Am I good enough for my hamsters?

[pixxies]

Hi everyone,

I've had my two Russian boys for around 6 months now and I feel like I don't give them as much time as I could :/. They live in the IKEA Detolf and have everything they need such as two wheels, two bowls, lots of hideaways and water. I feed them treats from my hand but I feel like I don't socialise with them enough and they're trusting me less and less. What do you suggest I do?/Am I not giving them enough of my time?

[cypher]

Do they have out of cage time at all?
If not then you could either make or buy a playpen, the wire ones you can buy are fine for Russian hams, put lots of toys & things for them to explore in there then you can interact with them while they're in there, if they haven't been having out of cage time before now then start with short sessions & build up the length of time as they get used to it.

[Pixel Hamstery]

Hi!

I find that it isn't necessary to spend great lengths of time to keep Hamster's friendly, but it does take consistency. Better 5 minutes each day rather than a few concentrated efforts on an intermittent basis. The key is familiarity and a constant reminder that human hands aren't a threat. A playpen (as above) are often an ideal means of for this. I've often found both male and female hybrids are unusually territorial of their cage, yet often more amenable once out.

Also, whilst I wouldn't wish to start a discussion on cage sizes, I do think that the 'bigger is better' comes with some caveats. I've found over the years that a Hamsters level of 'tameness' does seem to depreciate much quicker in larger cages than they do in medium size cages, and that more time is required to keep them friendly. Of course, it's difficult to win given that dwarfs may fight in a smaller cage.

Lastly, and somewhat controversially... While hamsters are my favourite of all animals, I think we overestimate how much they enjoy our company. I'd suggest that they tolerate human interaction more than they relish it. Some Syrians and Chinese (a Russian or the occasional Robo even) may be seen sleeping in their owners hands, or seemingly enjoying a cuddle - I've certainly had a few over the years, but I think this is rare. Behaviour like waiting at the cage door is as much about 'wanting food' or 'wanting out' than it is 'wanting my human' for example. Though i'm sure many owners would be quick to claim their hams genuinely enjoy human company - and i'm sure some do. I suppose what i'm trying to say is, it would be unfair to a dog to not afford them the time they deserve, but less so for Hamsters. As long as their other needs are met of course. I don't think you should feel too guilty about it. That said, it would be nice to keep them tame, and for this i'd suggest brief but regular handling sessions - using a neutral ground if they are territorial.