Hello! and help

[Naomi27]

Hello,

Yesterday I bought the cutest little (syrian) hamster at my local petshop (her name is Baloo). When I asked the store if the hamster was already tame they told me it was not. Since it is a baby I didn't worry about this. When I took her home in her little box she was screaming a lot but the shop told me that this was normal and would stop as soon as she was comfortable in her cage. I put her in the cage as soon as I got home an left her alone for the day. When I wanted to put food in her bowl this morning she started screaming again and she seems very afraid.

My question is: Is this normal and can I just start using the treat taming method in about 4 days?

[ladyntramp002]

I really don't know if this is normal. My syrians were fine when I brought them home from the adoptions, but your hammie could be just really scared with your presence and its new surroundings.


I personally would let it settle down first (a week? or a couple of days) , but you can use the tissue trick.

The tissue trick is where you put tissues inside your sleeve and wear it for a couple hours. Then place the tissues inside your hammie's cage so it can use it for nesting.

[Naomi27]

I really don't know if this is normal. My syrians were fine when I brought them home from the adoptions, but your hammie could be just really scared with your presence and its new surroundings.


I personally would let it settle down first (a week? or a couple of days) , but you can use the tissue trick.

The tissue trick is where you put tissues inside your sleeve and wear it for a couple hours. Then place the tissues inside your hammie's cage so it can use it for nesting.

Thanks! I will try the tissue trick, I hope it helps her. I feel so bad for her since she is so scared.

[cypher]

Going into a new environment can be very scary for them especially if she is very young & may be missing any siblings she was caged with at the pet shop.
Make sure she has deep substrate (about 15cm) to burrow into if she wants to, a good house to sleep in, a cardboard box will do but only open at the base with a door cut into one side (it needs to be really dark in there), a nice big pile of shredded plain white toilet tissue to make a nest with.
You can put some toilet tissue up your sleeve for a few hours then put that in the cage to help her get used to your scent.
I would just leave her to settle for a couple more days, talk to her quietly but don't try to interact just yet & if she's that nervous it might be an idea to change water & put food in when she's sleeping, try not to wake her though.
She should settle soon enough if you can make her feel safe in the cage, then slowly begin to offer treats, just put your hand up to the bars (if you have bars) or lay your hand flat in the cage & let her come to you.
Don't be in a hurry & rush things or taming will just go backward.

[Naomi27]

Going into a new environment can be very scary for them especially if she is very young & may be missing any siblings she was caged with at the pet shop.
Make sure she has deep substrate (about 15cm) to burrow into if she wants to, a good house to sleep in, a cardboard box will do but only open at the base with a door cut into one side (it needs to be really dark in there), a nice big pile of shredded plain white toilet tissue to make a nest with.
You can put some toilet tissue up your sleeve for a few hours then put that in the cage to help her get used to your scent.
I would just leave her to settle for a couple more days, talk to her quietly but don't try to interact just yet & if she's that nervous it might be an idea to change water & put food in when she's sleeping, try not to wake her though.
She should settle soon enough if you can make her feel safe in the cage, then slowly begin to offer treats, just put your hand up to the bars (if you have bars) or lay your hand flat in the cage & let her come to you.
Don't be in a hurry & rush things or taming will just go backward.

Thanks for the tips! The substrate I have in the cage now is about 4 cm, won't it be more stressful for her if I change this now? I'm afraid that if I make changes to her cage now she will get more scared than she already is.

[cypher]

Normally it is best to avoid making changes when they are new & nervous but if you can just gently add in as much extra substrate as you can manage she will probably feel more comfortable & safe a lot quicker so I would say it would be worth it.

[ladyntramp002]

Adding substrate is a good idea. I know my hammie loves to burrow, and it makes him feel very safe if he has quite a bit. I totally agree with cypher on this. Just try to add substrate in gently and as quietly as you can.

[AmityvilleHams]

Deep substrate is far less stressful than not enough substrate.It allows the hamster to burrow and hide more,which in turn reduces the stress of exposure!

15 cm would still be on the shallower end of the spectrum and even deeper would be better,20-30 cm or more ideally!

[Naomi27]

Normally it is best to avoid making changes when they are new & nervous but if you can just gently add in as much extra substrate as you can manage she will probably feel more comfortable & safe a lot quicker so I would say it would be worth it.

I put in more substrate this afternoon. I did it very quietly but she wasn't very happy with the disturbance and started screaming again. But when she calmed down a bit and the room was quiet again she immediately started digging and I think she is quite happy with the change. This tip helped a lot!

