We are extremely lucky to have spotted her that day, I doubt I’d ever bring one home like her again. I’d never wanted another since my last one aged 11 who must have bitten me 100 times
I guess some hamsters prefer us to love them from afar!
. Was your last one also a female Syrian or a different species?
I think any reputable brand of flax seeds will be OK.
As a child I had my first one a male Syrian Fred! He took a lot but was hand tamed eventually and I even held him as he passed. To get over my heartbreak my mum got me lulu who was a Russian dwarf female who unbeknownst to us came to us pregnant. After eating all but one of her babies we continued to try and tame her but she was a little nippy and grumpy but we could handle her somewhat. We kept her along with her remaining baby but he died at a few months, but we were given a male Syrian who had been a class pet (how awful) he was called ginger. I know now he was probably terrified of people given his time in a primary school! We never got him to come near us but he lived long and happy enough left in peace. He escaped once by biting my mum and lived free for about a week as we were all too scared to be the one to find him and have to pick him upAny brand of linseeds is fine - the brown ones are supppsed to be more beneficial than the golden ones. I get the organic ones from Amazon but Holland and Barrett sell them as well. A bag isn’t very expensive and would probably last about 10 years ha ha. Usually about the size of a bag of sugar.
Aw I’m sorry your last one bit you when you were younger - this time must be wonderful after that
we left him scattered food and hoped he would return to his cage which he did. But at the time I was very put off keeping hamsters. I can still see his face now he used to really frighten me Now I feel i missed out on a number of happy like hamsters!
She really seems to. She lives in my bedroom and at night when she has gone back in her cage after her ply time, she comes to the front when she sees us and gives us a look that forces us to let her back out! I’ve had many a late night now with her running about my bed!’Happy is so sweet cuddled up like that. I think Syrians often enjoy being part of the family. She is too cute for words
He was just a hands-off hamster. With your past experiences, you already know how different their personalities are, but so much can also depend on experiences they've had before they come to us. I also had a bitey male syrian who had been a child's pet first. I did manage to tame him out of biting but it took a few months of playpen and sofa time and quite a bit of effort. But he really was the most adorable boy - so perky and interactive visually - even if he never was that happy about being held. As he got older he would sit for a stroke for about 10 seconds! But he loved free roaming
They are all so different and I was hamster obsessed until Ginger really terrified meIt's lovely to hear your previous hamster stories - despite the ups and downs. Fred was so lucky to have you. And so sad about the dwarf baby. This does happen sadly even now, someone being sold a pregnant female. While sad that the baby dwarf died, he may well have been born with some genetic problem due to unplanned breeding. Grumpy little dwarf lady sounds familiar! They vary so much in personality. It's a shame Ginger was your last experience and left a feeling of eek! But he was so lucky to finally have a home with you and a more normal life. Although must have been hard if you wanted to handle him and couldn't. I had to smile at his escape for a week - and thought he probably really enjoyed his taste of freedom - and was sensible enough to go back to his cage! So he did love you really
Happy sounds wonderful
and it wasn’t just me my whole family were frightened of him bless him. Fred being my first I think had set a standard so 2 grumps afterwards (and me only being a child) was probably a shock to little me!
He had lots of fun out of cage with childrens toys though and knew our boy's voice and felt comfortable with him. He didn't like men though! But also the most sensitive.
One of my piggies is a returned to store pet who was bought for a child who lost interest and was jumpy with my youngest at first and was/is more difficult than my other 2, it makes me mad! Animals are not toys they are living feeling beings! But also at least they don’t just leave them to be alone unbothered with in a corner and do return/take to rescue I suppose. They are all so different and it does depend on where they came from and their experiences. With Happy we just struck gold.Poor Ginger - it was self protection probably, terrifying everyone. And even though you were a nice child with hamsters, he maybe just associated childrens voices with fear and dislike. It can feel so personal though can't it? But it was just survival for him in his little mind. And as you say, having this lovely experience now gets rid of that trauma!
Raffy (my bitey one) wasn't that old - maybe about 8 to 10 weeks old when he came to me. I suspect he had been bought for a very young child - unfortunately some people get them for 2 and 3 year olds and don't know much about hamsters. He was given to a rescue after two weeks as "it didn't work out". He was absolutely terrified of hands. But because he was so young maybe I was able to tame him out of it - although he only trusted me. He became terrified again after a vet handled him which was sad.
It's lovely your teens like having a hamster. Our first one was when our boy was 6 - he ended up being mostly mine. By the time our boy was about 12 he wasn't interested in the hamsters any more! Although he did secretly quite like it when Raffy got into his room occasionally!
I think it's good for children and young people to learn that animals have different personalities and that some pets can be quite sensitive
With our first hamster it was the opposite with childrens voices. He seemed to perk up when he heard them! But he only ever knew the one child who was too scared to pick him up! Not for biting (he didn't bite) - he was scared of him running away and not wanting to hold him too tight. And boy he did run away fast sometimes!
We've had 7 male syrians (and two robos) and all the Syrians have been different. Three shy/lazy ones and two maverick ones and one who was a bit institutionalised (a year old from a rescue). One of our current ones I haven't worked out yet! The shy males seem to have been the most cuddly
Happy is very lucky to have such a loving home
My separately living once bonded piggy boars. They were also returned to P@H and I adopted them. They are so loveable. I can stroke them now, but it's taken a while to get to them enjoying being stroked.
