Debate thread - Cage "standards" and socialising of Hamsters

[Maz]

Debate thread:

Standards, “Gold standards” of Hamster cages – and socialising of hamsters

This debate post is about Hamster care, their needs and ideal standards. As it's a debate thread, feel free to post your own opinions.

The world of hamster care has changed a lot in the past few years. Very much for the better – but it has changed quite quickly and sudden change can be a lot for some owners, who have been keeping hamsters for years, with good care and love and who find some of today’s recommendations overwhelming or not possible to achieve, whether due to space or finances, or physical ability. But gradually it's becoming normal to see that hamsters have needs, just as other pets do.

In some ways, not very much has changed, but there are more options for good hamster care. Recommended minimum cage sizes have changed, and that’s a good thing. But in reality, many owners were using 100cm or larger cages for years anyway. And there was a wide understanding for many years, that anything smaller than 80cm by 50cm was too small. The new guidelines however, make it very clear to manufacturers and pet shops that things need to change. And that owners will make their own cages rather than buy small ones (although thankfully there are a good few larger ones to buy now) and that they will source their enrichment from places other than pet stores if pet stores only sell unsuitable items.

I think it’s good that the recommended minimum size is now 100cm x 50cm (or “approximately” 100cm by 50cm as we say on here), but there will be occasional circumstances where an 80cm x 50cm cage might be more appropriate. Eg as a hospital cage or for a hamster who needs special care. Or in some cases where an upgrade isn’t appropriate for that hamster, whether that be due to old age, being too young, or for gradual upgrading at the right time. And I think it’s ok if someone isn’t quite ready to change if a dwarf hamster is happy and settled in an 80 x 50 cage.

But aside from that, the recommended minimum sizes are there to try and create a normality and show that hamsters are not pocket pets, but living creatures with a need for space and activity and a suitable environment to live in.

Standards versus “Gold Standards”

It’s important that things don’t become judgemental or pressure put on those who don’t achieve a “gold standard” when their care and cage set ups are good and more than adequate for a hamster to be happy and well cared for. It’s easy to see pictures on the internet of people with enormous 6 foot cages, full of large items, 30cm of bedding and masses of sprays and there is a lot of that on the internet. Clearly people with wonderful large cages do like to show their wonderful set ups but that can give the impression that everyone should aspire to that, or that it is the only way to do things. It is positive in that it is wonderful for hamsters to have the space, the amount of enrichment, and for their cage contents to be both safe and natural, rather than small cages with narrow plastic tubes which don’t allow normal behaviours.
However for some people seeing these wonderful huge set ups, they feel overwhelmed at the space needed for such large cages such as 200cm cages, and perhaps the amount of money it will all cost. But also it gives the impression that hamsters can’t be happy or well cared for unless this “gold standard” is achieved.

So this post is intended for debate, but also to keep a perspective and a balance on things. It doesn't have to be "all natural" - that is nice but the occasional plastic hide or tube does no harm.

Hamsters have different personalities. In particular, I would say, Syrians and Chinese. Some will be extremely shy and nervous and others more confident. The same with dwarf hamsters and roborovski hamsters. Some of this is genetic, some will be from their life experiences.

But they are companions and pets for we humans and our responsibility is to meet their welfare needs, at a minimum and also offer love and be kind to them and handle them with care and respect. That might sound obvious but these little creatures are totally dependent on us and they need to learn to trust an owner. Ideally, bond with an owner and there be mutual pleasure for both hamster and owner, in spending time together. And even in a very large cage with wonderful levels of enrichment, I think they do need time out of that cage as well – and human interaction. I think their "needs" are not just physical, but emotional, psychological and intellectual as well. Hamsters can learn all kinds of things, given the opportunity - they are clever.

An example I can think of is putting a teenager in a luxury mansion with all their basic needs provided for – food on the table and clean clothes and items needed provided in cupboards. But never to see anyone. They might enjoy the independence and comfort and luxury at first. And the freedom to do whatever they want – lie in bed late, slide down the bannisters, get a midnight snack. And so on. But after a while they can get bored with that and feel the need for something more in life. They need stimulation for the brain and social skills. And someone to interact with if they feel sad or unwell.

That’s maybe not a perfect comparison because humans aren’t hamsters and can live with other humans. Whereas Syrian hamsters, for example, live alone in the wild. But in a domestic setting they don’t have the course of nature to fall back on. Their wild instincts, like most animals, are breeding and survival and their habits and motivation come from that.

