# Nervous hamster!



## BeckySpaghetti (Sep 23, 2019)

Hi!

I recently bought a hamster (Syrian, short hair, was told he was about 7 weeks old). I had hamsters as a child that I handled all the time and my mum remembers handling pretty much straight away. Tame as anything. Leaf (named by my 4 year old) however just seems so nervous. We left him for a week when we got him, didn't even stroke him. Week 2 we tried to stroke him, he wasn't really up for it, nibbled my little girl. I upgraded his cage to what I can only now describe as a pet palace (pet shop sold us too small a cage, I was naive as they told me it was big enough) and left him another week or two to settle in. 

We have now had him a month but I still feel like if I tried to handle him he would absolutely panic. He will take treats from my hand and I've been trying to get him used to that and my voice. He will come out when he hears me around but he's just so jumpy. For example, I just put a colourful chewy thing in the cage and he hadn't noticed it. He turned around and must have spotted it all of a sudden, freaked out and he actually jumped into the air and threw himself pretty much to the other side of the cage in fright!

I would love some advice. I feel like I'm being cruel at the moment keeping him as worrying he's having a terrible time! He is my 4 year old's first pet, and bless her she is being so patient, but feel bad for her that he's not the kind of cuddly guy I had as a kid! I've got him in our dining room, away from the TV and most of my 4 year old's action. What else can I do?!

Thanks in advance x


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Keep going? A month isn't that long at all, especially if he's a nervous wee fella. Keep chatting, keep giving him treats, start maybe trying to give him a wee stroke while he eats, tempt him on to your hands etc. You're doing the opposite of being cruel taking things at his pace and you're teaching your daughter some important lessons about respecting animals too. 

Just one other tip, that wheel is going to hurt his back soon if it isn't already. Adult syrians need a 28cm wheel. Can highly recommend the wooden Trixie wheels from Zoooplus which will also be much quieter than the one he has.


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## BeckySpaghetti (Sep 23, 2019)

Smolmaus said:


> Keep going? A month isn't that long at all, especially if he's a nervous wee fella. Keep chatting, keep giving him treats, start maybe trying to give him a wee stroke while he eats, tempt him on to your hands etc. You're doing the opposite of being cruel taking things at his pace and you're teaching your daughter some important lessons about respecting animals too.
> 
> Just one other tip, that wheel is going to hurt his back soon if it isn't already. Adult syrians need a 28cm wheel. Can highly recommend the wooden Trixie wheels from Zoooplus which will also be much quieter than the one he has.


Thank you so much! I will have a look at wheels. He is getting slightly more confident, will sit with his paw on our hands now while he fills up his cheeks! I always tell my daughter not to try to stroke him while he's eating as thought that would be a bad idea?!


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

BeckySpaghetti said:


> Thank you so much! I will have a look at wheels. He is getting slightly more confident, will sit with his paw on our hands now while he fills up his cheeks! I always tell my daughter not to try to stroke him while he's eating as thought that would be a bad idea?!


It's okay to stroke them while they're eating so long as they can see your hand coming towards them, so not from the back. But that's standard advice for interacting with any ham anyway  It's positive to associate pets with treats!


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

BeckySpaghetti said:


> Hi!
> 
> I recently bought a hamster (Syrian, short hair, was told he was about 7 weeks old). I had hamsters as a child that I handled all the time and my mum remembers handling pretty much straight away. Tame as anything. Leaf (named by my 4 year old) however just seems so nervous. We left him for a week when we got him, didn't even stroke him. Week 2 we tried to stroke him, he wasn't really up for it, nibbled my little girl. I upgraded his cage to what I can only now describe as a pet palace (pet shop sold us too small a cage, I was naive as they told me it was big enough) and left him another week or two to settle in.
> 
> ...


Hi, first of all you are not being cruel, you are giving him time, being patient which is great 

Can I ask, how much substrate do you have, it looks like a very shallow layer?
Hamsters love and need to dig. 
Also it looks like there is a massive empty space which could be why he is so nervous, if he has plenty of hidey holes etc it might help him feel more confident. 
I wouldn't recommend stroking him while he is eating yet, carry on as you are, sounds like he is beginning to settle.


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## luckythehammy (Oct 10, 2019)

*Nervous hamster treatment: Bathtub Therapy! *

You can always try bathtub therapy. All you have to do is grab blankets and some pillows, sit in the bathtub and let your pet just explore. Add in some treats too, as this makes them more comfy. However make sure you handle them a little bit. This will make them behold a little bit more trust in you. This always helps. Although I'm getting my hamster in a few months time, the preparation that I am doing, is unreal. On YouTube, there is a lovely woman called Victoria Raechel and she does the kind of nervous hamster videos, so be sure to check her out. And, thank you for upgrading a cage. You just saved Leaf from Wet Tail, a disease in which can follow up to death, unfortunately. But, thank you for reading this. ( PS: Make sure your 4 year old is careful - as Hamsters as pets are recommended for ages 10 and over. Unfortunately, in my opinion, unless you will be doing all the cleaning and treatment, it is VERY unsafe for a 4 year old to handle an animal. It is upsetting when an animal dies so make sure your child is prepared.)

Sincerely, luckythehammy


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