# Incredibly Nervous Hamster



## hellofahamster

Hello, I am new to this site and need some hamster help.

I have had my Syrian black banded hamster for nearly three months now and am not getting much progress with handling. Having had about four hamsters as a teenager (I'm now 37) who were all incredibly friendly and loving, I thought my two daughters would love to own one too. 

However since getting out little one home, we left her alone for a couple of days and then started just trying to put my hand in and get her used me. After a while I have been able to put her in a ball for exercise, but cannot get her out and have to let her climb out directly into her cage. The problem is that right from day one she has been a very "screecy" or "crackling" hamster (never had one that made a noise before) and continuously bits at the bars. She is jumpy and bites and will not allow any further contact. I let her climb onto my lap out of her ball once and she immediately jumped off and ran for freedom, so reluctant to do that again. 

I am getting quite upset as my daughter is being so patient waiting for me to tame her, but I have no faith that this will happen despite trying every night to get a bit further along, sometimes just feeding her. She won't sit on my hand to feed, but takes food from me, then wants to bite!

Sorry this is long, but wondered if this was just a nervous hamster, or if I am doing anything wrong. The more she jumps and bites, the less I want to try!!!!!


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## Lil Miss

the best advise i can probably give you is be patiant with her, try sitting in an empty bath tub with her that way you cant loose her if she makes a break for it
the screeming is probably because she is nervous

what cage have you got her in?


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## hellofahamster

Thanks, just been reading about this method and have visions of her climbing up me in record speed and jumping out!!!!!!!

She is in Rotastak Pink Palace cage and i try and vary the set up with extra tubes to keep it interesting.

I have also just been reading about hamsters that drink a lot and she drinks about a good tablespoon a day, is this normal do you think? She gets up about four or five times during the day for a drink/wee/cage bite. Not sure if i am just getting paranoid now.


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## noushka05

sorry to say this but rotastak are awful, i dare say she'll be very stressed cooped up inside one of those, hamsters need a lot of floor space to keep them happy and im not sure you could even fit the correct sized wheel (8") in a rotastak? , also because she can hide in the tubes it makes taming much more difficult.

that seems a lot of water, do you think she could be biting on the bottle because shes bored, rather than actually drinking the water?


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## Lil Miss

your cage really wont be helping matters im afraid

rotastak are not suitable for hamsters at all really, they are designed to please the human, not suit the needs of the animals that have to live in them

the tubes are much too small for an adult syrian, and they can become stuck in them and suffocate
theres also very little open plan floor space for toys
the wheels that come with them are only 6.2" and an adult syrian needs a minimum of an 8" wheel, and there is no where to put one
the ventilation in them is really poor which can lead to URIs
you also need a minimum of 3 of the pink palace set ups to make a decent sized set up

and as you have found out, access into the cage itself to get the hamster can be quite difficult, which can end up in your self scaring the hamster, and makes taming next to impossible


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## Jarhead

My hamster used to bite me if I didnt let her out. Find a closed place like a bathroom eith no wires to chew. The bar chewing is lack of running about and small cage. All rodents like to escape you just need a rodent proof room. We also have tubes to get in or out of the house. We have a carpet tube to pick them up with. It takes time getting used to people so get them used to hands so use treats


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## hellofahamster

Thanks for your replies.

Can you recomend a better cage please? Something that won't break the bank, since I have just got this one!!!!! I thought this cage was far more interesting than anything my childhood hamsters had, but I do think the wheel looks abit squashed in and there doesn't seem like a lot of airflow, but I thought the bottom was good for a bit of digging about. Is a fully barred type cage with levels and and ladders more appropriate?


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## hellofahamster

Like the look of Hamster Heaven cage, but far too pricey.


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## Lil Miss

what about the zoozone 2 (on sale for £40 at the bottom of this page Range of Hagen Ovo luxury expanding hamster cage systems at up to 50% off the RRP )plenty of floor space, nice easy acses from the roof, deep base for digging
only thing is you will need to mesh the lid, as the bar spacing is a bit wide, but that is easy enough to do


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## kat04kt

Hey 
I'm new to this site too and the people here really helped me - please read my post - Please Help. It will really help!

Get your hamster out the Rotastak, honestly, mine was a wreck! He's back in his starter cage while I wait for the hamster heaven metro to be delivered - even though the starter cage is much too small my hamster is so so so so much better. We didn't mind spending a lot (fyi - 'google' vouchers for zooplus.com there's a voucher site where we got 15% off) but there are cheaper cages out there.

What really struck a chord with me was when one member said - think of the sound - in all that plastic it must be so distorted. I talk to my hamster for ages while he plays in his cage at night. Now he totally recognises when I say 'Good boy' and comes over for his treat - he's learnt to associate this with a sunflower seed/or another of his favourite seeds that are just in his normal food - I have to pick these out for him! In a Rotastak you can't build this level of trust. Also they are totally trapped and I felt mine was scared because actually he didn't know what was round the corner or in the little attic rooms - he approached everything with caution and stopped using the wheel together. After the advice on here and observing him, I realised everyone was right. In his starter cage he roams around with so much ease and was back in his wheel which he loves within 24 hours.

