Second chance hamsters

Yes I usually find it's one of the first things they do - check every crevice to see if there's a way out!
 
Davy is at that mixture of curiosity and nervousness stage like many hamsters are when in a new place. Given time curiosity should take over. He hasn't moved into his house yet because he's very fond of the burrowing area under the big shelf.
 
Aw he is but he is so gorgeous. And it's still very early days. I find it takes 10 days before they're suddenly confident in a new cage and can really be much less shy then. At least he is visible and not completely hiding away! He also looks happy! What is the coloured dangly thing? I like that!
 
The dangly thing is one of those boredom breaker toys. I hide seeds in them.

Davy ventured onto his open door, very cautiously and walked into the mug i had drunk my hot milk out of. I felt that it was way too soon to lift the mug and take him out. He was probably attracted by the smell of the milk.

He didn't stay out long while i was there. Not only does he need to get used to me but also his noisy neighbours.
 
The milky mug happened to be next to me and i was worried he'd fall out of his cage. No risk of injury at that low height but i don't want to let him loose in the hamster room to begin with. The hall is more suitable once he let's me know that he wants out.

Next step would be to let him walk into a taxi and place him on my lap briefly while i sit in the hall. It depends on the hamster when this happens and i gage it by their body language and behaviour.
I've never been one to place my hand in their cage with a treat on it because i see their home as their territory and don't want them to connect my hand with treats or food only. My hand is what it is, a way to get out of the cage, get stroked by, picked up with and get checked over by. I do sometimes give them a treat through the bars but their focus then is on the treat not my hand. I make an exception for Robos because they are a bit different to handle i think.
Maybe that doesn't make sense regarding taming and i'm waffling but we all have slightly different ideas and approaches.
 
Ok. It wasn't part of the plan to let Davy out so early. He got up earlier today and was nosier so i opened his door. He came to his door sniffing and i offered him a mug. He walked in and i stupidly lifted it so he jumped out and then jumped out of the cage. I know, i should have known better.

Obviously, i only open his door when there is no other hamster freeroaming.

Anyway, Davy went walkabout but luckily headed for the hall so i put the devider up and let him have a sniff around. When he started to sit under the shoe rack i put a porridge tube down that was still intact and put some oats in it. He soon walked in and i put him back in his cage with the oats. He went under the shelf to his nest probably trying to figure out what the heck had happened here.

This early and unintended experience of out of cage time can only go two ways. It may have scared him or he'll be asking for more.

I can hear him on his wheel now.

 
He probably enjoyed it :-) Even if he is still a bit jumpy. He looks very sweet on that photo. He may turn out to be cheekier than he looks!
 
I think he enjoyed it. He didn't look stressed or scared, just unfamiliar.

He jammed and knocked over his wheel last night.
I drilled holes in the base of the wheel and bolted it to the roof, moved the house to act as a devider between substrate and almost no substrate under the wheel to stop it from getting jammed again.
It's not ideal but all i could do for now.
 
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