In a domestic setting they have a chance to thrive, to have human companions, to have a bit of comfort and luxury and to be protected from predators. This is partly what enables them to become pets. They are not just living to survive and breed.

It was found, very early on, that hamsters are actually very sociable with humans and fairly easily tamed to be handled and interacted with. Which is what makes them good pets.

As owners we need to meet the 5 welfare needs enshrined by law in the Animal Welfare Act. Section 9 of this act “places a duty of care on people to ensure they take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to meet the welfare needs of their animals to the extent required by good practice.”

Animal Welfare Act | RSPCA - RSPCA - rspca.org.uk

The 2006 Act has introduced an important and new concept for pet owners and those responsible for domestic animals in England and Wales.

www.rspca.org.uk

And must provide for the 5 welfare needs

• need for a suitable environment
• need for a suitable diet
• need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
• need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

This does not give a lot of detail as to what “good practice” is but three animal welfare charities have published specific recommendations for the needs for hamsters. So it is clear what good environmental welfare is for hamsters. That is ideally a cage or enclosure 100cm x 50cm (approximately) and ideally at least 20cm of bedding for digging and burrowing. And plenty of safe and suitable enrichment for the hamster to enjoy the environment in the cage and feel safe. Somewhere dark to go (either their tunnels or house that’s dark inside) and things to give protection – tunnels, hides and things to sit under so they don’t feel scared by open space. Plus the ability to be active – different levels (not too high) and a suitable sized wheel to run on.

 

[Maz]

So back to Standards versus a "Gold Standard"

A basic set up in a 100cm cage with slightly less than 20cm of bedding, a suitable sized wheel and enrichment, is perfectly adequate for a hamster to have normal behaviours and be well cared for.

Rather than this being seen as a “bare minimum” (which can sound negative) it can be seen as adequately meeting a hamster’s welfare needs. Indeed even if a cage is not quite 100cm it could be seen as adequately meeting a hamster’s needs but more would be a lot better for their wellbeing. Again comparison with a teenager comes to mind. One pair of good trainers is "adequate" and their needs are met. Five pairs of good trainers of different colours, makes them feel even better, to have variety and choice - but is somewhat of a luxury and they know that one or two pairs is fine really.

Despite that, with hamster environments - the more people can give, the better. Of course hamsters can benefit hugely from much larger cages and much more enrichment and it’s wonderful that people give this. Not everyone can and not everyone has enough space in their home, if they have a small house, one bedroom or a family. But they can still be very good caring, loving owners and provide a perfectly adequate environment. Or they might want to rescue more than one hamster and unable to have more than two very large cages, but two adequate set ups. There also needs to be personal choice in cage style and preference, providing it adequately meets the needs of the hamster.

Most of this is obvious to most of us. But it’s very good that there are now guidelines as to what “good practice” is, as referred to in the animal welfare act. Before these guidelines were published, just under a year ago, there was nothing to say what good practice was and that was a licence for people to keep hamsters in small cages because they were convenient.

Before these guidelines came out, there used to be a “basic budget set up” stated by most forums and hamster rescues, which was an Alaska cage (approximately 80cm x 50cm), a 28cm wheel and about 4” to 6” of bedding - for a Syrian hamster. It has become clear that that is not enough for “good practice” and good welfare. It was “ok” because it was not in the realms of cruelty like keeping a hamster in a tiny cage with virtually no bedding, and some hamsters were fine with an 80 x 50 cage, especially if they had a lot of out of cage time. But there was no opportunity to dig or have many normal behaviours and foraging was limited. There was nothing at all for dwarf hamsters really – they were seen as pets who needed smaller items that could fit into smaller cages. Although most people were keeping dwarf hamsters in at least 80cm x 50cm cages. So these guidelines have been a hugely important change, so that hamsters are treated as being as important as all other pets and standards have been publicly and visibly raised.

The “basic budget set up” today is not so different apart from cage size and bedding and that is a 100cm x 50cm cage with at least 6 to 8” of bedding (ideally 8” or more) and a 28cm wheel (or suitable sized wheel for the species). That is not difficult for most people to achieve, either practically or financially.

But while the large natural set ups seen all over the internet are wonderful, “gold standard” care, there should not be the pressure for everyone to try and achieve all of that. Providing they meet “good practice” and have adequate cage set ups. And treat their hamsters well and with love and get vet treatment when necessary.
In addition to that, human interaction is something that can’t quite be quantified but can bring another level of care to a hamster. Trust and a bond is very special and that is something money can’t buy, but time and patience can.

