After much thought and deliberation, I decided to open my heart and my home to a new hammy. Darwin, my Syrian, was going back to school with me and I had just recently lost my hybrid dwarf, Smudge. I wasn't prepared for a quiet, hammyless home during the week, so after several visits to PetSmart and watching her in awe, Pippa came to join my hamily on August 17, 2012
I'd like to introduce to you my new little Chinese girl, Pippa...(AKA Pippa-roni). Just look at those ears....<3
Here she is on her adoption day (look at that little tail...squeeee)!
Pippa is my first Chinese hamster that I've ever owned. I'd heard all of the fantastic stories about how Chinese hamsters are content to just to cling or hide in your sleeve and how they love to wrap their little tails around your finger. *Gah*...I couldn't wait!! (Sorry for the horrible video...my phone stinks!)
I set up her tank with TONS of substrate & lots of hidey's because that is what I had read in all the research I had done...Chinese hams love to hide.
Pippa LOVED her new home. In fact, she loved it SO much that I rarely ever saw her She created this massive nest with a tunnel that led under the platform that her wheel sat on. And she was just content to live...unseen...wah, wah, wha, wha....
I didn't want to scare her, so I just let her be, massive nest and all. After a few days, my gut feelings, and some advice from some great friends, I decided that if I ever wanted to even try to get Pippa tamed, I was going to have to make a few changes to her home.
I removed the hammy condo (for now) and I took the feet off of the wheel platform, making it flat against the bottom of the tank. I also simplified the set up with just a few major hiding areas for her. It worked WONDERS! She now comes out in between 6 & 7pm each night for a drink & a run in her wheel.
Pippa is such a little explorer! She looks very happy in her new home and you can see by her antics how much they are like mice! They really are fabulous little creatures. x Well done for giving Pippa a palace to live in.
I was trying the softly softly approach to taming with Pippa, but she doesn't seem very food motivated. So, I made some changes in the taming plan too! I've started getting her out of her cage when she wakes up around 6pm via a snuggle sack I had made for her.
We then head to the bath tub for lots of chatter (by me) and exploring (by her). I give her some hidey's so she can hide if she wants. I started out at 5 min a day for 5 days. I've bumped it up to 10 min a day this week and will continue bumping it up in the future. She's doing well with this method. She's not as nervous in the tub as she used to be and she will let me run my finger down her back, but she's still not too keen on handling yet. Baby steps...
She then goes back into her tank for a little nap in her wheel followed by a night of wheel exercise and fun antics in her tank.
I can't wait for the day when I can cuddle her!!! <3 this little one to pieces!
Pippa is such a little explorer! She looks very happy in her new home and you can see by her antics how much they are like mice! They really are fabulous little creatures. x Well done for giving Pippa a palace to live in.
Thank you SO much racinghamster! She has been so different since I've made the slight changes to her cage. I'm still a bit impatient with the taming, but SHE has done wonderfully!