- Treat your pet with something tasty
All hamsters are naturally cowardly. Domestic rodents are afraid of people and everything unfamiliar: new surroundings, sounds, smells. At first they are afraid of their owners. What to do if the fluffy runs into the house as soon as he senses the approach of a person? How to establish contact with a funny animal? We have collected useful recommendations for you, from which you will learn how to tame a hamster and become his friend.
First day in a new house
Most often, the picture of acquaintance between owners and hamsters looks like this. A person buys a fluffy dog, brings it home and begins to pet it, hold it in his hands, force-feed it and sweetly lisp it. It seems to the owner that the animal will be delighted with such treatment. How does the situation look from the hamster's perspective? They tore the unfortunate man out of his nest, brought him to an unknown place, and a huge creature bawled and tried to grab him. It is quite natural that the pet runs away and tries to hide in the house.
Amid the stress of moving to a new house, your hamster may become stressed. As a result, the homa will not eat well, will be restless and nervous. If in this state the owner tries to pick up the animal in his arms, a bite cannot be avoided. Djungarian hamsters bite most often. Females are especially irritable. But the Syrian hamster is not so aggressive, but it will not tolerate familiarity in the first days of acquaintance. Therefore, instead of the question “how to accustom a hamster to your hands?” another one should be put: “What does the pet need?”
Give the fluffy three days to get used to his new place of residence and calm down. Do not impose on your pet, just feed and change the water in the drinking bowl. At the same time, try not to frighten the baby with sharp sounds, provide peace for the cute animal.
When the funny animal stops running away into the house when you appear, you can start getting to know each other.
Why does a hamster bite
- Curiosity.
The first and fundamental reason for rodent attacks. Hamsters cannot touch objects, so they taste everything. Such actions help to understand the world around us; the animal wants to bite a finger just like a carrot or an apple. Young individuals are considered especially curious, so this reason is natural. - Smell.
Animals often bite hands because they give off a pleasant smell. As a rule, hamsters taste fingers that have been coated with cream, or hands that have just been washed with soap. Rodents are not able to distinguish between the pleasant aroma of shower gel and, for example, the smell of fruit. An important criterion for hamster bites is the human hand, which emits an aroma due to food. Perhaps you recently ate dried fruit or a bun, your hamster wants to try it too. - Defensive reaction.
This reason is accompanied by aggression and resistance. When the new owner of a furry ball wants to take it out of the cage, the hamster perceives such actions as a threat to life, so it begins to defend itself in every possible way. He backs away, wanting to get out of his hands, and begins to bite and scratch at a frantic pace. The behavior is characteristic of animals that have previously been tortured by children. Also, those hamsters that are forcibly pulled out of the cage by their owners often defend themselves. - Excitement.
Animals are characterized by unreasonable excitement; only zoologists can give a logical explanation for this factor. Rodents are most susceptible to this manifestation of mood; they can be excited by a sound, smell or an unidentified object. The hamster shows aggression by jumping, running from side to side, and the pet often backs away. When you try to pick him up, the hamster bites hard and sharply, digging into the skin. Also, excitement can be more pleasant, it is associated with the game. The hamster encourages frolic by showing its teeth, but in this case the bite becomes weak and barely noticeable (bite). - Pregnancy.
Often, while carrying offspring in the womb, the female begins to bite strongly. This is partly due to the fact that she does not trust the owner. However, the main reason is changes in hormonal levels. The animal adapts to a lifestyle in which it is necessary to protect future babies. This is the call of nature. Since the female is too obstinate during this period, it is recommended to reduce tactile contact with her. Communicate with your pet through the cage, speak in a calm voice so that she does not see you as a threat. During pregnancy, you should completely eliminate the procedure of hand training.
what to do if the hamster escapes from the cage
Let's get to know each other better
The pet has gotten used to its new home, it’s time to get used to its owners. The time for getting to know each other must be considered, taking into account the daily activity of the animal. Djungarian and Syrian hamsters are crepuscular animals. You shouldn't bother the fluffies during the day, it will only scare them. What can you do to prevent your hamster from being afraid of its owner? There are several points worth paying attention to.
