1 week update on hamster life

Hello,

We have had our hamster, Emerald, for about a week now. She still seems a little anxious/shy and usually hides in her spot. She usually pokes her nose through her area when she hears us, and tries to get a treat. Her favorite is pumpkin seeds. We open the side door of the cage now also and will place a seed near the end of her sand bath so she'll come out of hiding and get the seed. She will also eat the seed from our hand when we offer. Yesterday my daughter put her palm in the cage with a seed on it, and Emerald came near her palm and sniffed around but did not take the seed; she instead walked back to her spot. But did walk back out again so we can feed her a seed. It's cute watching how they smell around. This morning she seemed to sort of freeze when I walked in the room unexpectedly and a little later again as she went to drink her water (a little shiver and freeze). She did drink as we slowly backed away. The look I get when I unexpectedly walk in is like the look a kid would give me if they were in their zone playing in their room! I also noticed one ant on the cage and removed one of her seed snack items that we hung up several days ago. Any suggestions, advice, or concerns?

Hi Gina!

I’m also currently living the "hamster life" with my 6-month-old boy, Benjamin (Benny). I have had him for less than a month now. It sounds like Emerald is doing amazing for only being home for a week! The fact that she’s already taking treats from your hand is a huge win—be encouraged by this!

Don’t let that "freeze" or "shiver" worry you too much. Benny does the same thing! I’ve learned that when they freeze like that, they are just "downloading" the room—listening and sniffing to make sure everything is safe. It really is like catching a kid in their zone! Even now that Benny is older, if I walk in unexpectedly, he turns into a little statue. Just keep doing what you’re doing by backing away slowly and letting her know you’re not a "predator."

I make it a point to talk to Benny a lot—not just when he’s startled. Whenever I see him out during the day or even if I just hear him rustling in his bed, I’ll say a soft "Hi Benny" so he gets used to my presence. I use that same calm, soft voice whenever I’m giving him treats or seeing him at night. Because I talk to him so often, he’s become confident that my voice means safety. Now, when he hears a noise and freezes, if I talk to him softly—"Benny, you're okay. It's alright. You're safe"—he seems to recognize the comfort and returns to his normal activities sooner.

One thing I’ve found with Benny is that they are constantly redecorating. Benny moves his bed and his bathroom around all the time—I can barely keep up! If Emerald stays "barricaded," she’s likely just building her fortress. I’ve started hiding goodies around the cage for him to find in the afternoons, and he loves the foraging. It might help Emerald feel more "at home" if she has to hunt for those pumpkin seeds!

I also noticed you mentioned the cage—one thing I learned is that Syrians really thrive when they have plenty of floor space. Most experts suggest at least 600–800 square inches for them to feel secure. I eventually moved Benny into a larger enclosure, and it was like a lightbulb went off! He struts around now like he pays the mortgage on the place. When he started pouching food, I knew he had claimed his territory.

He has been much happier since I got him a maze on Amazon (Search: "Chnageary Hamster Toy Adventure Box, Multi Chamber Viewable Hamster House"). I laid it flat in his cage instead of standing it upright so it feels more like natural burrows. HE LOVES IT. But something like that could easily be made from cardboard and non-toxic glue, too, so don't worry about needing to spend a lot of money. With this piece in place, he started showing me that he considers this enclosure his "forever" home, and me the "loving giant" who he graciously tolerates for treats!

Also, good catch on the ant! I’ve had to be really careful with what I leave in the cage, too. I usually give him perishable treats from my hand at night so I can watch him eat them. If he doesn't, I check his bedding every other day to make sure he isn't stockpiling anything that could spoil.

It’s all a learning curve, and I am still learning every day, but I'm loving the process. Hang in there, it only gets more fun as they settle in! And nothing happens all at once.