# Hamster scared :(



## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

I have a lovely 3 month old hamster Peaches who was really enjoying her cage and being stroked, until 1) I got a kitten (which is not allowed in my room but sometimes gets in!!) and 2) bought Peaches a few new toys, some of which she has found too scary for her! (A large chain bridge, and a large flying saucer which I think she sometimes falls off!!) Have now ordered the Silent Spinner wheel and other bits. I wash my hands between stroking kitty (Treacle) and handling Peaches. What else can I do to stop her being scared?? Do hamsters stay shy after scary experiences? I hope she will become happy again and let me stroke her again...


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## Jarhead (Jul 11, 2011)

A cat got in our house at the weekend the degus where scared but got over it. However if the kitten does get in the room they are not going to feel safe


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

I've actually heard that hamsters are only scared of cats if they have a bad experience, not just from the smell. The kitten meanwhile does not seem to even notice the hamster!! He just wants to explore all the cosy places under my bed etc, which are not necessarily safe for him so I always coax him out as soon as possible anyway!! She seems happier at the moment when I take the wheel out, I have given her a large adventure playground instead. She is too big for the smaller wheels and too small for the big one so maybe needs a short break from it!


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

my hamsters arent at all bothered by the presence of my cats, both of which sleep in my room at night, and the hamsters are kept in my room

right, so the things that imediatly jump to mind here....

you say shes happier when you take the wheel out, this leads me to belive the wheel you have is too small, what wheel is it? most wheels that come with cages as standard are much too small for syrians and cause painful back arching when used which can lead to spinal deformaties, you need a minimum of an 8" wheel
hamsters do not need a break from a wheel, the wheel is the most esential part of their cage

what cage have you got her in? hamsters show really high stress levels in cages that are too small or not suited to their needs (eg rotastak S.A.M. habbitrail ect)

what toys does she have, could they be too small?

a picture of her set up could help


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

Hi, I think the wheel was in fact too big!!
She's had 4 wheels now since I got her, and I've only had her a few weeks! She loved the cage wheel til she outgrew it, so I got her an 8 inch one which she had been enjoying but has outgrown that too, so now I tried her on the 12 inch flying saucer and I think it scared her a little. She has had a tentative go on the Silent Spinner but still seems unsure, so I will leave it a few days at least. She has a large cage Ferplast cage, it's 77cm long and had an outside tube which she enjoys sometimes.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

ah, very few syrians like the flying saucers, what about trying her with a wodent wheel, they come in both 11" and 12" and the enclosed sides can help nervy hamsters feel more secure?


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## Jarhead (Jul 11, 2011)

She is really lucky to have a mum who gets her all those toys. She would like that wheel


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