I do think that hamsters need human interaction and to feel safe around humans – as well as a good environment to live in. As part of caring for them we need to weigh them regularly, take them to the vets occasionally, and there are times when they might need to be moved out of their cage temporarily – for example if a deep clean is needed. And a hamster who is not socialised with humans will feel fear and stress at being handled, weighed, taken to the vets etc, if they are left totally alone without any real human contact and aren’t socialised.

So in addition to cage set ups, I personally feel it is extremely important that our hamsters are socialised with humans and have time out of a cage to interact with humans and other noises, smells, sights and sounds. So they have a life, not just a comfortable home.

I don’t think just leaving them alone all the time is right for them. They will survive, but a hamster who is just left alone in burrows in a large cage, would not handle a vet visit well and could have extreme fear and stress. Or if they need to be handled for giving medication or a health check they could feel unsafe if they are not socialised with their human.

Socialising and “taming” hamsters

Our pet hamsters are not living in the wild. They are living in our homes, with us. They can enjoy sitting on a sofa or bed and roaming around there, as well as free roaming time (if possible) or playpen time – because it’s an added dimension to their lives and helps build trust with humans, which is needed as part of their ongoing care, in my view.

There seems to be a trend at the moment, in various parts of the internet that “taming” a hamster is a bad thing and not natural for them and they should be left to do their own thing. I particularly dislike the trend for the term "ghost hamsters" as if it is something to accept when that hamster may just be scared and would be much less scared with some socialising. I think the issue with this is the word “taming” means different things to different people. Those who do tame their hamsters know that it’s not a forced or unpleasant experience for a hamster, but a gradual process of socialising and allowing the hamster to feel comfortable around humans.

And perhaps the word “socialising” should be used rather than “taming” if the word taming is beginning to have negative connotations in some places. But really it’s the same thing.

Hamster rescues and breeders also tame litters of hamsters, so they are socialised with humans and can be handled, before they go to new homes. Even pet shops handle hamsters regularly and they become socialised via this. If this were not done, then a very young baby hamster could just go underground and spend most of their lives terrified of anything and everything. Partly this depends on personality again. But baby hamsters learn socialisation by living with their siblings for the first six weeks of their life, before they need separating. The next stage for them is being socialised into a human home, and with their owner. And this is part of care in my view. In the same way that baby humans left in orphanages in some countries, with no interaction, are affected in their emotional development by lack of interaction.
Some hamsters need that extra bit of attention and socialisation to help their psychological state too – if they have had a traumatic past – which many rescue hamsters have had. It’s a kind thing to do to socialise them and let them feel loved and safe with humans. And learn that human touch is safe with the right person.

Hamsters are also very intelligent creatures and need mental stimulation as well as physical stimulation – their instinct for play and games for example. They can communicate with us in various ways once they learn we are their caregivers and provide their food and tend their environment.
They can give looks to intelligently communicate with us. How can it be fair to leave a hamster in a cage all the time to do it’s own thing, when we have a duty to look after all their needs, including physical and psychological needs, as well as their environment?

This is not to say that smaller cages are ok if hamsters have plenty of human interaction and out of cage time. It is just to say that even with wonderful large cage set ups, hamsters need socialising with humans and especially their owner and caregiver, for their mental and psychological wellbeing.

This is a debate thread so feel free to express your own views and opinions on these topics

 

[elusive]

Great post Maz, I think you covered everything very clearly & explained it all well too.
I can really only agree with what you’ve said!
I do think it’s great that we have the guidelines we have today & really hope that before too long we will see that have more impact on what’s available in pet shops & online.
I think it is important to remember these are guidelines & that there should always be room for some flexibility without judgement, hamsters are all different & their needs can vary & people shouldn’t feel excluded if they can’t provide that gold standard.
I tend to avoid the internet & social media & generally have no idea what the latest big ideas are but I couldn’t agree more about socialising hamsters.
I’ve never really liked the word taming but most of us tend to mean the same thing whatever we call it, it’s about getting to know your hamster & giving them the opportunity to learn to trust you & in the majority of cases enjoy spending time with you.
The degree to which my hamsters have wanted to interact has varied a lot & with a little time, patience & observation it’s not hard to understand their behaviour & body language so you soon learn just how much & when they want to interact.
I do agree that it is important to get even the least social of hamsters accustomed to us & some degree of handling so they can have regular health checks & we can do what we need to to care for them without them being stressed by it.
I do find the idea that hamsters should just be left to do their own thing rather sad & lacking in understanding of hamster behaviour & welfare.