Master's voice
At the first stage of acquaintance, you should establish verbal contact with the hamster. He must remember the sound of your voice and get used to it. Talk to the homa calmly and affectionately. Choose a beautiful name and repeat it often. It is especially important to talk to a funny animal while feeding. Then he will begin to associate your voice with the pleasure he receives from goodies.
Interesting fact: over time, the hamster gets so used to the voice of its owner that it begins to recognize it among other voices. Hearing a familiar sound, he will run up to the wall of the cage and greet you with a joyful, quiet squeak.
Tactile contact
Touch is very important in the friendship between owners and pets. Before you think about how to tame a dzhungarika, you need to establish basic body contact. This rule also applies to rodents of other breeds (Syrian, Caucasian, Angora). Hamsters are mistrustful animals; they won’t let just anyone pet them. You need to make sure that the animal trusts you.
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- You can start by simply placing your hand in the cage. Khoma remembers that these hands usually bring him goodies, so he may become interested and come up to sniff. Let the animal walk around your hand and examine it. At this stage, he may even be tempted to lick his finger - this will be your small victory!
- After some time, you can begin to move your hand in the cage. Bend, straighten your fingers, and turn your hand slowly and smoothly. This way the hamster will understand that you do not want to scare him or cause harm.
- Once your furry dog has become accustomed to feeling safe in your presence, try lightly petting the rodent with one finger. If the animal doesn’t mind, you can touch its nose. But you shouldn’t fiddle with your ears!
Tactile contact has been established, it’s time to think about how to tame a Djungarian or Syrian hamster.
How to handle a hamster?
All rodents are trainable. Everyone who has given preference to this breed should know how to tame a Syrian hamster. Djungarians and Syrians are equally friendly and can be tamed at home. The difference is that dzhungarikas are more prone to bite; some owners first handle their pets with gloves.
If you got a rodent for the first time, you are probably interested in the question of whether it is possible to pick up a hamster by the scruff of the neck. You shouldn’t do this unless necessary, it doesn’t give your baby any pleasure. Such manipulations cause negative associations associated with your hands. But in some situations, for example when examining incisors, this is a necessary measure.
It is difficult to tame a hamster if it bites, so at the beginning of training, if the baby takes a treat from your hand, try to lightly stroke it, but make sure that it does not bite. You need to stroke with one finger and only on the back; babies perceive touches on the head painfully.
It is difficult to say whether hamsters like to be petted. More likely no than yes. Only a tamed hamster will allow its owner to pat itself on the head, and even then not always. You need to stroke the hamster in such a way that it feels good - lightly on the back when he is in a good mood. If the baby does not allow himself to be petted, don’t argue with him; over time, you will be able to make friends with the hamster, and he will let you approach him.
Remember: the younger the hamster, the easier it is to tame it.
But this does not mean that it is impossible to tame an adult homa, it will just take more time. To make a hamster tame, you need to work with him every evening and the result will not take long to wait.
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We accustom the fluffy to hands
It is very exciting and touching when a pet comes into your arms for the first time. It even brings tears to the eyes of the owners! Sometimes you come across amazingly sociable and friendly hamsters, who themselves jump on your palm on the very first day (they are more common among Syrian and Caucasian hamsters). But the vast majority of Djungarian hamsters remain wild for a long time.
Here are detailed instructions that will help you learn how to accustom your dzhungarik and other breeds of fluffies to your hands.
Treat your pet with something tasty
At first, this should be done when the animal is in a cage. Invite your furball to take treats from your hand on its own. Take a nut, dried fruit, or grain with your thumb and forefinger, and fold the rest into a fist. Put your hand into the cage slowly. If a treat smells good and is not part of your hamster's daily diet, he will be tempted and snatch the treat right from your fingers with his tiny paws!
This stage needs to be consolidated. You should offer your home goodies every day, preferably at the same time - this will make it easier to tame the animal. If the hamster quite willingly takes food from your hands, you can move on to the next stage of training.
