Hamster Central - View Single Post - How to capture a new hamster who is very skittish?

Ria P · 07-13-2021, 06:25 AM

Hamsters forget very quickly. I had to trim Betsy's nails and the only way i was safely and quickly able to do that was to scruff her (she wriggles otherwise and bites the clippers) which doesn't hurt them when done right. I thought that she would never trust me again but the next day she happily climbed onto my hand like nothing unpleasant had happened.

What i'm saying is that sometimes we have to do things we would rather not.

I'd remove items around where he's hiding first while talking to him calmly then slowly remove the substrate till you see him. If you're worried that he may bite, wear gardening gloves so you won't be nervous yourself. If you can, scoop him up in your hands or have something ready for him to run into. I'd transfer him into a deep enough glass jar to get an initial allround look of him but it would be better to check him over properly by holding him in your hands over his substrate or a box with a pillow, in case he jumps off.

If he's perfectly fine and just shy then don't feel bad. You don't know him yet or his habits so its better to make sure that all is well with him.

I have a reclusive dwarf but when his fresh food has gone in the morning that's good enough for me. If ever the food remained untouched it would be very out of character and i would go looking for him immediately using a very direct and insensitive approach of digging him out.

07-13-2021, 06:25 AM
Ria P House of Hamsters Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 7,103	Re: How to capture a new hamster who is very skittish? Hamsters forget very quickly. I had to trim Betsy's nails and the only way i was safely and quickly able to do that was to scruff her (she wriggles otherwise and bites the clippers) which doesn't hurt them when done right. I thought that she would never trust me again but the next day she happily climbed onto my hand like nothing unpleasant had happened. What i'm saying is that sometimes we have to do things we would rather not. I'd remove items around where he's hiding first while talking to him calmly then slowly remove the substrate till you see him. If you're worried that he may bite, wear gardening gloves so you won't be nervous yourself. If you can, scoop him up in your hands or have something ready for him to run into. I'd transfer him into a deep enough glass jar to get an initial allround look of him but it would be better to check him over properly by holding him in your hands over his substrate or a box with a pillow, in case he jumps off. If he's perfectly fine and just shy then don't feel bad. You don't know him yet or his habits so its better to make sure that all is well with him. I have a reclusive dwarf but when his fresh food has gone in the morning that's good enough for me. If ever the food remained untouched it would be very out of character and i would go looking for him immediately using a very direct and insensitive approach of digging him out.