Very shy hamster

HTRB

We've just got our first hamster, a Syrian, and he's very shy and very nervous of us. We've read a lot about how to tame him but he's still very shy, maybe even more than when we first got him.

We've only had him a week and we realise that it takes time to tame a hamster and we have to earn his trust but we're worried we're doing something wrong because he seems to be getting more shy and more nervous of us.

- He stays in his house until very late around 10pm (we know he's nocturnal but everywhere we read it says he's normally up by about 7pm)
- He doesn't come out when we're around
- He's going to the toilet in his house/bed (which we're worried about)
- He's taking all of his food into his house during the night
- He goes very still in the corner whenever we're in the room
- For the first few days he ran in his wheel while we were in the room but now he does it when we're not around (we hope)

This is what we're doing:
- Feeding treats through the bars and reaching into the cage slowly with a bit of food. He seems to take this from us
- Talking to him softly
- Leaving clothes that we've worn around the cage so he gets used to our scent

One of the problems is that because he's going to the toilet in his house we need to clean it regularly, which ultimately means disturbing him and causing him distress.

We'd really like some advice and help from people who have experience of looking after hamsters, any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Helen and Rich

clareabella

Does he seem ill in anyway? if not then maybe he is just very shy. I would get him out and let him run all over you, i did this with most of my rodents and now they wont leave me alone lol, if you have problems picking him up then just pick his bed up when he is in it and put it on your bed or something, hopefeully he will come out and see that there is nothing to worry about xx
____________

poppydog83

When i got my hammy,its didnt take that long for me to tame him. For the first couple of days i had him i left him alone to let him settle in.

I then just started talking to him quietly/softly,fed him from my hand,sat there with my hand in the cage so he could just come up to me smell my hand etc...i spent lots of time with him. I let him run about on my bed,and it worked. He is my baby Laughing

Twig

Hello and welcome! Very Happy

You seem to be doing everything right, starting nice and gradual with him, so keep doing what you are doing and he will come around. It might take a while but once hes happy enough to be out and about and take food off you, try to get him to eat food off your hands, and happily sit on the palm of your hand whilst he does it. Then you can try lifting him up over the cage floor a bit, if he jumps of let him. Then once he is happy with that you can try cupping your hands around him and handling him outside of the cage Be warned though, only handle him over a bed, his cage etc as they have springs in 'em feet and will jump out when you least expect it! Laughing

A good bonding exercise is to sit in a dry bath tub and let him run over you. Wink

As for being awake from 10, he'll settle into his new routine eventually, most do get up between 7-9pm but it can take a while before they fall into this pattern. As its autumn now it might help to leave the lights on in the room he is in so he doesn't think its winter because if he thinks its spring, he'll get up sooner. Wink

I'd also not worry too much about peeing in his bed, a lot of hams do this initally and so long as you use an absorbant bedding like carefresh and his house and cage has good ventialtion he should be okay, but will need it cleaned twice a week. Try cleaning out his hut and putting the soiled bedding in a corner of his cage instead and don't clean it out too well initally (ie with disinfectant, just scrape off most of the soiled bedding) to let him get into a new routine.

Good luck with him! Smile