Clover

[Maz]

Some nights they are more inclined than others. I've had Syrians who only wanted to come out a couple of times a week. And some who want to be out every night. And one who never wanted to come out but when he was out had a whale of a time.

Some male Syrians can be dopey sleepheads! It may also partly be the colder weather and darker nights.

Does he get up at feeding time earlier in the evening? Raffy is also coming out after 11pm at the moment. At 10.45 he is out having a wash in a corner but ignores me if I offer him his tube. At 11.15 pm he wants to come out! Sometimes I need to go to bed and he does tend to want to come out earlier the following night.

 

[Maz]

I think the other thing is, Clover did have a long absence from you while still young and he may have just got used to doing his own thing. That can change but yes it may take some patience.

I would be tempted to do the earlier feeding time and have the veg at a distance from his house, and offer him the tube then. He's more likely to be a bit more awake perhaps. But my Syrian doesn't wake up till late either and does like to sleep most of the evening.

 

[Doro]

Clover doesn’t come out at all when I put in the food and talk to him - I never see him at all, apart from that one time last Saturday when it was super late (past midnight). I get that it might have been the long time away from me but as said before he was really lively and happy to come out when we came back, at least initially. I think his bed time simply shifted, and then we had the issue with the room change… I will see what happens. Today in the play pen he also seemed to be more timid, mostly hiding under a box and jerking away from me. While last Saturday when I knew he had been awake he was lively and curious and happy to run about for half an hour. So I think it is mainly the late waking time - and it’s a vicious circle because he cannot really get used again to coming out regularly and be tamed by me if he only sees me about once a week…

 

[elusive]

It is difficult & I know what you mean about a vicious circle, it’s hard to know how to deal with it, can’t really just suggest more at the moment but I was just thinking with any luck he may wake earlier when the clocks go back so that might help a bit!

 

[Maz]

It is hard sometimes. Is he awake in the mornings if you're up early? Most of mine are up and about at 6am - some till 7am. If he is then offering him a bit of breakfast might help build a bond and routine - a cornflake or a bit of porridge. Although appreciate mornings can be hectic if getting ready for work etc.

Maybe the focus should be on him coming out every few days but not worrying about any taming yet, until he gets used to being out regularly. If one night doesn't work well then leave it a couple of nights perhaps.

Also a nightcam really helps. At least you can watch the footage next day and see what he's been up to and can see if there are any issues with his cage he's having difficulty with. You also get to see if he does actually sneak out earlier when you haven't noticed. You can watch live on your phone from another room as well as watching footage afterwards. It's quite interesting too

 

[Doodleham]

Clover is gorgeous. Hopefully he gets used to you soon. I have an Elderly Syrian and I found saying his name a lot to him helped. He seems to know it now. (I've only had him a few months and he was never previously handled) he doesn't respond every evening to his name but he does get nosey and come for some attention and a snack a few times a week. I like you am working on handling but he's a different situation to your little one as he's basically in a retirement home with me.

 

[Doro]

Hello a little update - we were away for a few days and Clover was fed by the neighbours - and he came out and even let them put him in the playpen! Before 9pm! Now we’ve been back since Sunday and again haven’t seen him - until today when he came out around 10.30 (and was already wake earlier as I heard him drink). Am sure the clock changing has helped but even without that he would not have come out before 12.15am. He seems more comfortable again and my son could today see him for the first time in weeks! So we’re all very happy

 

[Maz]

That is really good news. Sometimes a change does help things Glad he's coming out earlier too.

 

[elusive]

That’s great news!

 

[RainbowBrite]

Im so happy for you!

 

[Doro]

Unfortunately things have turned back again to where they were before, sigh. Clover has pushed his wake up time back again - today I waited till 11.20 and he hasn’t come out. Same last few days (waited till 11.30pm). . I get a feeling that he just doesn’t enjoy our company and wants to be up when we’re gone. Today I tried again to go out for 10 min switching all lights off, but when I came back in he still wasn’t up. Ah this is so sad!

 

[Maz]

I'm sorry to hear that. Although I am having the same thing Raffy doesn't get up till gone midnight at the moment. Although if I miss a night getting him out, he does get up slightly earlier the next night!

Have you tried the getting him out in a tube at feeding time around 8pm ?

 

[Doro]

I'm sorry to hear that. Although I am having the same thing Raffy doesn't get up till gone midnight at the moment. Although if I miss a night getting him out, he does get up slightly earlier the next night!

Have you tried the getting him out in a tube at feeding time around 8pm ?