I had another question, I bought the minimum size cage for her but from what I have already seen of her she is quite an energetic hamster and I want to buy a bigger cage next week. (Friday I think) Would it be okay for me to put her in the new cage next Sunday. (not in 3 days but the Sunday the weekend after next)

[AmityvilleHams]

It should be fine to upgrade to a bigger cage.Just take the same exact procedure of waiting and not handling etc for the same amount of time or as long as necessary before handling and such.A cage change is just as stressful as moving to a new home,and unfortunately not everyone considers that cage changes do require settling periods as well so a hamster may seem stressed or uncomfortable in a new environment before they settle!

Minimum cage sizes can be a bit silly and rarely if ever work,except in the case of the German minimum(which cannot be purchased premade,without heavy modification in the case of a tiny amount of guinea pig square meter cages).

Being an energetic hamster I would just order a square meter guinea pig cage and mesh the bars over,or make a DIY square meter cage.Try and block off a portion though and do a gradual transition as well as keeping open spaces to a minimum,as this does help the settling process move along better!

[Naomi27]

It should be fine to upgrade to a bigger cage.Just take the same exact procedure of waiting and not handling etc for the same amount of time or as long as necessary before handling and such.A cage change is just as stressful as moving to a new home,and unfortunately not everyone considers that cage changes do require settling periods as well so a hamster may seem stressed or uncomfortable in a new environment before they settle!

Minimum cage sizes can be a bit silly and rarely if ever work,except in the case of the German minimum(which cannot be purchased premade,without heavy modification in the case of a tiny amount of guinea pig square meter cages).

Being an energetic hamster I would just order a square meter guinea pig cage and mesh the bars over,or make a DIY square meter cage.Try and block off a portion though and do a gradual transition as well as keeping open spaces to a minimum,as this does help the settling process move along better!


Then I'll move her to a bigger cage :D I don't know if a square meter cage fits in my room, is the DIY billy cage from Ikea big enough?
I hope she'll enjoy it and get used to the cage and me soon! Then she'll have lots to explore and I'll make sure to put enough substrate in.
I'm so afraid to make mistakes with her, she is my first hamster and I want to giver her the life she deserves so thanks for all the help and tips! :)

[cypher]

Good to hear she's happy with the additional substrate :)

I wouldn't rush into anything with a bigger cage, she may well really enjoy more space but I would let her settle in, maybe even for a few weeks, get to know her & what she likes before making any big changes, as she's so nervous now she may do better in a smaller cage for a while then be ready for an upgrade when she's gained confidence.
Moving her too soon could set things back as she settles in & you do often have to go through the whole settling in process again when you upgrade so just take your time with her, no rush!

[AmityvilleHams]

A single or even double Billy would not be that big.The double would maybe be half a square meter if that,so wait until you know for sure you could fit a very large cage :) Let her settle for now.

A square meter is 1,550 square inches or for example 100 cm x 100 cm,200 cm x 50 cm,or various other combinations of dimensions adding up to 1,550 square inches.

Single units from Ikea are not going to be big enough,even a single Detolf is really narrow(but the length is wonderful!).Four Lack tables would be yet another square meter example though,or a double Detolf(same length but double width)would be over a square meter.There are lots of options though,like a completely DIY cage or a modified square meter guinea pig cage or even directly connected bins adding up to a square meter or more :) Don't feel trapped with a single choice,there are far too many to be limited!

[chesca_27]

She is very cute :)!

From the photo attached, I am guessing she is a Syrian. While the Ikea Billy is an excellent cage for a dwarf (I have that cage myself), it isn't tall enough for an adult Syrian wheel (10-12 inches) so isn't so great for a Syrian.

I'd wait a few weeks to upgrade her. They often settle in better when they are in smaller cages and become easier to tame. My dwarf was already tame when I got him, but he settled in much better in a small cage and got used to me quicker. The cage size didn't bother him either.

You don't need a square meter cage and to be honest, I think that would terrify her at this age, especially since she is so nervous already. You could think about upgrading her to a 100cm by 50cm cage. That would be best for an energetic Syrian and is what we normally recommend as a standard. I don't know where you are based (US or UK), but that will give us an indication of what the best cage is for your area (some are only available in certain places). If you live in the UK, Zooplus sells an excellent range of good cages. The Alexander, Alaska, Barney and Hamster Heaven are all good and don't need any modification. If you live in the US, Ikea furniture hacks or bin cages would be best.

[Cinnamon Bear]

Ikea stores are not every where through out the country. Only in certain cities. In my state there are only 2 stores by New York City and NY is big state. Maybe you can order I'm not sure?

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi Naomi, I remember Twinkle being like your little girl. She was very nervous, I remember her screaming at the slightest noise and I would sit by her cage and talk softly and quietly telling her it was ok and I was going to look after her.
I agree with the others about avoiding a bigger cage for now. Let her settle and mark her scent all over the cage she's in and when you do decide to move her then introduce her to the bigger cage slowly.

