Handling your Hamster

From the Book

Hamsters handled frequently from a young age usually remain docile and seldom bite. These animals of a docile nature can be picked up gently by cupping in one or both hands and held against one's body. Beware that even docile hamsters may bite if surprised or abruptly awakened from sleep.
Other hamsters, however, may not have received a lot of attention and handling throughout their lives, and thus may be more apprehensive and aggressive. Any animal whose personality is not fully known must be approached cautiously. The use of a small towel or gloves can assist the handler in capturing and restraining such a pet. Another method of capture involves coaxing the animal into a container (such as a can or tube), which can then be removed from the cage. Once removed from the cage, biting hamsters can be restrained by grasping a large amount of skin at the scruff of the neck. As much skin as possible must be grasped using this method because their skin is very loose. If lightly scruffed, the hamster can easily turn around within its skin and bite the handler.

Experienced
Hamsters are very popular pets today. They are small, odorless, gentle, clean, and easy to care for. They will thrive for up to 6 years in a birdcage or glass aquarium. Hamsters are entertaining to humans, they explore any new thing in their cage (and old thing), dig nest after nest after nest (you can never have enough nests) and if you have a wire cage, they will climb up the walls and even sometimes o n the ceiling! If you supply your hamster with a wheel, it may run 4-8 miles on it! Most pets require attention and daily care, but hamsters can be left alone for an entire weekend if necessary, because they hoard food and do not drink very much. Since they are not really social pets, they probably wouldn't miss you as much as another pet would. Hamsters are very inexpensive to keep, and are more durable when it comes to falls, bumps, etc more than other rodents. This makes them good pets for kids.

Playtime!

Playtime is important to your pet. Hamsters love to get out of their cages and run around and this is the best time to develop a relationship with your pet.

Pick a time that is the same almost every night (say 7 PM) At this time, gently wake your hamster and provide a small treat (keep treats small at play time so you can offer a lot of them! ) Then take your hamster to a designated play area. This can be anything from sitting on your lap on the floor, to having the free run of a large plastic wading pool (this makes a great run/play area if you have the space) or the bathub.

The only criteria is that until you can predict your hamster behavior very well, you don't want him to fall (even by jumping out of your hamds) or escape. Keep the area low and confined.

Things you can do with your hamster include, letting him play in one of your shoes while you help and supervise, making a maze out of tubes or cardboard or even playing with some hamster toys that you don't allow in the cage regularly.

We usually play with two hamsters at a time (watch those Syrians!!!) for about 30 minutes. Then they go into a rolling ball for about 45 minutes or whenever they stop rolling around.

When playtime is over, we replenish food and water, remove any old fresh food (apple cores, etc.) and add new. then we say bye bye to the hamster for the night.

It is okay to play with a hamster more than one time per night, but do not bother him in the daytime. A considerate hamster owner keeps the cage covered during the day for a well-rested and healthy pet!