New baby hamster!

hershels_fruity_booty · 09-20-2015, 02:06 PM

Last week, i got a new hamster as a spur of the moment thing, and we got her set up in an old aquarium with fresh bedding, an igloo, a water tank, food, a ball, and some cut up egg cartons for her to play with. Immediately i started playing with her and putting her in her ball to explore the living room, but then i started readin up on how to actually care for your hamsters and i found out you're not supposed to play with then for the first 3-4 days after you take them home!!!!!! she's hasn't been acting strange or anything, she hasn't bitten me, she's been eating and drinking water, she's fairly active too. today i got her a running saucer ((because they're supposed to be better for they're back than a wheel)), some bath dust, and i cleaned out her cage and put in fresh bedding. we also got her a mineral chew but she hasn't touched it yet. it takes a few days for them to get accustomed to new toys right?? please help! am i doing anything else wrong???

Thin Lizzy · 09-21-2015, 08:26 PM

Hi and Welcome to HC.
Congratulations on your hamster.
Firstly, don't do another cage clean for at least 3 weeks so she can settle in and mark her scent all over her home. Do a daily spot check in her toilet area and remove any soiled substrate.
You seem to have gotten a friendly hamster, sometimes it can take a while for them to approach or be stroked.
You're doing really great, you've got her a flying saucer How's she getting on with it?

virtualkeith · 09-21-2015, 08:36 PM

Hi Hershels, Welcome to Hamster Central! I agree with Thin Lizzy, it does seem like you lucked out and got yourself a friendly hamster. It's great that you're on this site as you will get great advise just like I've been getting. I also got my hamster somewhat unplanned, and this website really got me on the right track.
Thin Lizzy is right, you should wait about 3 weeks to do the next cage clean as hamsters rely a lot on smell due to limited eyesight, so cleaning out the cage removes her smell, and can cause a little stress.
The one thing I noticed is that you said you got "some bath dust". People told me here that you should get chinchilla sand instead of the dust because hamsters have delicate respiratory systems. (I bought the dust at first too)
Otherwise, enjoy your new hamster, and keep reading and learning more. Think of it as a process.