 

[Socks Mum]

Thank you for raising this! Even hamsters who don't like being picked up or stroked can quickly learn to take treats and even to interact with human hands in the cage. It makes cleaning, medication, health checking possible and hamsters are curious and intelligent and want to investigate and learn about people.

 

[Socks Mum]

Someone said about degus that they like to feel that they are in control and then they become friendly, I think it is the same for hamsters.

 

[Socks Mum]

The issue with some hamsters could be biting. They are not easy pets and require a high level of commitment when goings go wrong. Vet visits to find out if the biting is because of illness, the use of gloves, great patience and more patience in addition to that. Good nerves and of course being a forum member!

 

[Maz]

I’d agree with that Socks Mum. They need to feel secure and respected. They’re not toys and I think many people have said - things need to be on their terms. So one day they may be happy for a stroke and to sit and another day they might not feel like it. Just like humans really! I learned an awful lot about hamsters just from observing behaviours - as Elusive said. Some can be really quite sensitive and in tune with our emotions - once they have got to know us. And also show us theirs.

 

[Maz]

The issue with some hamsters could be biting. They are not easy pets and require a high level of commitment when goings go wrong. Vet visits to find out if the biting is because of illness, the use of gloves, great patience and more patience in addition to that. Good nerves and of course being a forum member!

Generally hamsters don’t bite. New hamsters might but usually only if they are frightened, and not handled carefully. Once they know you well they will sometimes give a gentle nip just to let you know they don’t like what you’re doing - eg holding them up in the air for too long (which isn’t a good idea anyway!) because they feel insecure and don’t like it. Otherwise it can be with an older hamster if they are in pain.

There are some hamsters (like Raffy) who’ve had bad experiences in the past and are scared of hands and can bite initially, but that’s another reason taming and socialisation is important - so they learn you are safe. It took 2 or 3 months before Raffy accepted a hand near him without trying to bite. It’s wonderful once you get there.

I don’t think gloves are needed unless it’s during very early taming when the owner feels a bit nervous of being bitten .

 

[RainbowBrite]

My first hamster was a very shy robo and it took him 8 months before he would come out when I was near by. I do not regret trying to socialise with him earlier as I think it would have made him very stressed and upset. I think socialising depends on the hamster and I see no point in trying to force it if the hamster is unhappy. In time he did learn to enjoy a playpen once or twice a week but it was all on his own terms. I strongly believe he would have been very upset if I had put him in a playpen earlier then this.

I feel a bit differently to others on here and believe if taking a hamster out is not benefiting them, then it is best to leave it. I understand they will need health checks but apart from that I believe playpen time should be fun for them. I think it is possible to socialise with a hamster by talking to them when they are in their enclosure and without any touching or physical interaction.

 

[elusive]

I don’t think you feel that differently Rainbow & I don’t think any of us would suggest taking them out if it doesn’t have any benefit for them.
Talking to them is definitely the way to begin, I think it’s when we spend time just chatting to them when they’re new that we can begin to learn abou their characters & get to understand their body language which can be a bit different for each hamster.
I think also the more hamsters you have over time the easier that becomes.

 

[Maz]

Yes the more hamsters you have the easier it gets. Although can still take time and patience. But then there is that wonderful moment sometimes where it just happens - after you thought it never would - when a hamster is totally chilled about being picked up and handled.

I think Robos are a whole different thing though and although it’s supposed to be possible to tame Robos it’s not always easy and they can be the most frightened of species - and the fastest!

 

[Maz]

Just to add to that - even if Robos aren’t tamed to be handleable, my experience is that they still get to know and trust you and are very good communicators. I’ve only had two but they would sit and listen if you talked to them- for quite a long time sometimes. Pip would come to the bars and say hello and even give whisker kisses. He wasn’t afraid of me. But it was very much “I have my boundaries” and “look but don’t touch”. Both, eventually, were able to walk into something to be lifted out of the cage though. And got in the habit of coming out. I find they tend to freeze if picked up, unlike other species who would try to struggle free. So as long as we give them attention and talk to Robos there is still that interaction. What concerns me is if someone left them alone to the point of ignoring them - as then welfare or safety issues could be missed or illness could be missed.

