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Old 02-02-2021, 01:58 PM   #1
Zo and Milo
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Smile Hello from Zoe and Milo 🥰🐹

Hey everyone!
I’m brand new to hamster central and so far love what I’m seeing! There’s so many helpful comments and tips on here so before I continue thank you!
Milo became mine and my boyfriends first little baby just over a week ago now and has grown in confidence so much already.
I’m just looking for a bit of advice on how to move forward from now. We’re lucky enough to have him let us stroke him when he’s awake late in the evenings, he even wasn’t grouchy when we woke him earlier for his 1 week deep clean. I’d like any tips you’ve got for beginning to hold him.
He’s been in his ball in the evenings for a short period of time and is happy(ish) to walk out on to my hand and in to his cage when he’s finished in the ball so I think holding him is the next stage. On that note however, Iv read a lot of conflicting information about hamster balls...are they happy in there or not!?
Thanks for any help you can give, from Zoe and Milo x
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Old 02-03-2021, 07:12 AM   #2
NibblesTheHam
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Canada
Posts: 99
Default Re: Hello from Zoe and Milo 🥰🐹

I'd say that hamster balls are just too great a risk, toes and feet can get caught, it forces them to run with an arched back, and there's not really good ventilation. Free roaming them in a playpen or a hamster-proof room is much better, if they enjoy it. You don't really need to do a deep clean every week, a long as your cage is a proper size. I generally do a deep clean once every 4-5 weeks, or just when spot cleaning isn't stopping the cage from smelling anymore. When you're starting to lift him up, then just lure him onto your hand or arm, or wait until he walks on by himself, and lift him up slowly, still above or inside his cage. He may run off, if so, just try again. If he runs off into his hide, give it a day or two, then try again. You can also take him out into a bathtub or playpen, and just let him climb on you, and get used to your scent. What species is he? Hope this helps!

Last edited by NibblesTheHam; 02-03-2021 at 07:14 AM. Reason: I thought of a question.
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Old 02-03-2021, 03:05 PM   #3
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Default Re: Hello from Zoe and Milo 🥰🐹

Welcome to HC and congratulations to your new hamster Milo!

Hamster balls are fine as a safe means of transport to take a hamster out of the cage and to a playarea for example but NOT to trap a hamster and let him roll around in it. Hamsters run in them because they're trying to get out and it is very stressful for them.

A big enough cage (80cmx50cm is recommended but some dwarfs are happy in a slightly smaller one) with deep substrate doesn't often need a deep clean and can go for weeks, even months with spot cleaning only.

Now to your question on how to progress and i can only explain what i do because people have different approaches to hamster taming.
I'd take him out of his cage and let him walk around on your lap while you sit inside a playpen or safe area so he gets used to you. You can stroke him and let him walk over your hands if he's happy to do so. I'd keep the sessions short and let him walk off you if he wants to go and explore or put him back in his habitat if he gets stressed.
After a while you should be able to scoop him up and hold him in your hands.
Whether Milo wants to sit in your hands for a while or not depends on his personality but you'll be able to hold him and stroke him for a bit anyway.
Three out of my seven hamsters like to be handled, climb onto my hands when i open their cage door and climb around on me while i'm sitting on the floor in their playarea which is the hall with the doors closed and a blanket and toys on the floor. The rest tolerates me stroking and carrying them, they're easy to pick up (aside from a new Robo) but soon as they've arrived where they wanted to go they're off to run around and don't give me a second glance until they get hungry and want back in their cage.

You'll get to know Milo and he'll get to know you. It's usually possible to tell by their behaviour how comfortable they are around humans. Some need lots of time and patience to learn to trust a human and others will let you handle them almost immediately.
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Old 02-04-2021, 07:37 AM   #4
Zo and Milo
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Default Re: Hello from Zoe and Milo 🥰🐹

Thank you for your replies! That’s good to know about the deep cleaning being okay less frequently. He’s got a mansion cage at 1meter wide by 70cm so that saves cleaning that out as often lol.
We have a playpen, tried it out last night but he wasn’t too sure of the base material and freaked out a little bless him. I think I will try again, may just take a bit of getting used to. The bath tub sounds like a great idea! Will give that go too.
The tips of letting him come to me are useful too, I will go for that! Will keep you posted how we get on☺️
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