Hello from a new Hamster owner!

[JamWagon]

Hello all,

My name Jam Wagon and on Sunday I got my first Hammie, his a long haired Syrian Hamster, named Indy! I've been lurking for a while researching which cage to get (I decided on the Savic hamster Heaven, I've blocked the tubes for the time being to help with taming) So trust me you guys have already been a big help in that.

However I've already got a few question, which I was hoping you guys to help with?

Indy is quite a bold hamster, I was expecting him when we got home to hide in his hut for a few days. but no! he seems pretty settled already. Running on his wheel, not being concerned by most of the noise. ect-

As such I was wondering when I should start introducing outside cage play? on the one hand I don't want to stress him out before his been hand tamed but on the other hand I don't want him to be bored? I don't know what will be for the best?

Any advice would be helpful =)

[velma]

Hello! Welcome to the forum. I'd say get him used to you & your hand in his cage to start with. He might be getting used to his cage quickly but he's still had an upheaval. If he's plenty to do in his cage he won't be bored.

[Wanna Hamster]

Hi and welcome to HC!

[Tazius]

Hey! Me and my partner got our Syrian (Faolan) just over a week ago and he sounds just like your Indy (which by the way is a fantastic name, I love it so much).

Even though he's really bold it's still important to take things slowly. We rushed things with Faolan a little bit, because he seemed so confident, and we actually startled him and caused him to be aggressive towards us a few times so I personally would also suggest just taking things slowly in the same way you would with a nervous hamster. Let it get used you first with had taming, because you also run the risk of, if something went wrong and he escaped from the playpen, you wouldn't be able to pick him up with your hands.

As long as he has an excercise wheel and some toys in his cage, he should be plenty happy?

[cypher]

Welcome to the forum & congrats on getting your first ham

I agree with Velma, don't be tempted to rush things as even confident hams can take a step back if you go too fast with taming, one step at a time!

[Willstonehouse]

Hello and welcome

[Snowz]

Hi and welcome, that is great! amazing news that he is already settled.

Don't rush things, even if he seems really confident you don't want to take him out straight away. Make sure that Indy is comfortable with you picking him up!

And just give him a phew more days before taming to make sure he is definitely settled.

[Josie]

Hello and welcome to the forum

[Pebbles82]

Hello and welcome. Sometimes they do get excited with lots of new things and especially a wheel, but sometimes it's also a bit of nervous excitement. Usually best to leave them to their own devices for a few days. Meanwhile talk to him through the cage so he gets used to your voice and smell. Many people recommend the tissue trick as well, to get them used to your scent. So put some white toilet paper up your sleeve for a few hours then tear each sheet into 5 or 6 strips and put it in the cage in a pile. Your hammy might pouch it for his nest, but whether he does or not it will help him get used to your scent.

Usually people begin taming by offering a treat through the bars for a few days, then progress to a treat on the palm of your hand. Keep your hand near the cage door, they can get quite territorial about a hand coming into their cage/territory, in that it can make them scared or nervous, especially if a hand comes from the top. That should be quite easy with a hamster heaven as it has a nice big front door. Soon your hamster should feel confident enough to walk onto your hand to take the treat.

After the first few days you could let him have a run in a ball if you have a hamster ball, for some out of cage time, until he is tamer. I'm not that keen on hamster balls, but it can be a good way of transporting a hamster in and out of the cage and elsewhere.

You could either put the ball in the cage and let him hop in, or put a tube (eg centre of a kitchen roll) in the cage with one end in the cage and the other end in the ball and he should just walk in.

We used the bathtub taming. We would take him up to the bathtub in his hamster ball and put it in the dry bathtub with the plug in, open the ball and let him run around in there - maybe with a few toys like a mug or a tube. Putting towels in the bath cushions his landing if he jumps at all.

Our hamster was very untame and it took a while before we could pick him up without him 'pinging' ie leaping a couple of feet in the air, and they can hurt themselves if they do that.

We found after a few sessions, and when he was used to our smells, we could gently stroke him on the back with one finger while he was in the bathtub and he got used to that without leaping away. From there, quite quickly we were able to move onto just cupping a hand under him, lifting him a centimetre or so and letting him walk off the hand again. Once we were at that stage we could just pick him up and he was fine and very handleable. They just need to build trust.

It's always best to handle them over something low and soft - eg cushions or towels in case they fall, and transport them in something they can't jump out of.

Hope this helps.

We found these treats good for taming and they're quite healthy ones too. The pink ones were most popular, then the green and the white only if there was nothing else lol.

ROSEWOOD PET PRODUCTS BOREDOMS BREAKERS NATURALS LITTLE HEARTS rabbit mice 38940 | eBay

Have added a little video of some of our bathtub training and hamster toys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAZYfMZEzeY

Be careful handling him anywhere but an enclosure like a bathtub until he is fully tame because they can move fast! And be off.