I didn’t really try very hard fo hand tame either of my robos. I believe it’s possible and remember seeing a Robo NHC breeder saying that if they are tamed they are actually tamer than most other species and would sit near you and not try and run away. That must be a very special thing. Both of mine were rescues and had a bad start in life which didn’t help.

 

[Socks Mum]

Hamsters can behave differently at different times and are often less skittish in the dark.

 

[Socks Mum]

Yes, thinking of Henry’s whiskers kisses and grooming of his friend. The communication is delightful in itself, even if they are not big on being petted or held. Little sounds they make are the very best, little toothy noises, smooching noises, a strange, short pulsing whining sound while under bedding, ultrasound that we can't even hear, flumps (aka banging the door shut), yawning silently and a stretching!

 

[Socks Mum]

Hamsters are small creatures who think big and if you make yourself available to one, he or she will find a use for you eventually!

 

[Daisy]

This is a great post!

In terms of human interaction and whether it's necessary or not, I tend to think of it like this: when a hamster is living in an exceptionally large, maximally enriched cage, human interaction isn't necessary for them to be fully happy and content. That isn't to say that many hamsters might not benefit from it. It may add another "layer" of enrichment onto an already maximally enriched life, but it isn't necessary because hamsters lived without humans for millennia before we domesticated them. But here I'm really talking about those exceptionally large cages, 2m+ long, that you see on Instagram or Youtube sometimes.

When it comes to a more average large cage of 100-150cm, it depends on the species and to some extent the sex, but a lot of hamsters probably do need some human interaction and out-of-cage time to have their needs met. Not because they have any innate emotional need to interact with humans. As mentioned, they've lived without human contact for millennia, and they're solitary animals, so they don't need us from that perspective. But because, even with out best efforts, the amount of enrichment we can fit into even a large cage is very limited compared to what they would have in the wild, and we need to fill the gaps somewhere. I think because pet hamsters aren't spending their days predators or raising pups etc, there's unspent mental energy, as well as physical, which needs to be directed somewhere.

It depends on the species though. I'm mainly thinking about Syrians in the paragraph above. Robos, Chinese, and some Russian dwarfs, tend to be more "self-contained" and I think can often live perfectly happily without human contact even in 100cm or so cage (depending on the individual). Leo (Chinese hamster) certainly doesn't need me at all (except for feeding etc). He's got to the point where he will grudgingly tolerate being held, which I do about once a month just to get a good look at him, but he's a very independent hamster.

On the spectrum of hamster "tameness", you have at one end the really social hamsters (mostly Syrians and Russian dwarfs) who have learnt to enjoy human contact and crave. On the other end, you have the hamsters who actively dislike human contact and it makes them unhappy. At various places in the middle, you have hamsters who get some enjoyment from human contact but don't exactly seek it out, hamsters who neither like or dislike it, hamsters who would rather we left them alone but will tolerate contact, and so on. Most hamsters move between different points on the spectrum throughout their lives.

I've noticed the same trend as you in some places of the Internet where "taming" is seen as a fairly negative thing that's done solely for human pleasure. To a certain extent, I can see where that view comes from, because some people do have a view of taming that based too much on what they want the hamster to do for them. I see that especially with Robos, where people think they need to tame the hamster until they can hold them and play with them, and when that doesn't work, they think there's something wrong with the hamster and sometimes rehome them. I've even seen well-meaning hamster owners with good care talk about rehoming their Robos because despite lots of effort, the hamster is still aloof (or "not behaving like the super friendly Syrians they saw on Tiktok"), and they think they're failing in some way.

But I think when you view taming as the gradual process of helping a hamster get used to living around humans, it's less negative, and more about benefitting the hamster than about pleasing the human. Even if you don't want to be able to play with a hamster, there are always going to be times when you do need to handle them for some reason, and I think it's beneficial for the hamster (and you) if that isn't a massively stressful event. As I mentioned above, my Chinese hamster Leo doesn't exactly enjoy handling but he's got to the point where he will tolerate it without finding it very scary, and I think that's important, because one day I may need to hold him every day to give him medication, or a vet might need to handle him.

It's really just about hamsters adapting to different environments. Hamsters in the wild don't need to be "tame" with humans because they're rarely going to come across them. But baby wild hamsters do need to learn that rocks and beetles and worms aren't dangerous, because they come across those things often, and if they were scared of them, they'd be in a constant state of stress. Pet hamsters need to learn that humans, and the normal sounds and sights of a home, aren't dangerous, otherwise they too will be in a constant state of stress over their environment. It's kinder to the hamster to gently get them used to humans, since they're living among us.

