Hamster question

[Albertan mom]

My son just bought a hamster. He named him Goofy. He has had him out of the cage a few times, but now every time DS puts his hand in there, Goofy freaks out.
I am scared of getting bit, and scared DS is going to get bit.
A friend told me to put Goofy in the bathtub, with DS in there (fully clothed of course) and let Goofy run around him, on him etc.. to get his smell. That seemed to work well.
Any other advice on how to train him?
Or how to pick him up without scaring him?
Or how to best avoid getting bit?

Any advice would be great!

(Please don't tell me how awful, smelly, noisy, mean etc..they are! Just good things!!)

 

[PixieDust32]

Well, my 2 girls have one each, and my son 16 has 2, the 2 ones are boys and are in one cage, and the other 2 are on a different cage because they can kill each other.
They are dwarfs hamster and when we first got them they were mean and did bit him once, then we used DH's gloves to clean the cage and to touch them, now they are OK, they got used to see us and they put them in a clear ball to walk around the house.

 

[Albertan mom]

If he would just wake up!! I mean, I know they are nocturnal, but the thing wakes up as soon as we go to bed, and when we come out in the morning, he goes to bed. Even an hour in the morning or at night to play would be nice!!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I've had a lot of hamsters, and usually they are very "hostile" and scared at first, but it just took time and lots of handling until they settle down and get used to being held.

One trick that was very helpful was to put some of the hamster food/treat in my hand and then put my hand in the cage. I just stayed still, and let the hamster come and get food off of my hand. Eventually, they would get used to my scent and get used to having me around. Then I'd start picking them up and holding them for short periods of time, or putting them in the little ball to run around.

I did get bit a couple times, but I just stuck with it and kept gently holding them. If you don't handle them a lot in the first few weeks, they don't get used to it and then it's harder to get them to calm down and be friendly.

It's okay to wake up the hamster during the day - I've done it many times and while it doesn't always help to stop the nighttime activity, they do play and explore in the balls and tunnels and things. It helped to give treats (bits of fresh parsley, lettuce, etc.) when I would wake them up or get them out.

Hope this helps, and I hope your family has fun with your new pet!

 

[missypie]

Nibbles is our hamster. She bites. We don't like her. We want to give her away.

 

[Albertan mom]

I've had a lot of hamsters, and usually they are very "hostile" and scared at first, but it just took time and lots of handling until they settle down and get used to being held.

One trick that was very helpful was to put some of the hamster food/treat in my hand and then put my hand in the cage. I just stayed still, and let the hamster come and get food off of my hand. Eventually, they would get used to my scent and get used to having me around. Then I'd start picking them up and holding them for short periods of time, or putting them in the little ball to run around.

I did get bit a couple times, but I just stuck with it and kept gently holding them. If you don't handle them a lot in the first few weeks, they don't get used to it and then it's harder to get them to calm down and be friendly.

It's okay to wake up the hamster during the day - I've done it many times and while it doesn't always help to stop the nighttime activity, they do play and explore in the balls and tunnels and things. It helped to give treats (bits of fresh parsley, lettuce, etc.) when I would wake them up or get them out.

Hope this helps, and I hope your family has fun with your new pet!

Thanks, good ideas!!
Glad you like yours!

 

[DVC Jen]

We used to have hamsters.. now we have a hamster cemetary.

We would put a soup ladel into the cage and the hamsters would crawl into that and we would gently lift them out and put them into their ball to roll around on the floor in.

 

[DsnyDrmr]

My son had a hamster. In the beginning when you first bring it home, give it a few days to just be by itself in its cage, to get used to its surroundings, (hard I know) but have your son go in and talk to it so it gets used to his voice. Also you can have your son gently offer it treats by reaching into the cage with the treat and letting the hamster come to him. Then after 3 or 4 days try placing a treat in his palm and letting the hamster crawl onto his hand in order to get him out of the cage. THis is how we did it. They are freaked out at first with a new environment and everything but they will eventually get used to new surroundings. The important thing is to have your son interact with it every day, even by just talking, so it gets to know his voice. Hope this helps. Also, you can go to the library or pet store and get a book on hamster care/behavior.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ditto!!

You are supposed to leave your hamster alone, do not handle it, and give it "wet tail" meds in it's water at first.
It is a slow process.

 

[roberrl187]

We always have a couple of critters around here. We have found, over the years, that you shouldn't touch the hamster when it is sleeping in its nest. The freak out and spin over with their teeth bared. We usually scratch at the wood chips in the opposite corner to wake them up and then slowly pick them up. My son had a hard time with this one and did get bit a couple of times. But they eventually calm down and are a very nice pet.

 

[Albertan mom]

Thanks for all the suggestions, they are great ideas!!

 

[CA Disney Fans]

We would put a soup ladel into the cage and the hamsters would crawl into that and we would gently lift them out and put them into their ball to roll around on the floor in.

What a great idea. We actually just open up our hamster's cage and put the ball by the opening and she walks right into the ball.

 

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

We received a hamster as a gift this Christmas (that is a whole other thread - here on the Dis board some where)

But someone gave us the advice to make sure our hands were washed before handling the little critter (Which the girls named Cookie) because if he smells food on your hands he may bite thinking you are are a yummy treat.

 

[Seahunt]

Marc Morrone's TV show (Pet Keeping with Marc Morrone/Martha Stewart) had this website as a good place to learn everything about hamsters - I wrote it down for my nephew since he just got some also:

http://www.hamsterhideout.com/beginnersguide.html

 

[Zmsksirt]

Hamsters really enjoy the music of Bach and Mozart. What rodent would not enjoy this music?