engrossed with wheeling and Dewey's still under quarantine. I don't want to put them in balls, I'm scared their tiny feet will get caught in the holes @_@