Excited for First Hamster!!

[Salem13]

I'm picking up my first hamster this weekend (either tomorrow or Sunday) and I'm super excited! He's a 1 and a half year old dwarf who was rescued from a critter trail filled with pine bedding.

I was hoping to see if anyone has any last minute tips or suggestions for someone new to hamsters! My brother had one once when I was maybe 4 but remember very little of that. Below I've detailed his cage and my plans on bonding with him.


His new home is all set up- a ZZ2 large (around 800 square inches) with paper bedding (average depth of 5" with a 8" mountain). He has a 7.5" wheel, lots of hides (cardboard, pots, handmade sisal caves), tunnels (toilet tubes, handmade sisal tubes, handmade tent), chews (kabobs, a wooden wheelbarrel, more cardboard), some misc toys (handmade swings, seesaw, bridges), and a sand bath (play sand in a 5"x5" container) with a platform over it. I've also ripped up a bunch of paper towels and toilet tissue and scattered it around for him to use for a nest. He has a water dish as well as a bottle and I plan to scatter feed him.

I plan to leave him alone to settle in for at least 3 days, I'll still stick my hand in to clean and refill things and offer him a treat if he comes near. After he's settled I plan to take a bit of time a few times a night to place my hand in with some treats. Once he's comfortable with my hands I'll slowly introduce him to being picked up and hopefully if it goes well I'd like to try to use the bathtub method of bonding. However if thats too scary for him I have a big bin to work as a play pen instead.

[Thin Lizzy]

Congratulations Salem on adopting your first hamster. I would suggest the tissue trick, stuff unscented toilet paper up your sleeves and place in her new home, this will get her familiar with your scent and do this trick daily adding a bit more. Hamsters will check out the tissue and end up using it as extra bedding. Also, talk to her all her time in a quiet voice so that she gets use to your voice and whenever you see her be sure to praise her. Looking forward to meeting her when she's settled.

[Salem13]

Originally Posted by Thin Lizzy

Congratulations Salem on adopting your first hamster. I would suggest the tissue trick, stuff unscented toilet paper up your sleeves and place in her new home, this will get her familiar with your scent and do this trick daily adding a bit more. Hamsters will check out the tissue and end up using it as extra bedding. Also, talk to her all her time in a quiet voice so that she gets use to your voice and whenever you see her be sure to praise her. Looking forward to meeting her when she's settled.

I heard of the toilet paper trick, I will definitely be trying that out! I also completely forgot that the talking would help, thankfully I talk to myself all the time lol.

[LunaTheHamster1]

Well, congratulations and it sounds like you are soooooo ready for your new little friend to arrive. It sound slike it is going to be one lucky little hamster living with you. Goodluck.

[Ria P]

Looking forward to see a photo of your hamster when the time is right. You must be so excited!

[Engel]

Can we see your setup? Sounds like you've got all the info that you need and I can't wait to see photos of the lil chap

[Salem13]

Here is a video of him exploring a bit after waking up. His name right now is Chip but I think I'll be changing that to Mo- not 100% sure yet.

[Salem13]

Just an update- he seems to squint a fair bit. I'm not sure if this is because he's usually just waking up/going to sleep the few times I've seen him or if it's something else. There aren't any crusty or goopy bits around either eye. His eyes seem clear, they aren't stuck together at all and he does open them all the way.

I'm going to be keeping an eye on it and make an appointment with the local exotic vet. I wanted to get him a little check up anyway just to ease my mind- I have an anxiety disorder and often panic over very small things.

[Ithuviel]

If its during the day they might just be recently woken up