So far Clover has never reacted to me trying to tease him out with smelly food at feeding time (have tried all the strategies you advised before). He ignores all food until he actually comes out when I’m in bed so only in the morning is the food gone. So the only way is really to lift the lid of his house which is not ideal… I wanted to try this tomorrow but maybe better closer to his wake time, like 10.30 or so…?

 

[Maz]

Yes that sounds like an idea.

 

[Hamster Haven]

Keep us updated. Our hamster Cinnamon is very similar. He is very sweet and gentle when we have him out, but absolutely prefers to not be interacted with. He is usually awake around 9PM when we are changing out his food and getting ready for bed, but he will stay hiding except to occasionally poke his nose out if he wants to check out his food refreshment right away- and that's only sometimes. If I want to try handling him I will try to lure him out with food, but I have to move slowly and it doesn't always work. If it does, we might put him in his playpen, but if it's at night he will explore for a bit and then hunker down. Back in his enclosure, if we stay up reading until midnight, he will wait until our light is off to come out. Sometimes if we are around and can lure him out in the afternoon on a weekend he will active in his play area for a longer period of time and be more active in general outside of his cage, but I've had to come to terms with the fact that he's happy having a very solitary life

I did buy a camera that I used with him in the early days. I was able to see that he was pretty active for about 5 hours a night- mostly on his wheel or collecting food. Then after awhile I stopped using it because I could trust that he was active, and his fresh food is always gone in the morning. I still hook it up if I'm traveling and he's just being fed by a neighbor once a day. I like being able to check in on the camera then, to see that he was active at night. It's tough to adjust to- my husband always says, "I don't even want to handle him; I just want to see him moving around!" But using some of the advice that Maz and others posted above, we've been able to find a nice routine where we do get brief interactions a few times a week. I try to maximize them and take some nice videos and photos then, even though I have to be careful with that, too- I swear Cinnamon does not like the look of my phone!

 

[Hamster Haven]

As if on cue last night...Cinnamon came near his door when I brought out fresh veg. He did a front arm stretch, which usually means he's willing to come out...he side-eyed me a few times, sniffed his veg, and then retreated. Then, mere minutes later when we were out of the room brushing our teeth, he silently returned to pouch his salad and take it to his hideaway until after we went to bed.

 

[Maz]

He sounds very relaxed if he had a stretch . Sounds like he is playing hard to get.

 

[Hamster Haven]

He sounds very relaxed if he had a stretch . Sounds like he is playing hard to get.

yes! He was a stinker. When I was in the room later I called him a brat out loud (but not in an angry tone) for sneaking his food and not coming out to play and my daughter reprimanded me. Cinnamon can do no wrong.

 

[Maz]

I call Raffy a little monster sometimes. Or Raffmonster for short.

 

[Doro]

Keep us updated. Our hamster Cinnamon is very similar. He is very sweet and gentle when we have him out, but absolutely prefers to not be interacted with. He is usually awake around 9PM when we are changing out his food and getting ready for bed, but he will stay hiding except to occasionally poke his nose out if he wants to check out his food refreshment right away- and that's only sometimes. If I want to try handling him I will try to lure him out with food, but I have to move slowly and it doesn't always work. If it does, we might put him in his playpen, but if it's at night he will explore for a bit and then hunker down. Back in his enclosure, if we stay up reading until midnight, he will wait until our light is off to come out. Sometimes if we are around and can lure him out in the afternoon on a weekend he will active in his play area for a longer period of time and be more active in general outside of his cage, but I've had to come to terms with the fact that he's happy having a very solitary life

I did buy a camera that I used with him in the early days. I was able to see that he was pretty active for about 5 hours a night- mostly on his wheel or collecting food. Then after awhile I stopped using it because I could trust that he was active, and his fresh food is always gone in the morning. I still hook it up if I'm traveling and he's just being fed by a neighbor once a day. I like being able to check in on the camera then, to see that he was active at night. It's tough to adjust to- my husband always says, "I don't even want to handle him; I just want to see him moving around!" But using some of the advice that Maz and others posted above, we've been able to find a nice routine where we do get brief interactions a few times a week. I try to maximize them and take some nice videos and photos then, even though I have to be careful with that, too- I swear Cinnamon does not like the look of my phone!

Thank you so much this was SO helpful! I just need to accept how Clover is. Still grappling with the fact that he was so different until the end of September - but maybe this can give me some hope that things can change again as well… and if not, then it is what it is. I think I will get a camera now. Does anyone have any recommendations - as cheap as possible…?