I agree too that I'm not that keen on the "ghost hamster" term. To me, "ghost hamster" is more of a behaviour than a personality type. I think it's more often talked about with Syrians because "ghosting" is actually normal behaviour for Syrians. In the wild, they are elusive to the extent that they are practically never spotted by humans. You could camp outside a wild Syrian hamster burrow, and the hamster will wait until the moment you've gone before emerging. When you take a very young Syrian and put them in a huge cage with many inches of bedding, often they will revert to that natural "ghosting" behaviour, including waiting to come out until humans have gone. So if you want to ease a new Syrian out of their natural "ghost" behaviour and acclimatise them to a human home, it can often take active effort, such as coaxing, incentives, and positive reinforcement.

 

[Maz]

That's a good point about different species. And I probably was thinking particularly of Syrians and dwarf hamsters. Robos we've discussed above as being slightly different maybe. And I've never had a Chinese hamster. So you and Elusive will know more about that. I'm aware they can be particularly shy and skitty.

I think my take on it was that in the wild they have nothing but survival and breeding - although I'm sure they occasionally have some fun! Whereas bonding with a human is an added benefit for a pet. And even in the very large cages, they might be ok left on their own, but they are missing out on intellectual and emotional stimulation. And a change of environment can be good for them, if they get in a routine of coming out.

In some ways it's only if a hamster is tame that they enjoy human contact, which is the main reason for taming and socialising perhaps. So I don't think it matters what size cage they're in - whether it's 100cm or 200cm - I think they benefit from being socialised and feeling secure with humans and some will maybe enjoy it more than others.

The other thing is I think they behave very differently out of the cage than in it. So while some might seem shy or antisocial in their cage or enclosure, they behave differently when out of the cage, more curious, and a sense of wanting to explore everything. So personally I don't see why a hamster who lives in an extremely large cage with lots of natural enrichment, shouldn't still have the opportunity to free roam

So I guess another aspect is bonding, which is a bit more than taming/socialisation perhaps. Hamsters can have very close bonds with humans and although that's a benefit for the human I think it's a benefit for the hamster as well

Another reason for socialising and taming them is that hamsters sometimes escape and an untame, slightly feral hamster would be much harder to catch again! And also maybe feel more stressed at being caught again if they're not used to seeing humans as safe and familiar.

 

[Socks Mum]

Some of if is getting over the stage of wanting to cuddle and pet your hammy. Their fur is soft and they look cute and babyish, but with time comes a better understanding, if you spend enough time in their company, and with understanding, comes greater respect for the character of your pet and hopefully friend. Trust is earned as they say. The bonding is not just about food. How social are hamsters? Being social or not social is driven by environmental factors, and hamsters could have a few latent social genes. They could have enjoyed being groomed by their mother. Some species can live together, but possibly not in a very structured or lasting way, unlike some other rodent species. It is a fascinating topic.

 

[Maz]

Their personalities will vary so much as well. I've had Syrians who absolutely love being stroked and will sit for a stroke. I think many will do that for a short period then want to be off. But without that trust, they wouldn't allow us to stroke them. And to gain that trust they need to know our hands won't hurt them. I think that's the essence of taming or socialisation - just them learning that our hands are safe, we're safe and we won't hurt them. Others are happy to be around you but not necessarily that cuddly.

A tame hamster will happily be picked up and be docile about it - for a while anyway. An untame hamster will be almost impossible to pick up and can ping very high in the air.

I know some people think taming is just for the human's benefit, but it has it's practical aspects as well, as mentioned above. But I think it's necessary if possible. Most pets need a degree of taming/training. An untrained dog would be a nightmare and even a hazard and it wouldn't be fair on the dog either, to get into serious scrapes just because the owner didn't tame/train it. Although I know you can't really compare a dog to a hamster.

What I think is amazing is that a pet hamster, a rodent, can actually be tamed and socialised. Hamsters do like games and having fun and I think a bond does mean they like being around you. Some will come to your feet if they're ready to go back into a cage for example.

 

[Maz]

One thing that has always amazed me is that Hamsters are notorious for being aggressive with other hamsters and will fight to the death. Yet they are not aggressive with humans - unless they are treated badly. They know good humans from bad humans but the trust does need to be earned yes, and it's quite special.