Hiding

[Jambeth]

Yesterday Zoey let me pet her, which was great, so I thought we were making progress. I got her a couple a weeks ago, for those of you who don't know. But, today everytime I enter my room, she hides in one of her tubes.

[POLAR WHITES]

dont rush one step at a time. mybe just sitting talking to her might make her come out. some times just sitting talking to them can make them relax enough to gain them trust to be able to stroke them dont be disheartened sound like you are making progress.

[Jambeth]

Thanks. It's good to know that I'm making progress.

[Aleyra]

As POLAR_WHITES suggested, taking it slow is often the way to go. Think of it from your hamster's perspective: You are shoved in a box taken from a place you know, put into a big moving thing for a scary ride home rife with new smells and sounds, and then are put in an alien environment where these huge moving things make a bunch of scary sounds and foreign movements.

Treating them is a great way to gain their trust. So while you sit very still and just talk to them in the cage, you can try holding a favorite treat in your hand. When Zoey gets comfortable enough, she will take the treat from your hand.

Besides the new sounds and visual cues she needs to adjust to, she must also get acclimated to how you smell. Take an article of clothing you have worn during the day such as a shirt or a sock(as long as they aren't super stinky :P) and leave it close enough to the cage where she can get used to your scent. The more exposed to your sight, scent, and sounds she becomes, the more relaxed she will be. Some hams take longer to adjust than others, so go at her speed.

A final thing which can help is a strategy that applies to handling or, more specifically, removing her from the cage. When you handle her, try to avoid swooping in from above her and chasing her around the cage with your hand. I have had luck using a cup with new hams. You place some food or a treat in the bottom of a cup, and place the cup in the cage. The hamster will often willingly go into the cup, and then you can gently lift them out.

I hope this helps! :)