Hello! Advice PLEASE for my new hamster

emilyy · 11-12-2020, 01:17 AM

Hello!

I recently bought my third hamster, I had one growing up who was the best hamster never bit anyone was fully trusting and very comfortable around us. My second was the opposite, both were girls. I now am on day 3 of bringing home a new little boy hamster, Chuck. I have read mixed advice about how to engage with them in the first few days and how quickly to try touching/handling etc. My biggest fear is that I do not bond with him and he follows the route my second hamster took!

He seems to be sleeping a lot, didn’t get up until 10pm one day and then was asleep by 7am, last night he was awake around 9pm but when I came in the room he jumped and ran to bed until after 11:30. He goes to peek out a few times then reverses to bed again. One night I put my hand in the cage flat with some carrot on and he timidly took it, I thought this was good progress as maybe he slightly knows my smell now. I hoped to do the same yesterday but he was not awake until I was asleep and he is already asleep before 7am this morning. So he doesn’t seem to be awake long is this normal??

I’m happy to take things slowly but am aware will need to clean him out in 4 or 5 days so needs to be some progress by then or the process of getting him out to clean him out will be stressful!

Any advice and tips would be really appreciated, I’m feeling sad at the moment!

NibblesTheHam · 11-12-2020, 12:24 PM

Congratulations on your new hamster! The times your hamster is awake are totally normal, slight changes in his sleeping schedule are completely ok, it is good progress that he took the carrot from your hand. Is your hamster a dwarf or a syrian? Given how friendly he is now he probably won't turn out grumpy like your second hamster.

You should feed him every other day, and change his water every day. However, I used to think you had to do a big cleanout every week as well, but you don't really have to, even spot cleaning you shouldn't do for 4 or 5 days with a new hamster. You really only have to do a huge cleanout once, maybe twice a month, as long as you're spot cleaning after the first week or so. What's your cage?

LunaTheHamster1 · 11-12-2020, 04:57 PM

Aww sorry to hear you feel sad. Your hamster sounds fine with his waking/sleeping habits.
If your cage is big enough I wouldnt actually do a clean for at least a month, thats what I do when I have a new hamster, not even spot cleaning if it is a syrian. The smaller hamsters may need a wheel clean or sand replacing but thats all i would do.

My syrian Twinkle took about 6 weeks to tame, he kept hiding in his house, so i wouldnt worry too much. If it comes to cleaning and your hamster is still not tame you can transfer him to a safe place using something like a mug.

Have you tried switching the lights off at night or going out the room and listening to see if he comes out then.

emilyy · 11-12-2020, 05:31 PM

Thank you both for replying!

He is a Syrian

and about 6-8 weeks old at the moment. That’s good to know about the cleaning out, so can avoid stressing him too often.

He is in the Pets at home large cage as this was the only one they would sell him to me in, it has a tube going around the outside. I was also surprised to learn that it is smaller than the advised minimum. I am thinking of changing to a bigger cage when he is a bit bigger, if anyone can recommend any?

Today I moved his cage downstairs to the room I spend more time in in the evening (I know you aren’t meant to move them much but thought this would be a better home for him!) and there seemed to be a tiiiiiny bit of progress today in that he came out a few times when I called him, even if it was to look and then reverse back into bed again!

He took some cucumber and grape from my hand passing it to him but not flat and climbing on my hand. I guess this is still some progress though of him getting used to me being around. I keep reading mixed advice about how quickly you should handle them and am so worried of leaving it too long but equally feel you should judge by the individual hamster?

When watching him walk around the cage he still seems quite cautious so I think he is still settling in a lot so don’t want to rush anything but yes am worried I will do it wrong!

Thanks very much for the replies I’ve been worrying lots!

