My new hamster won’t come out

miaapeachess · 03-03-2021, 05:34 AM

Hi y’all
New hamster owner here. My baby Zaza has been with me now for about a month. He’s finally settled in to his surroundings but still has not been tamed. He seems used to me but has not given me the opportunity to take him out of his cage and recently has just been staying hidden except for when he comes out for a snack of drink of water. He usually is i only up at around 10 am and at 4 AM. He has a wheel but has only used it a few times since he’s been here. I know hamsters need exercise so this scares me because other than those few times he used the wheel, he hasn’t been moving much since he hasn’t been tamed to come out of his cage yet. I think what I want to know is should I be worried about this behavior? I just want him to be comfortable with me and am excited for him to be fully tamed. I also just want to make sure I’m doing everything that I can to make sure he is happy and that I am giving him a good life! OH and how often should I be taking him to the vet? He hasn’t been yet and seems very healthy but are routine check ups necessary for hamsters? And if so, how often? ANY AND ALL ADVICE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Ria P · 03-03-2021, 02:36 PM

Hi and welcome to HC!

What species of hamster do you have?

I only take a hamster to see a vet when there is a need to, like an illness or ailment but i don't take them for check ups.

It is a good idea to do regular health checks yourself.

miaapeachess · 03-03-2021, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

Hi and welcome to HC!

What species of hamster do you have?

I only take a hamster to see a vet when there is a need to, like an illness or ailment but i don't take them for check ups.

It is a good idea to do regular health checks yourself.

Hi!
Zaza is a dwarf hamster! Thank you for getting back to me

cypher · 03-04-2021, 11:23 AM

Hi & welcome to the forum.
What wheel do you have, is it big enough & does it spin freely? He may be using the wheel when you’re asleep but if he isn’t using it then maybe the wheel isn’t quite right for him.
Can you post a photo of your cage set up? It may be that there are some changes you could make that would make him more comfortable coming out, little hideouts, things like cork tunnels or bendy bridges, if the cage is too empty he may just feel a bit too exposed.
As Ria said, unlike some other animals, hams don’t need check ups at the vet.