Hi everyone!
My family bought a Syrian hamster a month ago today. His name is Cloudy, he is more or less 3 months, and he is very cute. I am, as many new owners here , quite nervous about the whole taming process (it doesn't help that my 6 and 7 years old are both scared and very eager to play with the hamster...). I had a few bservations and was hoping a could get some comment from you all.
I have tried a few taming sessions outside his cage, and I have taken him out when I am cleaning the cage as well. My impression is that he gets very scared outside his cage. He is not exploring at all (although we placed toys and treats in the bathtub, in a playpen, and in a smaller plastic bin) but just hides somewhere until I manage to get him back to his cage. Will that fade away if I take him out every night in the same setting? or will it get worse?
I have therefore tried to tame him into his cage, placing my hand with treats. He is happy to come to us and take treats through the bars, or even from our fingers in the cage, but from my hand that seems really difficult. Shall I persevere for a week or two? Or try something else?
He doesn't seem to be much of a biter but he is really shy. Although now he manages to forge, and drink and eat when we're around, I have never managed to see him on his wheel (I know he uses it all night though, as I can hear it
)
Last thing: his cage. We bought a quite classix 80 x 50 bar cage, which we arranged with sand bath, wheel, various houses and hides, chews etc. He really seems to like it. But after much reading I was afraid this was too small (although the hamster seems quite on the small side for a syrian) and I bought a Detolf. My question is: should I move him to the Detolf? Or wait until he is tamed? (which will take a loong time I am afraid).
Any thoughts and ideas are very welcome. Thank you all for reading so far!
Dodo