How do I get my hamster to feel more comfortable to be held?
When you want to pick her up/hold her, before reaching into the cage and grabbing her, make sure she knows that your about to pick her up. Reach your hand out, and let her sniff it. She will come when she is ready... When she is comfortable, pick her up gently and set her in your hand. Hamster's don't stay very still for long. She'll want to run around and look/smell everything. Let her run around on your hands/legs. She might be a little nervous since she was 1. In the pet store, 2. Went to another person's house and 3. Now is at someone else's house. She needs to get used to it on her own pace, otherwise, she'll become stressed.
How should I make my hamster comfortable during travel?
If possible, it would be the least stressful to travel with your hamster in his regular home. Do not leave the water bottle in there, though, as it will spill/leak. When you take a rest break, you can pour a little water in a small bowl to see if he is thirsty. Hamsters drink very little water per 24 period, so he will not be drinking all that much throughout the trip, anyway. No need for any special foods, but bring plenty of treats, chew sticks and toys keep him amused. Make sure you bring enough of his regular food in case wherever you are going does not sell it. Keep the noise levels low during your trip to keep his stress to a minimum. Hamsters may have bad eyesight, but their hearing is exceptional and loud noises can hurt his ears. If the cage is wire, put something like cardboard between his cage and the seat because otherwise he will chew on your car seats. If his cage is not wire, you can bring along a light blanket to wrap around the house partially if it gets cold although I realize this will be Summer; however, if you have the air conditioning on he may get chilly as hamsters require ambient temperatures between 65 to 80 degrees F (relative humidity level between 40 to 70 percent). Pack a hamster emergency kit to handle any unforeseen problems. For more traveling tips and also what you can put into the emergency kit, please see the following two links: http://hubpages.com/hub/Traveling-with-H... http://www.hamsterific.com/HamsterEmerge... Your Pumpkin will be just fine traveling with you, so try not to worry. The car ride may be a little stressful, but I think it would be more stressful on you if you left him at your mom's house. Rodents are pretty resilient critters, so he will adapt just fine. Make sure, though, that you keep him in his house the entire time. The last thing you need is an escaped hamster. I apologize if he is a she. I could not tell the gender by your question. I agree, by the way, that Teddy Bear Syrian hamsters are very sweet. We just lost ours, Nora, last Thursday to old age. She was the gentlest hamster we ever had. Enjoy your Summer.
How to make my hamster more comfortable?
As for toys,if you put the toilet paper rolls in,they'll have a wonderful time running in & out of them or hours.Also try getting a clothespin (take the metal part off) to have something new to chew on.Don't keep the same toys in there,though,because they will eventually get bored. And for the biting,they might not be completely used to yet.Instead of continuously trying to pick it up,try sitting by the cage for a while everyday & talking to them in a calm,relaxed voice loud enough to hear,but not too loud.This will let them see that you mean no harm.& when you do want to pick them up,have a little treat in your hand,like a sunflower seed.If they bite,don't let them have the seed.This will show them that when they're good,it's rewarding.Hope I helped!
How do I get my hamster to let me touch her? I've had her about five months, and she still gets scared when I try to touch her/pick her up. How do I fix this?
This will be hard because you should have started handling her as soon as you got her. Now she is not used to it. You can still try though. You will have to be REALLY patient.If you are trying to pet her or touch her back, that might be what is scaring her. That is what a predator would do right before she gets eaten. Your plan will be to teach her to sit comfortably on your hand, so that you are touching her from underneath. This will feel much safer to her. What is her favorite food? Sunflower seeds, probably. Or brocolli. From now on, she doesn't get these treats unless she eats them from your hand.Put the treat in the palm of your hand and put your hand on the bottom of the cage. Take away some toys if there is not enough room. Let your hand lay there until she comes onto your hand and takes the food. Do. Not. Grab. Her. Not now. Not ever. Don't give her the treats if she won't step on your hand. Wait about 5 or 10 minutes without moving, then take your treat away and try again later. Try about three times a day if you can.At some point she is going to get used to this idea and walk onto your hand and stay there. Don't grab her. Always have a treat in your hand.Your final goal is to be able to scoop her up with both hands without her panicking and jumping. If she jumps down, let her. Just scoop again a few times so she knows it is safe and you promise to never grab her.This is easier with a young hamster, but it is not too late. You have to be extra patient because she is older.The little robo hamsters are more jittery and may never sit calmly in your hand. But they can learn to be scooped up, especially if there is a treat waiting.Another treat they enjoy is to run around in a new place. If you can scoop her out of her cage and put her in a new play area, she may jump into your hands for that chance to explore and run. A baby wading pool with sand and paper-towel tunnels can make a nice safe play area. (One bag of sand will be plenty.)Robo hamsters are more wary and very quick. They are harder to tame but here are some tips you can try.How to Make Your Hamster Trust You
What are some common signs that a hamster may be dying?
