Giving treats

miightyhawk · 08-22-2010, 02:32 PM

Over the past few days i've been trying to reward my Yachiru with treats. She finds getting into her ball quite a nervous task and will stare, sniff and walk around it before stepping inside. So after she has been rolling around in her ball I try to reward her with a little treat afterwards. Accept she doesn't take it. At first I assumed she didn't like it so she didn't take it. I've been trying to give her different ones (yogurt,choco and milk drops) each time. But I'm not sure what's wrong. Is this a trust issue? Or am I doing something wrong?

By the way, when I let her out she climbs onto my hand and back onto he cage floor. I leave the treat on the palm of my hand but she just sniffs it then climbs over it. I leave it on my hand but she just walks off and starts burrowing again.

Thanks for your help

Katty_Sheldon · 08-22-2010, 02:44 PM

Well...my hamster doesnt want his treat when he is too excited. So - it might be that she likes the ball so much that she is too excited to eat! If she runs around in her ball and you think she is comfortable in it, it might be that.
Second option - she hates the ball, and feels disoriented and not good in it, so she is so eager to get out of it that she just ignores the food.

So i think you should pay attention if she wants to go in it on her own, and if yes, then she is just happy. If she avoids it, than i think she maybe doesnt like it. Many hamsters dont actually like the ball, and others cant just get enough of it!

Good luck

!

patches · 08-22-2010, 02:47 PM

it could always be that they dont want the food just then. i know that i dont want food right after a lot of exersise. your hamster may be the same way.

mangoandmimi · 08-22-2010, 03:35 PM

lots of times - well i find dwarfs dont really like treats. well they do but they r so tiny they really dont need to eat much. unlike my syrian who thinks anthing is food lol XD maybe he's too exited so doesn't wanna eat?? lol all hamsters are different

marisse_redblossom · 08-22-2010, 04:52 PM

If she eats normally on her mealtime, then the only reason is that she gets over excited and wants to stay more playing in ball

My hamster Kiwi loves apples so much, but when it's her playtime either in the ball, or freely roaming around, she would just sniff the apple, and would just get it after minutes

Redame · 08-23-2010, 02:44 AM

Try some fresh veggies instead of drops. I don't use drops at all since I personally don't find them good for my dwarfs, but my boys go crazy over veggies (thin slice of carrot, cucumber or lettuce) even more than the seeds I give them as treats.

fluffymunchkins · 08-23-2010, 07:34 AM

Not all hamster like certain treats, especially when they've not experienced them before.
With new foods i tend to leave them in the cage for them to try as they wish, once they've had a test and i've figured what they like and don't i chose the best to use as a treat

Personally in my hosue yogurt drops always go down well, so it might be because shes not hungry, too interested in playtime or not sure whether its safe to take the food.

miightyhawk · 08-23-2010, 05:41 PM

Thanks for all the feedback. She seems to much prefer small pieces of cucumber against all the drops. So I'll try that as a treat instead. All of her food in her cage is dry so it should all balance out.

I'm not sure if she likes or dislikes the ball though as she just gets in some nights when others she just walks up to it then turn away.