[Naomi27]

She is very cute :)!

From the photo attached, I am guessing she is a Syrian. While the Ikea Billy is an excellent cage for a dwarf (I have that cage myself), it isn't tall enough for an adult Syrian wheel (10-12 inches) so isn't so great for a Syrian.

I'd wait a few weeks to upgrade her. They often settle in better when they are in smaller cages and become easier to tame. My dwarf was already tame when I got him, but he settled in much better in a small cage and got used to me quicker. The cage size didn't bother him either.

You don't need a square meter cage and to be honest, I think that would terrify her at this age, especially since she is so nervous already. You could think about upgrading her to a 100cm by 50cm cage. That would be best for an energetic Syrian and is what we normally recommend as a standard. I don't know where you are based (US or UK), but that will give us an indication of what the best cage is for your area (some are only available in certain places). If you live in the UK, Zooplus sells an excellent range of good cages. The Alexander, Alaska, Barney and Hamster Heaven are all good and don't need any modification. If you live in the US, Ikea furniture hacks or bin cages would be best.

Yes she is a syrian! I'll look for better cages for her then. I live in the Netherlands so I can easily go to an Ikea store or even buy the right size hamster cage but I like the glass on a detolf or billy cage because that way I can look at her when she is awake. I'll take it slow with her and maybe when I'm upgrading her attach her original cage to the upgrade so she can explore when she is ready. At the moment she is in a bin cage so it's easy for me to change the cage for her new needs.

[Naomi27]

A single or even double Billy would not be that big.The double would maybe be half a square meter if that,so wait until you know for sure you could fit a very large cage :) Let her settle for now.

A square meter is 1,550 square inches or for example 100 cm x 100 cm,200 cm x 50 cm,or various other combinations of dimensions adding up to 1,550 square inches.

Single units from Ikea are not going to be big enough,even a single Detolf is really narrow(but the length is wonderful!).Four Lack tables would be yet another square meter example though,or a double Detolf(same length but double width)would be over a square meter.There are lots of options though,like a completely DIY cage or a modified square meter guinea pig cage or even directly connected bins adding up to a square meter or more :) Don't feel trapped with a single choice,there are far too many to be limited!

I'll have to DIY a lot haha
I am going to try to make her cage a square metre with some extensions but I don't know if I'll be able to make it that big all in once. Thanks for the tips, I will wait a month or so before upgrading and take it slow when moving her. :)

[Naomi27]

Hi Naomi, I remember Twinkle being like your little girl. She was very nervous, I remember her screaming at the slightest noise and I would sit by her cage and talk softly and quietly telling her it was ok and I was going to look after her.
I agree with the others about avoiding a bigger cage for now. Let her settle and mark her scent all over the cage she's in and when you do decide to move her then introduce her to the bigger cage slowly.

I talk to Baloo too, I don't know if it helps or if I'm making her more afraid but I want to get her used to my voice and presence.
Is Twinkle allright now or is she still a nervous hamster? I'm afraid she'll stay afraid of humans and I think I am going to have to put a lot of time and efford into taming her, but that's okay if that's what she needs I'll take it slow :)

[Thin Lizzy]

Twinkle passed almost a year ago! But she was a right diva and starting at the beginning strengthened our bond so much.

[Naomi27]

Twinkle passed almost a year ago! But she was a right diva and starting at the beginning strengthened our bond so much.

I'm so sorry! I didn't read the text below your post! But I'm happy to hear that this only strengthened your bond, I hope I have the same experience with Baloo :)

[Naomi27]

Update! Today Baloo ate a piece of banana out of my hand! she even followed my hand out of her hideaway! :D Although she did let me know with a little squeak when she was done with the attention. I think this is progress!

[Thin Lizzy]

I'm so sorry! I didn't read the text below your post! But I'm happy to hear that this only strengthened your bond, I hope I have the same experience with Baloo :)

Just go slow Naomi, waiting that bit longer is worth while and very rewarding.

[ladyntramp002]

I am so happy to hear that Baloo took the treat from your hand. You are making real progress. Remember to let Baloo set the pace, no matter how much you want the process to speed up. It is always good to let your hammie set it.


So excited for you!

[dreamtree1234]

I am so thrilled that Baloo took the banana from your hand. That is definitely a good sign. I agree with everyone's comments. I would totally take things very slowly with Baloo. I know that it is quite hard to do so, but it is completely worth it in the end. Just keep talking quitely to him, using the tissue trick, and slowly offering treats but do not attempt to pet him right now. Let him get used to you and feel completely secure and comfortable before adding the next step in the taming process. Good luck and congrats on your 1st hamster. I know that the two of you will have a wonderful time together.

Baloo is absolutely adorable. Thanks for sharing the pic. Good luck.