[flowerfairy]

I have found with my (lovely fluffy male) syrian hamster, Tarak, that he soon knows when I feed him and reliably gets up to eat!

I also found that offering them play time as soon as they appear is a good way to interact with them. It may take a while for them to associate you offering a tunnel, box or mug for transport into the playnpen with fun play time but once they cotton on most of my hamsters have been eager to climb into the 'transport' and have a good old play whilst I watch them.

My first ever hamster, Horace (black eyed cream) used to wake when I got home from school ready for his feed and for his running round time on me and my bed!