Feed your hamster outside the cage
By the time it “goes out into the world” the hamster will already be convinced of the safety of its cage. But what awaits beyond its borders? Your task is to convince the pet that it is also calm outside, there are goodies and the gentle hands of the owner.
The homa should be removed from the cage carefully. At first, you can get the animal sitting in the house. This option is ideal for those who have a cage with only a top door. The main thing is to cover the entrance to the shelter and the windows so that the hamster does not jump out and hurt himself. Many owners are interested in the question: is it possible to grab a hamster by the scruff of the neck when taking it out of the cage? In fact, the tiny creature will not like such treatment; it will hurt him. He will squeak and try to bite the offender. It’s better to put your palms together into a boat and calmly get the animal.
To tame your hamster, stock up on treats. Ideal for:
- banana chips;
- biscuits and drying;
- nuts;
- dried apples;
- dog-rose fruit;
- raisin.
Attention! Never give your animal shortbread or waffles. Fatty and overly sweet foods are harmful to their health.
The treat must be divided into small pieces so that the animal can hold them in its tiny paws. You can train your hamster to take food from your hands in the following way: place your furry pet on a bed or table, and place your palm with a treat next to it. Since the animal is already accustomed to you, it will willingly take the treat and eat it.
Teach you to eat from your hand
At first, the homa will take food from his palm, walk away a little and eat. In this case, you need to increase the portion: the pet, knowing that the treat is still left, will soon eat near your hand. Therefore, the next stage in your relationship is complete taming.
To tame your hamster, place the treat not in the center of your hand, as before, but on the edge, which is further away from the fluffy one. The pet will have to climb into your palm to pick up the treat. At first, the funny animal will repeat the trick of running away. But then he realizes that the owner’s palm is a warm and safe place. As a result, he will start eating right from your hands!
Soon after this, you can hug your pet, lightly covering his back with your hand, gently stroking his fur. This manipulation must be carried out on a bed or while sitting at a table (the distance from the palm on which the animal is sitting to the floor or other surface should be minimal) - this is a kind of safety technique. To prevent the animal from getting scared, bring your covering hand from the back.
Over time, the fluffy will express a desire to sit on the handle even in the absence of treats. From this moment on, you can consider that you have tamed the hamster - and you can slowly begin training.
How to train a dzhungarik
Teaching a hamster to follow any commands is difficult, but possible. These rodents have a fairly high intelligence, so they are able to understand their owner almost instantly. But when training an animal, you need to acquire considerable patience, since the process will be hampered by its natural cowardice.
What tricks can he do?
Djungarians are capable of performing many commands. With enough attention and effort to train, these animals can serve their owner no worse than cats or dogs.
Traditionally, animal teams can be divided into two conditional groups:
- simple - skills that require a minimum of effort from the animal and its owner to perform. This is the so-called basic level, which turns a wild animal into a well-mannered and submissive pet, so even small hamsters up to six months old are taught simple commands. Most often, such tricks include the ability to recognize your nickname, leave the cage on command, roll over, etc.;
- complex - all kinds of skills that require basic knowledge from the animal. Not all individuals are often suitable for complex teams, so only smart enough pets can be taught tricks. Such commands include jumping over obstacles, the command “Fu!” and other skills that require combining two or more simple skills.
Find out why the hamster constantly sleeps, bites, and squeaks.
How to train
The main thing to remember when training a dzhungarik is that the rodent does not tolerate severity and punishment. In most cases, this method of training will permanently discourage the animal from learning any commands, so it is best to rely on patience and praise.
Each training session should be reinforced with vocal accompaniment (a command word): this will help develop a conditioned reflex in the rodent that can be successfully reproduced in the future.
It is best if each training and success is fueled with small pieces of treats - this will help speed up the process and make it more effective.
Did you know? Domestic hamsters are able to swim in water - to do this, they take air into their cheeks, using them as a kind of life preserver.
Let's look at the main stages of teaching a dzhungarik simple tricks.
