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Old 07-22-2021, 01:40 AM  
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Oreo is proving difficult. Please help. x

Agree with all the above. Particularly with the routine for feeding. Try and do that at the same time every day - maybe 6pm ish (5 or 7 good too). And a little bit of cage noise (lifting the lid off, taking the water bottle out etc) plus chatting to him (even if you can’t see him). Once he knows to expect feeding time he might start appearing at that time when he gains in confidence. But yes it is time. My only concern would be if you want to tame and handle him you will need to get him out a couple of times a week for a taming session (and an occasional health check). Pickle (Syrian) only comes out at feeding time but will often come to the cage door to say hello as well and that’s when I get him out sometimes - let him walk into something eg and lift him out that way. Although he is bigger and tame so easy to pick up anyway.

Does his bin cage have mesh on the sides? I think it helps if they can see what’s going on outside the cage (he’s bound to come out in the middle of the night). He may also be more shy with top access. With our Robo I gave up on a tank with top access and moved him into a cage with a front door. Had a lot more interaction then. Some people actually attach and old hanster cage door to the front of a bin cage, instead of mesh. The hamster heaven is a good option for a dwarf hammy.

When you said he looked up at you made me think of that. A shy hanster is naturally more wary of anything overhead rather than on their own level.

Assume you give him a bit of veg each day. I’d suggest putting the veg at the opposite end of the cage to his house, on a separate dish or in a ceramic hide eg - or whatever you have at that end that’s suitable to put wet veg on or in. It’s the thing they look forward to each day and will have to go to the other end of the cage to get it. He may still wait until you’re gone but at least he’ll get used to using the whole cage and venturing out more.
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