Lizchewy · 11-12-2020, 05:49 PM

Hello. We have had our rescue hamster 6 weeks and he is not tame yet but there is definitely progress. I spent a lot of time talking to him or reading aloud by his cage at first. Also I scatter feed him his hamster mix but all the good stuff like veg, cheese, chicken, monkey nuts I hand feed him. He soon got to know that my hand and voice means nice food. To get him out of the cage I pop his Carrier case in open (at first with a treat to tempt him in it) but now I just put the empty case in. Most nights he jumps straight in to be carried to his playpen but some nights he ignores it and then I just feed him in his house and leave him for the night. Also in his playpen I hide food in toys and put some millet in a section of egg box like a little tree sometimes as I find that food really tempts them out to come and play in the open. The sandbath was also a big hit for our hamster. I got quite a good size one and put it in the playpen first then moved it to his home. Tonight my partner was watching him in his playpen whilst I cleaned him out (partial clean). When I came downstairs he was hiding in a box. I called him and he came straight out and over to me. So even though he is not holdable yet, it's very rewarding that he now comes out to see me when I speak. So I strongly recommend speaking. Victoria Rachel also does a very good video on how to hide food in toys and this has been invaluable to me for getting our hamster to be in the open around us. This is the first hamster I have had since my last one 20 years ago so I'm still very much learning but hope these suggestions may be helpful to you for getting to see him more. Also my hamster slept loads for first few weeks and now he is more active.

emilyy · 11-13-2020, 01:59 AM

Hi Liz,

Thanks for putting my mind at rest! Yes I've read out loud to him a lot and am talking to him when he comes out so hopefully he is getting used to my voice at least.

That makes me feel relieved that you don't have to have picked them up in the first week or whatever as I have read, I'm more than happy to take it slowly and let him get really used to me.

Good news about the sleep too, so can just let him adjust and hope to see more of him in the next week as he settles.

Sounds like your hamster has great fun! I have seen some foraging/maze hamster toys so am excited to get some stuff like that for him to enjoy while I am attempting a spot clean.

I have a medium sized secure room with not much furniture in which I could let him run around in while I clean in there sat on the carpet with him or would that be too scary? Otherwise I can put him in an empty bath with the plug in and clean next to him on the floor but give him a bit more space.

NibblesTheHam · 11-13-2020, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emilyy

Hi Liz,

Thanks for putting my mind at rest! Yes I've read out loud to him a lot and am talking to him when he comes out so hopefully he is getting used to my voice at least.

That makes me feel relieved that you don't have to have picked them up in the first week or whatever as I have read, I'm more than happy to take it slowly and let him get really used to me.

Good news about the sleep too, so can just let him adjust and hope to see more of him in the next week as he settles.

Sounds like your hamster has great fun! I have seen some foraging/maze hamster toys so am excited to get some stuff like that for him to enjoy while I am attempting a spot clean.

I have a medium sized secure room with not much furniture in which I could let him run around in while I clean in there sat on the carpet with him or would that be too scary? Otherwise I can put him in an empty bath with the plug in and clean next to him on the floor but give him a bit more space.

That's another method of taming that some people use, where you hang out in a hamster-safe room, playpen, or bathtub with your hamster and lots of toys from his cage to make him feel more comfortable. You will probably need to get him used to the hamster-safe room or bathtub, (either one would work fine, but maybe start with the tub first.) so do maybe 5 minutes the first time, then the next time do a few more, etc..

emilyy · 11-16-2020, 02:56 AM

Hi everyone,

I have made some progress with Chuck! We sat in the empty bath for a little while 2 nights ago and he seemed to find it okay! He was happily washing and eating and exploring. I wore some gloves (pathetic I know!) and did brave picking him up and letting him run from hand to hand. He did really well with all of this and didn't go to bite at all, I notice I am scared to take the gloves off which feels so silly but didn't realise how scared I am from my last hamster who always bit! I think I'm nervous that if he did bite me we would be 5 steps back in bonding and he would be scared of me!

He then slept in his house for ages after bless him so obviously tired out from exploring!

I am going to get him out again tomorrow and wonder if I should tonight as well? Don't know how often is best in these early stages.