Hammy

[Zara]

Hammy is our grey/white male syrian. He came from our local pet shop and caught our eye straight away. When we returned the following day having set up a cage ready for our new arrival, he was the only one there, it was meant to be

 

[RainbowBrite]

What a gorgeous picture! Hammy is so cute.

 

[Zara]

What a gorgeous picture! Hammy is so cute.

Thanks I managed to get this one the other night

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thanks I managed to get this one the other night

You did a great job! It shows how much more comfortable he is with you. He actually looks like he is posing.

 

[Zara]

We have decided to celebrate Hams birthday on the 1st December. We brought him home on the 5th January this year, so we are thinking he must’ve been born around late November / early December? We are going to make some mini hamster cakes from a receipe another hamster owner kindly shared and he has some rat tunnels on order which I plan to hook along the back of his cage. I think he’s gonna love them

 

[Member ID2]

What a cute photo! Hello Hammy you handsome boy.

 

[Zara]

You did a great job! It shows how much more comfortable he is with you. He actually looks like he is posing.

Thanks, he kinda is, he can be quite inquisitive these days when I’m waving my camera about. I wonder if it’s the clicking noise he likes which draws him towards it?

 

[Member ID2]

The babies are usually around 8 weeks old when up for sale in the petshops. So i was told by a petshop anyway.

 

[Zara]

The babies are usually around 8 weeks old when up for sale in the petshops. So i was told by a petshop anyway.

Interesting so I could say 17th Nov. Can hardly believe he’ll have been with us a year in Jan. We’ve learnt so much in that time.

 

[Member ID2]

Yes, i'd say so. Wow, time flies. Hams is suchva lovely looking hamster. Is he ok with handling? I find most hamsters just want to get away.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Wow, I am surprised he has been with you a year in January! He has settled in so well.

 

[Zara]

He’s not so good with handling which is such a shame. He’ll climb on us but if we try to pick him up he’s gone, whoosh . I actually think he may need a nail trim but think I’ll have to arrange it with the vet and take some gloves

 

[Member ID2]

Does he bite when you try to pick him up? A few of ours turned their heads as if to bite or snap when i first started pick up exercises but eventually got used to it.

 

[Maz]

Some hamsters just never like being picked up! Especially the very active ones. One tip though - work out his dopey time of night! With our first Syrian it was very time dependent. Between 6pm and 7.30pm he would be - whoosh. After 10pm he would be - whoosh. But between 8pm and 9.30pm he'd be quite laid back and dopey and would even fall asleep on your knee! Providing I had a blanket on my knee so he could crawl into it. And got used to being stroked and handled from that. So if you do feeding around 5pm or 6pm and then tempt him out about 8pm it might work! Our hammy did need tempting out as well as he was too cosy in his nest around 8pm so I used to tempt him into a tube by putting it near his house door with a bit of cucumber or cheese at the far end and he couldn't resist that. Then put my hands over the tube and lift him out that way onto the sofa - if your hamster is sofa safe!

 

[Zara]

Does he bite when you try to pick him up? A few of ours turned their heads as if to bite or snap when i first started pick up exercises but eventually got used to it.

No, he doesn’t, he just wriggles right out of my hands or jumps which makes me nervous, which no doubt makes him nervous. He bit me a couple of times when he was younger but I genuinely don’t think he would now, maybe a nip? I use the same phrase when I want to try and pick him up with both hands open to cup him in my hands and lift him, it’s like he knows what I want to do but then just jumps straight through my hands. I’m going to try and give him more free roam time out of the play pen as I can sit on the floor with him and when he climbs on my legs I thought that would be a good time to try. I’d love to hold him. He’ll sit still for me in his cage whilst I give him a lovely stroke. Funny really, when I look back to the first 4-5 months, I never thought we’d even reach this stage.

 

[Zara]

Some hamsters just never like being picked up! Especially the very active ones. One tip though - work out his dopey time of night! With our first Syrian it was very time dependent. Between 6pm and 7.30pm he would be - whoosh. After 10pm he would be - whoosh. But between 8pm and 9.30pm he'd be quite laid back and dopey and would even fall asleep on your knee! Providing I had a blanket on my knee so he could crawl into it. And got used to being stroked and handled from that. So if you do feeding around 5pm or 6pm and then tempt him out about 8pm it might work! Our hammy did need tempting out as well as he was too cosy in his nest around 8pm so I used to tempt him into a tube by putting it near his house door with a bit of cucumber or cheese at the far end and he couldn't resist that. Then put my hands over the tube and lift him out that way onto the sofa - if your hamster is sofa safe!

Thanks, I’m thinking when I transport him from his cage to the free roam area, I will start by letting him out on the sofa in my lap and let him explore for a bit. Then perhaps he’ll hop in my hands to be lowered to the floor, if not I’ll offer his travel jug, slowly, slowly is always the best way. I’ll keep a look out for his dopey time too, think I know what you mean by this as he’s often more relaxed at around 8:30 and whizzing about by 10pm.

 

[Maz]

Sometimes letting them walk into tube helps and then let them walk out of the tube onto your knee/lap (in the playpen if necessary). I found Raffy easier to stroke and pick up when he was already on me.

 

[Member ID2]

Scooping up or cupping my hands around them didn't work with any of my Syrians.

It worked well with my dwarfs but never with the Syrians because they'd jump off. I couldn't get a proper hold of them.

I did pick up exercises until they were comfortable getting picked up from above. Wriggly hamsters like Rodney and Clive i picked up and then held against my chest until they were a bit calmer and older.

 

[Maz]

Posted at the same time!

 

[Member ID2]

Yep!
Yes, i found that as well. They were easier to pick up from my lap and that's where i placed them for pick up exercises after getting them out with a hamster taxi.

Wriggly and strangly behaved Clive, i had to let walk onto my arms or legs first before picking him up. He used to prance and throw himself about and still does but he's not so frantic. I can pick him up ok but it's rarely straightford.