Worried now !!!

Lucy · 10-19-2010, 11:13 AM

I have been singing gently next to Jaffa cakes cage and letting him smell me through the air hole on the top of the Imac and he has been fine.
He seems to be less relaxed when I'm near him when he goes to the bottom of the cage ( the wired area ) and he sometimes runs into the tubes.
I just gave him some rice pudding. I open up the lid thing on the top if the cage and sang his name a few times in a quiet voice and he came out of his bed. He came right over and peered over the edge of the hole. I put in his bowl with the pudding in and closed the lid. He then went running into his tube and opened his mouth really wide. He then went back up to the top of his cage and hissed at me !!!
I'm so worried now I have frightens him and he will get ill !!
What should I do ?
By the way after hissing at me he went straight to his bowl and ate some of the pudding.

Womblehands · 10-19-2010, 11:16 AM

don't worry hun, it takes time to adjust.. the good thing is that he was comfortable eating with you near.He is just scared at the moment. i think he was a bit worried about the new item coming into his cage so was letting it know its his territory..

**Hope** · 10-19-2010, 11:26 AM

Hmm . . it could have been a warning to 'stay away from my food!' They will sometimes do this if they are unsure.

He is still adjusting and getting used to things - dont worry too much, he wont get ill from just hissing at you, I know its difficult not to panic (I know I do!) but he his eating his snack so he is fine, he will get to realise that you mean treats soon enough!

Lucy · 10-19-2010, 11:29 AM

Thankyou

I knew people here would put my mind at ease

he has eaten nearly half of it now !

Womblehands · 10-19-2010, 11:31 AM

aww bless. it is worrying tho. I've only ever tamed one hammy and that took about three mnths before she was calm enough. I'm worried about taming my new little one when she arrives. I'll be asking you for advice soon..

Katty_Sheldon · 10-19-2010, 11:33 AM

Maybe he got scared that you will take the food away, so he was defending the territory. Take it slowly, they really need time and time

Good luck

My hamster hated being picked up and it took him a month to get used to it

Womblehands · 10-19-2010, 11:37 AM

the way i think of it is that imagine you wake up one day in a different bedroom and bed and a giant hand appears with an ice cream and you're like what the hell is going on?.....i would be hiding and scared too. but if this hand appeared every so often with diff things i would kinda like it..... ( taken from my warped brain)

Lucy · 10-19-2010, 11:43 AM

Hehe that sounds like something from a film ! But I like your logic

So basically what you mean is he will get used to the fact that I mean nice yummy food and not just a big hand

Lucy · 10-19-2010, 12:18 PM

Omg !!! Jaffa Cake just took a tiny piece of broccoli from my hand very happily

fluffymunchkins · 10-19-2010, 01:13 PM

like said hes just learning about you and your learning about him at the moment

When hes in the top he feels sheltered and protected by the lid, probably why hes more confident.
Hamsters are naturally scared of things approaching from above,so when you pen the lid and put your hand in you seem like a bird of prey.
He probably soon realised it was just you, hence why he then enjoyed the scrummy pudding instead of just running and hiding