Ralpholski the Rescue

[Ralpholski]

I went into my local animal charity shop last week, as thats where I buy all my bedding and food for my dog, rabbits and chickens.
There they had Ralph a little Russian guy in need of a home. As a child I'd had jerboas, gerbils and mice, but never a hamster. However the charity said Ralph needed a home as the family that had him initially had given him up because he wasn't friendly (which they proved by opening his cage and him crackling at them). But they thought with time and patience he could be bonded with.
I like a challenge, and was informed that all i needed to buy was a cage and they'd give me food and bedding to start him off. Sold.

So off i went with a hissing hamster, i set his cage up popped him in and left him too it for a two days. I have just finished a degree in animal science so am well read in nutrition and behaviour of animals. Every time I have gone into my room I have been sure to talk out loud and in the evenings when he got up I started by just sitting next to his cage and talking.
On Saturday I put my hand in his cage with a small treat. He didn't crackle or run away, in fact he came up, investigated, sniffed then sat and ate the treat. Success!!
Then last night he allowed me to stroke one finger down his back whilst eating, he's also walked into his ball so I could let him roam whilst I cleaned. Next step is sitting in a bath tub and letting him climb, but I am going to wait a while, don't want to rush him!

Also ordered some diastix and will be testing him for diabetes this week. Anyone got tips on getting his urine onto a stick?