Knowing your nickname:
- Choose a short and sonorous name for the rodent.
- Introduce your pet to its name - to do this, repeat the name clearly but calmly, while giving the animal small pieces of treats.
- Repeat the animal’s name periodically during any close contact, and be sure to fuel every success with a treat.
- After some time, the dwarf will begin to respond to the name and come up for a treat.
Running in a circle:
- Move the hamster out of the cage into a more open area with a low fence (small tray, kitchen table with sides, etc.).
- Take a small amount of treat in your hand and bring it to your hamster.
- When your pet becomes interested in food, say loudly and clearly “In a circle!” and start moving it in a circle.
- After the dwarf stops chasing food, give him a treat.
- After some time, the animal will develop a conditioned reflex, so after each call “In a circle!” he will instantly reproduce what he has learned.
Rolling over your back:
- Move your hamster out of its cage into a more open area with a low fence.
- Take a small amount of treat in your hand and bring it to the hamster's back, loudly and clearly playing “Roll Over!”
- After the animal reaches for the treat and rolls over, repeat “Roll over!” and give him the food.
- Conduct training daily, several times a day. In just a few weeks, your pet will easily learn the trick.
Important! You need to be in contact with the dwarf every day, otherwise even well-learned commands will be forgotten over time, and the once tame pet can again turn into a timid and even embittered animal.
Hamsters and children
If there are children in the family, then the animal will have to be tamed to them. It is important to explain to the children all the rules and teach them a lesson in how to politely treat a tiny creature. The child must learn the following points:
- At first, you can pick up the homa only in the presence of adults.
- Do not squeeze the hamster in your arms, it will hurt the animal.
- Do not make sudden movements.
- If your hamster suddenly starts biting, under no circumstances should you scream or physically punish your pet. It's better to put him back in the cage to calm him down.
These simple tips will help children and animals become best friends!
Taming a hamster is a long and difficult process. It requires patience, politeness and lots of goodies. If in the first month of your pet’s stay in the house it was not possible to tame it, do not despair, continue to establish contact. Sooner or later, Homa will meet you and become not just an animal, but a member of the family!
General rules for taming
Is it possible to pick up a hamster? Definitely yes, but only if he is tamed and trusts you. Before you train your pet, make sure that he is not stressed and has already become comfortable in the crate. For the taming technique to work, consider several factors:
- after you bring your new friend home, give him a few days to get comfortable, get used to the new house, your voice and feel confident;
- provide the baby with comfortable living conditions, equip the cage with everything necessary;
- do not isolate the cage from society, place it in a slightly crowded, but not noisy place;
- do not try to tame the dwarf in the first half of the day, when his sleep is the deepest; it is better to postpone the “training” later in the evening. Waking your pet is the easiest way to make him irritable and restless.
Procedure
If your pet is a little used to the new place and no longer hides in the house when you appear, gradually establish closer contact.
- Study his habits and preferences. When he sleeps and is most active, what food he prefers and what is his favorite treat.
- Accustom your hamster to the sound of your voice. Approach the cage several times a day and calmly talk to him. If your vocabulary has run out, you can sing or read poetry. The main thing is that the baby gets used to your presence.
- When the animal does not immediately hide in the house when you appear, proceed to the next stage of education. Place treats in the cage: seeds, dried fruits, a piece of carrot or cookie. If the rodent no longer runs for cover in panic, try holding the treat with two fingers and hand-feeding the baby. If he took food from your hands, then you are doing everything right. Secure the result, do not rush to move on to the next stage. Don't try to pet the hamster, you will scare him. All efforts will go down the drain, and the little trust established between you will disappear again.
- If the rodent already trusts you enough to take food from your hands, try carefully inserting your hand with food into the cage. Place the seed or piece of cookie so that it is difficult for the animal to reach while remaining on the floor of the cage. The baby will have to climb onto the palm to grab the food. Do this “trick” for a long time until the hamster climbs into your palm completely fearlessly. Do not make sudden movements.
