Feeling Frustrated

[JuniperLoki]

Hi everyone...Cinnamon was doing well but lately he's just not...I don't know, really interacting with me willingly.

He has hidey holes and he just...hides. He doesn't like being outside the cage.

I have love to give!

I'm wondering if I just have a shy kind of hamster. Who doesn't like me. He'll take treats from me but then he takes the treats back inside his house.

It's so frustrating. But I don't think Cinnamon is happy and I'm not happy that Cinnamon's not happy.

[Cinnamon Bear]

I have a Chinese hamster the same way. It is frustrating cause she's 2 yrs + & cause of her age & temperament she will continue to hide even if I cut back on her substrate where she lives, under her bedding.

I'm going to let her live this way & just take pleasure in the fact that this is what she likes to do.

In your case though I don't know what to say except to not give up. Does he like exercise ball, or playpen/ bathtub? Free roaming if possible? Maybe his sleep schedule has changed so he's just sleepy.

Don't take it personally

[Aleks]

I completely sympathise.
My little Russian dwarf is exactly the same, I walk in to my room and she's out side her bed (which is progression) but as soon as I'm in the room she hides in her bed, if I sit outside her cage to wait for her to come out, she pokes her head out, sees me and goes back in.... I don't know what else to try! Sorry wish I could give some tips to help...

[flowerfairy]

What was he doing before in terms of out of cage time? Gopal took a few weeks to fallmin love with playbox time and even now there are some nights that he just doesn't want to come out.

I have a wheel a tunnel and some substrate from his cage in the box and always put a bit of food scattered around in there for him.

You haven't had him long if i remember rightly, so just keep going slowly getting him used to your smell with the tissue trick and giving him strokes when he is ezting.

[JuniperLoki]

He did come up to me and sniff my finger....maybe you're right. He might be overwhelmed with everything....ithas only been a month...

[flowerfairy]

Aww. Yes a month isn't so very long. We know that we have love to give but they have to learn to trust us. As prey animals they are naturally cautious.

[JuniperLoki]

OMG he jumped into my hands and wanted out of the cage. It seems 9pm is the magic hour although this morning he came out for a sniff.

Thank you everyone for your advice! The playpen should arrive thi weekend.