Link, teh magical hamster. Yeah right.

Fantasy_Suicide

Hi guys.

I have a hamster related question. So I bought my first ever hamster three days ago and I'm having a little trouble. I named him Link, after the Zelda games, and you'd think he'd be brave? No. Biggest coward of a hamster EVER! I go to try to pet him in his cage and he'll turn on his back and try to get away from me. I dunno if he tries to bite me, not sure. But he runs and hides in his tube. He does be shaking with fear, and I get worried that I'll never be able to hold him.

My best friend has a hamster who happily wanders around her hands, and I have no idea how she got hers to be so tame.

Has anyone got any advice or ideas on how I can calm him down? He is my first, so I'm not sure what I'm ment to do to tame him. Any advice is very muchly appreciated.

Kindest Regards,
Ms Suicide.

cobweb

dont know much about hammies but read a bit about them when thinking of getting a pet. Now I think the way to go is to sit by the cage and chat to Link and put your hand in with a nice hamster snack and wait. Let Link come and nibble the treat dont try to grab him and do this a few times.

You see the poor hamster is dealing with a new cage, home and smells and 3 days isnt too long really for him to settle in. I would just try to see can you gt him nibbling snacks from yur hand rather then trying to grab him as he has to ge used to your smell too.

Hope this helps but some hamster experts should be along soon with better advice good luck

Susannahmia

Fantasy_Suicide wrote: »

Hi guys.

I have a hamster related question. So I bought my first ever hamster three days ago and I'm having a little trouble. I named him Link, after the Zelda games, and you'd think he'd be brave? No. Biggest coward of a hamster EVER! I go to try to pet him in his cage and he'll turn on his back and try to get away from me. I dunno if he tries to bite me, not sure. But he runs and hides in his tube. He does be shaking with fear, and I get worried that I'll never be able to hold him.

My best friend has a hamster who happily wanders around her hands, and I have no idea how she got hers to be so tame.

Has anyone got any advice or ideas on how I can calm him down? He is my first, so I'm not sure what I'm ment to do to tame him. Any advice is very muchly appreciated.

Kindest Regards,
Ms Suicide.

When you get a new hamster you really shouldn't try to even touch them for at least three days, you need to give him time to settle into his new surroundings. The move is stressful and more stress could bring on a condition called wet tail which is fatal. My hamster contracted it last week and died as he escaped from his cage and got very stressed out.

Now that you know, gi him a few days to settle in and then begin familiarising him to you and your smell by hand feeding him small treats. Once he seems more relaxed (this could take a while), dont grab him up at first, let him crawl into say an empty toilet roll and pick him up that way and then let him crawl onto your knee etc. It just takes time.:)

Oh and turning on his back means he will bite you, it is an attack position.

Sigma Force

As said be patient it will take time, leave the hammie for a few days only go near him to change food and water etc. The start by putting your hand flat on the floor of the cage and keep it still, put a nice treat in your hand like a tiny piece of strawberry or tiny piece of ham.
Let him get comfortable enough to just sit in your hand. Eventually use a clean toothbrush and gentle touch his fur until he is comfortable with it and use the bruch to groom him. If he gets upset stop and try again gentle and slowly another time.

It can take a long time for a hammie to become more tame. Once he is on your hand and you can lift him up in your hand slowly, let him crawl around and up your arm let him move when he wants to rather than forcing him to come to you.

Hope this helps.

Links a great name either way *big fan of Zelda from the old to the new*

Fantasy_Suicide

Sound lads. Muchly appreciate this. He seems to hate cucumber, fussy little guy! I just bought some milk and honey treats, so I'm hoping he'll like these a bit more. Plus this deadly little plastic tv he can crawl into. Ah how cute. I appreciate the advice boys, thanks very much.

Fantasy_Suicide

Susannahmia wrote: »

When you get a new hamster you really shouldn't try to even touch them for at least three days, you need to give him time to settle into his new surroundings. The move is stressful and more stress could bring on a condition called wet tail which is fatal. My hamster contracted it last week and died as he escaped from his cage and got very stressed out.


Oh and turning on his back means he will bite you, it is an attack position.

Yep. Same thing happened to little Link.

percy26

hi I hope you don't mind me butting in but just wondering what treats can you give a hamster? I am having the same problem as Fantasy_Suicide. I have mine for just over a week and she is at the same biting and such.

Susannahmia

percy26 wrote: »

hi I hope you don't mind me butting in but just wondering what treats can you give a hamster? I am having the same problem as Fantasy_Suicide. I have mine for just over a week and she is at the same biting and such.

I just give mine pieces of her hamster food or some sunflower seeds if she is lucky (go easy on them as they are very fattening) , she isn't fussy as long as there's food she will happily put up with me stroking or handling her for it.

My old one wasn't a bit interested in being hand fed food, but was much calmer about handling in general. He loved plain dog biscuits and they were great for his teeth as he wasn't much of a chewer compared to our new one.

A lot depends on their individual personality and your patience. Also as I said before, make sure she has had plenty of time to settle in to the new environment, stress is very bad for them.

If she is attacking just when you put your hand in the cage, she could be cage aggressive, this can be caused by a too small cage or just an extra territorial personality, females tend to be more territorial than males. Make sure she has 2 places to hide away both herself and her food store as this will make her feel safer. Also if it is really bad try to have her leave the cage herself before you handle her, you might find she is less aggressive outside the cage.