- When the hamster begins to jump onto your palm in search of a treat, try to carefully pull your palm out of the cage, or grab it with both hands folded in the shape of a boat. Do not grab the animal from behind or by the scruff of the neck. He will get scared and bite.
Content Features
Getting used to hands after adaptation
Most often, the Djungarian, Syrian and Roborovsky hamsters are kept at home. In general, the algorithm for taming representatives of different breeds is the same. But you need to take into account the characteristics of the breed. So, for example, the Roborovsky hamster is considered the most peaceful. He bites very rarely. Most often, pregnant females show aggression, so taming a rodent of this breed is easy and quick.
The Syrian hamster is more aggressive. Before taming a dwarf Syrian hamster, it should be given enough time to adapt. To speed up the taming process, you should start giving your pet treats outside the cage.
As for the Dzungarian rodent, it is the most aggressive. Djungarik can only be tamed at a young age. This restive rodent is not inclined to change its habits and lifestyle, so when purchasing, you need to make sure that a young individual is taken into the house.
Let's look at some recommendations from experts who know how to tame a Djungarian hamster.
- Before taming Dzhungarik, they thoroughly wash their hands and rub them with litter in the cage. A familiar smell will inspire confidence in your pet.
- If the rodent behaves too aggressively, at first they put on mittens intended for gardening.
- Dzungarik has poorly developed eyesight, so when getting to know any object he uses smell and touch. Sometimes touching with his paws is not enough for him, and he may bite lightly on the palm. An introductory bite should not be confused with a display of aggression. You should not make any sudden movements, you just need to smoothly move your palm to the side, showing your pet that its bites cause discomfort.
Are Djungarian hamsters whimsical? No, they are not whimsical. As mentioned above, the cage for keeping the baby should be large. Life in modern cages, which resemble in their appearance something small and incomprehensible, a kind of box, is flour for the dwarf.
You need to install a wheel in the cage in which the baby will run. Remember that hamsters are nocturnal animals, so put up a house. The rodent hides in the house during the day and stores supplies there.
What else should be in the cage? Filler for rodents, ideally corn. Sawdust and low-quality wood fillers do not absorb moisture well, but corn filler absorbs it well and retains odor. It does not cause allergies, even if the hamster decides to taste what lies at the bottom of its cage, this will not have a detrimental effect on the pet’s health.
The cage should be thoroughly washed once a week with hot water, soap or powder and wiped dry. Change the filler every three days.
The water in the drinking bowl is changed daily. Food is poured into the feeder twice a day. The evening portion may be larger than the morning portion.
Subtleties of the process and unpleasant moments
If you manage to pick up your hamster, but he struggles and squeaks, try bringing the rodent to your chest so that he can hear your heartbeat. This technique will calm a fearful pet. Training must be carried out regularly, otherwise the process will drag on indefinitely.
If your hamster bites, you should not use physical force as punishment. He experiences fear and thus defends himself. Gloves can help you solve this problem.
No one can determine with certainty how much time and effort it will take to tame a hamster. Be patient and love, and your efforts will be more than compensated by communicating with this cute and fluffy animal.
What a wonderful moment: you brought a little fluffy ball from the pet store - a cute hamster. You want to take him in your arms, but he protests. This is a completely natural reaction, since first of all you need to learn how to accustom a hamster to handling and only then carry the baby in your palm. It is very important not to scare the baby with your obsession, because if he gets scared, he can bite painfully.
To win the baby’s favor, you need to treat him kindly, act systematically and consistently. The easiest way to tame a hamster is to put a treat in your hand and invite the baby to climb onto your palm for the treat. After this, you don’t need to quickly grab the hamster and start squeezing it; the baby will be scared and will think next time whether it’s worth going into your arms.
First steps
You should not expect that after acquisition a small rodent will immediately fall in love with its new owner. The first few days in a new home the animal will experience stress. It is necessary to leave him this time to adapt.
The cage is placed in a place prepared in advance and no attempt is made to remove the pet from there for several days: let it get used to the new environment.