I have had experiances with six Winter White hamsters in my lifetime, and recently had one pass away to old age. Here are some signs that's she's reaching past her prime:1) Most Winter Whites live between 2-3 years old. Most of them don't start showing physical signs of growing old until they are a year and a half old. Your hamster, not even being a year old yet, shouldn't appear elderly, rising some concern.2) Their fur appears more ragged, ruffled and unmanaged when they reach their later years. Your hamster's silky smooth coat shows that she's still young and in her prime.3) They itch themselves a lot more, often leaving bald spots, red spots, or even bleeding. 4) Older hamsters have an almost grumpy expression, and often loose the light in their eyes to cataracts. This can lead to blindness. Your hamster appears to have very bright and happy eyes.5) They walk funny, almost clumsily, and exercise less, taking more time to rest.Your hamster looks fine from the picture, but if she is starving herself and refusing water, she could be sick. I would take her to a small animal vet to see if they know how to help.Finally, if she is developing a lump, definitely watch it and have a vet look at it. I've had a Winter White that developed a cancerous tumor, which ended up growing to be larger than her, before she eventually passed at around a year old.
How can I calm my hamster down?
Think like a hamster: You are small and delicious, and you don’t know when there will be a snake or a bird of prey or a fox who will decide you are dinner. What would make you feel better?If you answered, “I would want a place to hide,” bingo! Your hamster will feel most secure when it has access to a hiding spot in its cage. There are lots of commercial ones you can buy, or you can just give your hamster a cardboard box or tube (yes, it will chew on these, so you need to replace them, and make sure they are clean and non-toxic). Some hamsters like to dig their own little dens in their bedding. Hamsters also need things to chew and play with, but a nervous hamster first and foremost wants to hide.Don’t put your nervous hamster in a high-traffic area. Your hamster won’t feel secure if there are lots of big two-legged animals constantly galumphing around and casting their scary shadows across your hamster’s cage. Keep your hamster away from noisy machinery and bigger pets. If you have cats or dogs, do not let them get anywhere near the hamster. Even though you may know they can’t get into the hamster’s cage, the hamster doesn’t.Give your hamster some down time. Don’t handle it if it seems nervous. While you are taming it, lure it near your hand with food treats; never grab the hamster. You want your hamster to associate your hand with food. Many hamsters love sunflower seeds and will grow quite tame if they can depend on being given a few whenever you put your hand in the cage. If the hamster seems nervous, slow down. Remember how small a creature it is, and how many natural predators it has; teach it that you are not a predator, but rather a source of food.
How do I care for a dying hamster? She can't walk because she's too weak and we don't want to stress her out taking her to the vet.
I agree with One if the previous answers, take the whole cage to the vet or if you can afford it get a home visit from your vet. Your hamster might not be reaching its end but it might be. Hamsters often hide their illnesses and it’s often too late to do anything about it when we realise that something is wrong. It’s heartbreaking I know to take your pet to the vets especially when you think it might me terminal but you do owe it to your furry friend.my previous hamster Fred had a stroke and would often fall to one side. He still was bright and wanted to get around. My vet didn’t believe he was in any pain or distress but he was 2 years old. We decided not to put him down but to let him carry on. Around a month later he was lying down on my chest gently stretched out one of his back legs and relaxed. He died. No drama or distress just drifted off. It was a peaceful end and he wasn’t alone. ( as peaceful as it was it didn’t stop me crying like a child )Just a thought, I have no idea of how old your hamster is or it’s condition but have you checked his teeth? Hamsters teeth continue to grow rather like fingernails. If they grow too long they struggle to eat. You might have to wrestle with him to find out or try to offer him some apple by holding it above his head so he has to lift his head opening his mouth to get to it.If a hamster can’t eat properly then they get weak really quickly.Could be something as simple as meeting his teeth trimmed. Hence the need to consult a vet.