[EmmaDurnford]

Hi all,

I've kept Syrian hamsters for over 20 years (one at a time of course) and each one had its own personality. The last one I had - Pingado - was very nervous to tame but after a month or so was so friendly that he came out every morning to enjoy breakfast nestled in my dressing gown!!

Move forward two years to my most recent family edition - a lovely long haired male Syrian - Mr Huffkin (don't ask about the name!). On arrival he explored his cage a bit and then disappeared into his wooden house. We didn't see him for 2-weeks, literally didn't see him. I did the usual thing of sitting chatting every day for an hour or so talking gently so he got used to my voice. Then one night I found him digging in his sand bath at midnight and we see him most evenings at midnight. However... he is terrified. He will take food from my hand and let me stroke him gently BUT the only time I tried to pick him up went badly, he nearly escaped although I caught him and did manage to hold him for a while (no biting at all).

I cannot seem to tame him and I don't know why - he seems terrified. I need to clean him out but have read that I should never lift his house out and so I cannot clean him unless its after midnight and I lift the top level of his cage off with him in it.

I have just read about ghost hamsters - is this what he is? I have had him for almost a month (bought on 22 of April) and he was 8 weeks old when bought, just out of quarantine and not that socialised.

Any advice gratefully received as I want him to be happy and equally I would like to have some form of relationship rather than just feeding a silent cage for the next 2.5 years (which obviously I will do if I have to).

Thank you