Conditions of detention
Before taming a hamster, all the necessary conditions are created for him. Small rodents need a spacious cage equipped with a play area. Large cages in pet stores are quite expensive. You can save money by building it yourself. It may look less attractive than a store-bought one, but your pet will feel much more comfortable in it.
It is important to choose the right location for the cage. If you place it in a quiet corner, the rodent will get used to people very slowly. If in the most visible place, he constantly experiences stress. Accordingly, a place that is not in plain sight, but where people often visit, is suitable. If you already have pets at home, at first they should not disturb the small rodent.
The pet should not be woken up: at this time it is most irritable. He should be picked up only when he is awake.
By their nature, these animals are not brave and are often afraid of everyone and everything, especially in a new environment after purchase. The main mistake of many is that, having come home from the pet store with a live purchase, the new owners, to celebrate, begin to forcibly hold it in their hands, try to stroke it and, without stopping, lisp, naively thinking that the animal is delighted with such communication. Having received a well-deserved rebuff from the animal, they are sincerely amazed when the hamster bites painfully. In fact, the animal is under deep stress. He was separated from his usual surroundings, brought to an unknown location, and grabbed by strangers. A natural defensive reaction is triggered, the pet bites and tries with all its might to break free, run away and hide.
Give the hamster complete rest for a while - this is about a week. Make sure there is food in the feeder and clean water in the drinking bowl. Don't stand too close when your hamster is eating.
Hamster goes into battle
How to tame a Djungarian hamster if it bites? This task is more difficult. Perhaps the pet is not yet fully accustomed to its new home, you need to give it more time, approach the cage, talk, but not extend your hands just yet.
After additional time has passed, the owner acts as follows:
- A glove is put on the hand, and the treat is placed in the center of the palm. As in the previous version, the palm is lowered into the cage. At the same time, you need to talk to the hamster calmly, in his usual intonation. As soon as the pet approaches the hand, you need to give him the opportunity to “get to know” it. Did the rodent sniff your hand and take the treat? Great, the first step has been taken. Did the new family member use his teeth and run away to his house? This means that more conversations will have to be held.
- When taming a biting hamster, you need to remember that each animal has its own character. And perhaps the owner got a copy that reacts quite calmly to conversations, but it is better not to touch it with your hands.
Features of taming depending on the breed
Syrian hamsters
Syrian hamsters differ from others in their large size and aggression, so they require more time to adapt. It is, of course, possible to tame a Syrian hamster if you take it seriously. To speed up the process, talk to and feed your hamster at the same time every day - this will help him get used to it faster.
Djungarian hamsters
Djungarian hamsters are the most aggressive among their brothers. How, in this case, to tame a dwarf hamster? The training principle is the same as for Syrian hamsters, with the exception of one point: rodents of this breed are very small, so you should handle them carefully. Sometimes the hamster doesn’t have enough sense of smell to get to know you, and he may bite you lightly - don’t be alarmed, gently move your hand to the side, showing that you are unpleasant.
You can tame a Djungarian hamster only at a young age; adult individuals cannot be trained.
Other breeds
You can tame hamsters of other breeds, such as the Sungursky, ordinary and Roborovsky hamster, in the same way, following the general rules for accustoming rodents to your hands. The main rule is patience and calm.
Feeding your hamster apples: pros and cons?
What to consider when purchasing an animal
Sometimes people thoughtlessly get a hamster after seeing it with friends and watching funny tricks and games, with little idea that this is preceded by painstaking educational work with the pet.
You should not decide to buy a hamster without first familiarizing yourself with its biological characteristics and lifestyle. Discuss all points with your family members, especially if you have children. It is better to refuse the purchase if someone close to you categorically cannot stand the presence of rodents. A negative, tense environment will not lead to anything good either for the hamster or for family members.
If everything is settled with everyone, carry out thorough preparations so that the hamster lives in comfortable conditions. You need a good spacious cage, a house for shelter and sleep, a running wheel, a feeder, a drinking bowl, and accessories for games. Make sure that the cage is in a calm, quiet place, but not completely isolated and inaccessible to other pets. It is necessary for the animal to gradually get used to the sounds and smells around its home and to hear the voices of household members. Prepare a variety of food, taking into account the recommendations for housing conditions.
