Newbie....Hi?

LydiaAndTeddy · 11-22-2015, 01:17 PM

Hi. So I've never owned a hamster before I've owned Guinea pigs and horses. I got my Syrian hamster Teddy yesterday morning he's 10 weeks old. He is really friendly and let's me stroke him. He will take food from my fingers and eat it next to me he also seems pretty comfortable around me. I would like to ask for some tips on how I handle him? Once he's had enough time to settle in. What kind of bonding activities can we do?

Thanks.

Thin Lizzy · 11-22-2015, 09:08 PM

Hi Lydia and Welcome to HC. Congratulations on your first hamster Teddy.
Try the tissue trick, stuff some tissues/toilet paper up your sleeves for a couple of hours and then place in his cage, this let's him get fasmiliar with your smell, do this several times, talk to him in a quiet voice whenever you can, anytime he makes contact with you, praise him and give him a little treat. Make sure when you put your hand into his cage that it's not from above, it may startle him, I always stroked mine when they came out for their dinner, gently and also spoke to them, this gets them used to being touched.
Also, it helps if you get your ham into a routine.

cypher · 11-22-2015, 11:21 PM

Welcome to HC & congrats on your first ham

Bertiebobbins · 11-23-2015, 01:01 AM

Hi wand welcome!

Just wanted to say, don't be surprised or offended if your ham decides to hide for a few days after being som friendly when you first got him. All mine did that, we're super friendly at first, then hid for a few days to get in with their hamster thing, then started to appear again and are now super tame. One took a little longer to get his confidence but my newest one we've had for 4 weeks is as tame as can be.

Also even though he seems confident, still leave him totally alone for a few days to settle. Doing the same things for him at the same times each day really helps aswell like Thin Lizzy said, I like to check mine twice a day so I do food/water/treats morning and evening at the same times, it took about 3 days until they got the hang of it and started to be waiting for me at those times. Luckily both mine were kind of on "pet shop time" so I worked around that, rather than having to be up at midnight to catch them up and about!

Pygmypuff · 11-23-2015, 01:29 AM

Hello! Welcome to HC and congratulations on your first hammie

Wanna Hamster · 11-23-2015, 06:07 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum! Congratulations!

Chezzu · 11-23-2015, 06:21 AM

Hello! Welcome to the forums!
It's great to hear that Teddy is so tame with you already!

I wrote this on another thread but I think it might be helpful for you to hear too! Make sure that your hamster is fully comfortable coming onto your hand and taking food from your palms, when he is comfortable with this start putting the treats on your hand but don't put your hand on the ground, keep it high enough so he has to climb on it to reach the treats, once comfortable with that :

Gentle lifting; when your hamster comes over and onto your hand to get the treats slowly lift your hand with your hamster on it - at this point your hamster should at least used to having your hand somewhat off the ground so lifting a bit higher shouldn't be too much of an issue! Once you've held them higher for a few seconds, lower them to the ground again so they can get off if they wish. Try to do this at a height that if your hamster does jump, they won't get hurt. Don't move on from this step until your hamster is fully comfortable with you lifting them up and putting them back down.

Slowly transition this to taking them out of the cage and into a different container, like a small box or something similar. Remember be careful but you are taking them out the cage and although they are used to lifting them higher they are not used to being took out of the cage. So be ready for the possibility of them jumping or something similar, just remember take it slowly. Once your hamster is in the container give them a few seconds and then put the container in their cage so they can climb out back into their cage. When they are comfortable being taken out and put in the container slowly you can start lifting them back over to their cage so they get used to you taking them both there and back! I recommend slowly taking the container away so it will become you picking them up, and holding them for a few seconds then you putting them back in the cage.

Slowly bus surely you can start getting them out for longer periods of time for strokes ect! Happy bonding!

Josie · 11-23-2015, 05:22 PM

Hello and welcome to HC, congratulations on your first little furrie