We're making leap and bounds progress with our hamster. Here's a few things we've learnt:

Don't take the hamster out just after they've just woken up/don't wake them up. Let them come round a little. Talk to them through the bars with a soft voice, this is something fun you can do with your daughter. When I run out of stuff to say I just tell him about my day! haha. Tell your daughter hamsters love to listen to stories and/or problems. This way she can still feel that they're building a relationship.

Place something around the cage that smells of you. We placed a duvet cover that was due for a wash outside but near the cage- it's out of reach so he can't eat it but I'm sure that's speeded up the process of him getting used to both the scent of me and my boyfriend. 

Also our hamster LOVES music. We play classical relaxing music to him for about 30 minutes to an hour before we attempt to take him out. My boyfriend played a song by the band Air last night and he lolled out on his wheel, yawning and stretching, with his eyes half closed, he knew we were there watching him and it was like the three of us we're all having a chill together, hehe. Every time the track changed or stopped he'd look up - so he recognises the songs. I think he's also learnt to associate this with being calm. So when we have him out to play we leave our ipod on in the background. Only on very low because hamsters hearing is so sensitive. Again to get your daughter involved in the process, allow her to choose gentle music and get her to study his reaction.

Also he loves my fleece blankie and my boyfriend's fluffy dark blue dressing gown (you know the really soft type). My boyfriend is so calm with him that our hamster snuggles down in his dressing gown. I'm a bit more jumpy because me and JC (thats the hammie's name) have had some terrible experiences together but I'm sure he's figured this out and we can be jumpy together and then ok again - I think he recognises I'm not going to hurt him but I can recoil quickly when he's jumpy or panic when he gets away from me. We have him out on our bed and he loves the fleecie blankie, we make it into an iglo so he can hide out and feel safe. So maybe wearing something like this over your clothes when you handle him might help. Generally because it's night time that's what we're wearing anyway!

Also and I know this sounds ridiculous but he loves a massage behind his ears, one finger in a slow circle gently and softly - one time I did this he was stretching and yawning and half fell asleep. 

You will get there! I had a cat when I was a little that we rescued from the most horrendous abuse - she was used as a football by the children! She wouldn't come near us, she bite, she scratched, she hissed - so my Mum took to feeding her milk from a babies bottle in a massive fluffy jumper that she used to paw at, almost like when a baby grips your finger. Within weeks she was a different animal - we had her for over 20 years and she was daft as a brush, trusted everyone, rolled around on the floor, cuddled complete strangers. This always reminds me that even the most distured animals can learn to trust and be tamed.

But honestly for the duration our hamster was in the Rotastak he was awful. We couldn't even handle him. We're still in the processing of taming we've had him two and a half weeks and I probably dedicate an hour and half to him every night (in phases, 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there etc) - the 5/6days we had him in the Rotastak were a huge learning curve, just a few days after being out of there, he's learnt 'good boy', how to use his exercise ball, and the joys of music.

Don't get plastic cages, hamsters want to breath, hear and climb!

Sorry this is a long one but I really hope I can help the way other members helped me!

Be so interested to hear how you get on! 
xx


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## kat04kt

Also - (me again sorry) mine drinks alot.

I'd maybe leave the cage alone. Hamsters are fiercely territorial so if they feel their home is being altared and changed - different lay-outs, tubes etc this will upset them more. Wait till he's older, calmer and relaxed - like 6 months until you play around too much with cage lay-outs. As long as he has toys there's no reason to change anything for now.


I promise I will shut-up now. Sorry. I can't help it. I'm a chatter box :-s 
xx


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## hellofahamster

Thanks ever so much for the very useful replies.

I have been staring at my feeble hamster rotastak cage and feel horrible now!!!! i think I probably do need to get something a bit more appropriate. The zoozone looks good too. Will have to wait for a pay day first me thinks.

I will put into practice some of these techniques and let you know how I get on. Little thing is still sleeping now at 8.30pm and I am itching to get started ....


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## xkimxo

No idea where you live but ive just seen this bargain on ebay Hamster Heaven Metro Hamster Cage | eBay i am tempted to buy it myself eventhough i dont need it lol


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## hellofahamster

Wow, thanks. I'm in Sheffield, so not much good for pick up, but have emailed them anyway to see if they would consider posting (minus heavy sawdust!).


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## Lil Miss

where abouts in sheffield are you? if you really struggle to tame her im in sheffield and could give you a hand if needed


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## Acid

theres also a cheap rat cage going Liberta Haven Rodent Cage | eBay not too big and itd give a hamster some nice space, can add more levels too it too


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## hellofahamster

Thanks, I'm in Stradbroke, S13. Will see how I get on and let you know. Think I'm a bit nervous with her too and that doesn't help. I don't like to let her sniff for too long as I am worried about being bitten again. I know, not helping.


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## Lil Miss

im not too sure where that is :lol:
but from the postcode im guessing its nearish to the city center, but over the other side from me, im in the stocksbridge area

try not to be nervous, she will pick up on it, im sure things will get better when you get her a new cage too


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## Carole7

hellofahamster said:


> Thanks ever so much for the very useful replies.
> 
> I have been staring at my feeble hamster rotastak cage and feel horrible now!!!! i think I probably do need to get something a bit more appropriate. The zoozone looks good too. Will have to wait for a pay day first me thinks.
> 
> I will put into practice some of these techniques and let you know how I get on. Little thing is still sleeping now at 8.30pm and I am itching to get started ....


Zooplus sell the Alaska cage for £34


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