Nutrition
What to feed a baby Djungarian? The basis of the diet is dry food for hamsters. An addition to it may be the following:
- Fruits and vegetables: cucumbers, radishes, carrots, beets, apples, pears, apricots, peaches, dried fruits.
- Meat component: skinless chicken and turkey, lean beef, horse meat.
- Dairy products and eggs: boiled chicken egg, quail egg, low-fat cottage cheese and kefir.
- Greens: dill, parsley, dandelion leaves.
- Special treats for rodents: sticks and balls for hamsters, chips for hamsters.
Milk and meat should be given no more than twice a week.
But before doing this, you should familiarize yourself with some important points, without which it will be very difficult to tame a domestic rodent:
- In most cases, only young hamsters can be trained. As a rule, it is practically impossible to tame “old” rodents, since they are already accustomed to their way of life and are unlikely to want to change anything. Whereas the young ones pick up both your commands and all kinds of tricks much faster.
Djungarian hamsters are one of the breeds of hamsters that can be taught very quickly to certain rules. But, for example, a Syrian hamster will take a little longer to learn.- “Patience and work will grind everything down” - this is precisely the saying that must be adhered to while training the dzhungarik. You will need a lot of patience and effort to tame a hamster in your hands.
- Little fluffies do not have good visual acuity, so their training is based not on visualization, but on sound and aromatic accompaniment. It is for this reason that before class it is necessary to thoroughly wash your hands so that they do not smell of food residues. Otherwise, you will simply be left with bitten hands. It is not recommended to use soap with a strong aroma or perfume.
- If you want to tame a hamster, you should rub the filler that is in the cage in clean, washed hands. Thanks to this, you can impersonate his brother.
- Are you afraid of getting bitten? Bring gardening gloves for the duration of the lesson.
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That's all the basic recommendations that need to be taken into account when training a hamster. If you are ready, then you can proceed directly to training. Let's get started?
Is it possible to keep a couple of hamsters?
Of course, it is possible, but only if the owners decide to open a hamster farm. The female's pregnancy lasts from 28 to 35 days, and she is ready for fertilization 24 hours after birth. Do owners need such hamster happiness?
In fact, keeping dzhungarikas in pairs is a dangerous business. The male and female will begin to produce their own kind in geometric progression. Two males are capable of fighting to the death in the literal sense of the word. Two females can be planted together only if they were purchased together. If you add a younger female friend to an adult female, then they will not be able to form a friendship - the older female is quite capable of taking her neighbor’s life.
What to do while the hamster is not yet tamed
It will take several weeks from the moment of purchase until the pet is completely tamed. At this time, it is necessary to regularly clean his home without significant harm to his emotional state. There are several ways to do this.
- Place a glass jar of hamster food in the cage. When the hamster comes inside at the smell of food, cover the jar and remove it from the cage. This will allow you to easily “clean up the apartment” of the hamster and bring him back without scaring him at all.
- You can use the bathroom to get your pet out of the cage. Close the bathtub drain hole tightly and place a soft bedding on the bottom to avoid accidentally damaging the bathtub cover. Place the cage in the bathtub, open the door, step back and wait quietly. A curious fluffy will come out of the cage, and while he wanders along the bottom of the bath to explore the “surroundings”, you can calmly cope with the cleaning. Place the clean cage in the bathtub and put something tasty inside. The hamster will calmly enter the cage for a treat, all you have to do is quickly close the door.
- There is another way - to cover the animal with a towel or put on gloves to get the hamster out of the cage, but experts do not recommend doing this unless absolutely necessary, for example, if you have problems with the pet’s health, take it to a veterinarian for an examination. Severe fright will lead to additional stress, and the taming process will slow down.
The end result - taming a pet - can take a month or more, or it can take 2-3 weeks. This depends on the breed of the hamster, its age and individual characteristics, and also to a large extent on the abilities of the owner himself, his endurance, perseverance and simple human kindness, leniency and generosity towards a weak living creature.
By consistently following these not so complicated recommendations, you will certainly be able to accustom your pet to your hands and enjoy positive communication with this cute animal.
To learn how to accustom a hamster to your hands, see the following video.
Hamster - gray barrel
Let's talk a little about Djungarian hamsters.
These rodents, despite their small size, are very interesting creatures. And nothing that the hamster weighs less than 50 grams and is not 10 cm tall - a brave and proud heart beats in his hamster chest. It will take time to tame the dwarf. Hamsters of this breed are strikingly different from the representatives of the Syrian hamster delegation. Small, chipmunk-like in color, gray-brown, with dark stripes on the back, large round eyes and neat ears. But you should not draw the conclusion, looking at the appearance of your pet, that this is a cute and harmless baby.
How to properly pick up a rodent?
To make friends faster, learn how to properly pick up your hamster. A hamster should always clearly understand that it is being handled, no matter what breed it is - Syrian or Djungarian. In order not to scare the animal, do not lift it from behind or from above - the baby must see you. If the baby doesn’t notice you, he may mistake you for a predator and instinctively bite you.
It is important to know how to keep hamsters in a way that is enjoyable not only for you, but also for your pet. You need to fold your hand so that a cup is formed or clasp the baby with two palms. Use your fingers to support the baby - he is nimble, mobile and can jump out. To eliminate the possibility of injury, lift your baby off the sofa the first time. Let your baby crawl on your hands.
The hamster should feel safe in your hands. To do this, provide him with a little shelter: place the baby on one hand and cover him with the other, but do not press him. In such a “house” he will sit quietly for some time, even if, as a rule, he does not give in to his hands.
If an untamed hamster is afraid, and you need to take it to, for example, clean the cage, put the treat in a jar or box and place it in the cage. Due to his natural curiosity, he will climb straight into a trap, even if he does not walk into his hands.
Problems faced by rodent owners:
- it is difficult to accustom a hamster to handling if it bites, so you need to get rid of this problem along the way;
- if the baby is shy, do not play with him until you tame him;
- a wild hamster will make contact faster if you don’t make noise, don’t make sudden movements, and you can’t stroke the head - this is unpleasant for the animal.
Advanced maneuvers
Weight lifting
Obviously, rodents should not lift heavy objects. But to create the effect of heaviness, you can make a barbell from foods that hamsters like to chew: carrots, cucumbers, apples, etc. A block is made from an oblong object; salty or sweet sticks can be used as this. Cookies can serve as mini pancakes for your attribute. When the pet sees the “barbell”, he will certainly want to chew on it, to do this he will lift it and a picture of an athlete with a lifted load will be created.
Pirate and parrot
To create the ambience of a pet sitting on the owner’s shoulder, follow the following instructions:
- Place your pet in your palm.
- Bend your elbow slightly and move it away from your body so that the rise is not too steep.
- Lure your pet to your shoulder with sweets and let your hamster eat it.
- Practice each step repeatedly with your pet.
- When the animal understands what the point is, stop luring the hamster with goodies. Instead, just give him a sniff of the food and immediately place the treat on his shoulder.
Soon your little friend will begin to willingly come running on your shoulder even in the absence of sweets.
Jumping through a hoop
If you want to see your animal jump over obstacles, then use a small hoop for this. The diameter of the circle must be at least 7 cm so that the hamster does not get stuck in it.
- Place the hoop between the animal and a piece of food.
- Keep the circle not too high above the floor (about 1 cm), otherwise the pet will run under it.
- Repeat the exercise several times until your pet can do it without a treat.
Barrier!
- Make a simple design from two disposable cups and toothpicks.
- Place a treat outside the barrier and say: “Barrier!”
- To get a tasty morsel, the fluffy will have to overcome an obstacle.
- After several strengthening of the skill, the animal will be able to jump over the barrier itself after a command.