Can someone talk to me about hamsters?

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

If you've had one, have you found them to be friendly, handle-able pets? Did they take some time to acclimate and become friendly? 

 

DD9's gerbil died a week or so ago, and she and I are heartbroken. We decided to try a hamster this time and brought home a Syrian panda bear hamster yesterday. The little hamster did really well last night, didn't mind being handled a bit, enjoyed some treats, was curious and calm, etc. She was up and around this morning and being very curious, so DD and I put her on the bed to walk around a bit. She wedged herself in behind me and I was afraid I might squish her, so I got up and turned around. I was going to kneel down and put my arms on the bed and was headed in that direction when she looked right at me, screamed at me, and leaped at my face. Thankfully I was still mostly standing!  :lol:

 

I know she was probably just scared. I suspect she was hiding behind me, and when I got up she felt exposed and frightened. We got her into a box and then back into her cage, where she promptly went to sleep in a corner. However, DD really wants a pet she can handle easily and more often than once a day, and I'm reading mixed accounts about Syrians and their overall friendliness and handle-ability. Our old gerbil, who was, frankly, the best gerbil on the planet (in my thoroughly objective opinion) wasn't a biter and loved to run around on her bed, hang out in our kitchen windowsill (he'd sleep there for hours), was easy to hold, etc.

 

I guess I'm wondering whether this sweet little hamster is going to meet our pet needs or whether we're just going to be driving her crazy by expecting her to be more sociable than she's capable of being. If we're not a good match, I want to get her back to the pet store ASAP so she doesn't have to re-acclimate there yet again. 

 

TIA for your thoughts

 

 

[scubamama]

My dd has had 2 hamsters. Both have been the teddy bear type and female...

They have been great! Dd is very good at caring for them and being very gentle and calm. She was 8 yo when we had the first hammy and then when it died she was 10yo and  bought the next one. 

I only have experience with the hamsters we have had, but they seem to need short periods of interaction with people.  I don't think either of our hams would have slept on the windowsill. As soon as they are awake they are in constant motion exploring, trying to escape when being held, and generally very mobile. They aren't a "sit and cuddle while you read a book" sort of pet. We've never had a biter. She'll hold hammy for about 5-10 min and then give her a break or put her in the exercise ball to roll around the house. I didn't know hamsters could scream!  Maybe Syrians are more vocal and aggressive than the teddy bear type - they seem kind of pudgy and bumbling. 

We did have the hammy stay in her new cage without any handling for 2 days when we brought it home from the pet store and after that just for a few minutes for the next day or two but then it was a free for all of holding the hamster. It was a joke that hammy would be sleep deprived bc a giant hand was always reaching in to grab her from her naps! 

Best of luck with your new ham!

[mom2jjka]

We have had 3 hamsters.  A male Chinese Dwarf, and 2 Djungarian Dwarfs (one male one female)

 

The Chinese Dwarf was a bit bigger then the Djungarians and was the sweetest thing ever.  He loved to be held and played with and would sit in the shirt pocket of my son and just cuddle up.   We had gotten him already 'broken in' though, from a family that loved him - but had to give him up because of allergies.  So he had been handled before.

 

When he died the kids were heartbroken and begged for another.

 

We had a hard time finding another Chinese Dawrf, so we got a sweet little female Djungarian from Petco.   She was pretty much a baby when we got her. We started holding her ASAP, and she is as friendly as could be.  She is eager to see us, and comes over to the cage door as soon as she sees us coming.  She likes to be held  - but she is rather 'jumpy' and quick so she is harder to hold compared to the slower moving Chinese hamster.

 

And then there is our male Djungarian.   He is NASTY!  

We loved our female Djungarian, and so when my other daughter said she would like a hamster, we got him as a baby from a small animal rescue.  He bit from day one (Hard enough to draw blood!)  He scurries away and chirps at you if you put your hand in his cage.  He is pretty much a 'look but don't touch' pet.   :(

 

I am partial to the dwarf hamsters ( except the Roborovski dwarf - those are too quick to handle)

If I had my choice I'd get another Chinese ( and probably a female, as they seem to be a bit mellower)

I had Syrians as a kid.  They were nice, but prone to wet tail disease.  They are also bigger, and if they do bite - it is much more painful!

 

The main thing I have found with hamsters is that you have to handle them early and often.  (It does take them awhile to acclimate to new surroundings though)   Also, make sure that you have washed your hands before holding them so you do not have any food smells on you.  

 

Good luck with your new pet.  I hope he works out for you!

 

 

 

 

[MercyA]

I'm so sorry for your loss.  Animals can be such sweet little things, and it's hard when they leave us.  :grouphug:

 

Hamsters are nocturnal, so they really should be left to sleep during the day.  My childhood hamster only bit me once, and that was when I woke her up from a sound sleep.  I expect all hamsters to potentially bite when scared or grumpy.

 

As an adult, I adopted a Syrian hamster from less-than-ideal environment.  (She was handled a lot, but kept in an incredibly tiny cage with no wheel.)  I think she was interested in me only as a source of treats.   :)  She definitely wasn't cuddly and just ran around and explored during her out-of-cage time.  She was a sassy little thing.  The dog was afraid of her when she rolled around in her hamster ball.

 

At this point in my life, I don't think I would keep an animal who bites.  Been there and did that for 14 years (and I still miss him!).  If the pet store will take her back, I would definitely consider it.

[Tess in the Burbs]

we just got a syrian and it doesn't like to be held.  We keep trying, but I swear it times its sleep schedule around us being awake.  Literally I walk into the room and it goes to bed.  It waits to get up until we finally head to bed.  Kids haven't held it much except the weekly cleaning.  Which stresses the guy out so I feel like we need to give it space.   And it got ticked when we went out of town.  Made a huge mess in and out of the cage.  Literally flung its poop out of the cage.  

 

they are cute.  but if I knew now, I would have gotten an animal awake during the day.  I thought we would catch it before bedtime and in the mornings, but this creature has no intention of tolerating us :(

[Guest]

We had a Syrian that was fine and easily handled, but I think you may have jumped the gun to have the hamster out of the cage this early. They do need a period of adaptation. We also had a Chinese Dwarf; Best Hamster Ever. Loved her. She was tame as can be from day one and was such a dear little buddy. We did have one Blueberry. Worst. Hamster. Ever. She was extremely high-strung - like psychotic. dS named her "Caffeine," because she buzzed around the cage like a addict. I would never get that kind again. She was never tame.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Steer clear of the adorable yet evil Teddy Bear types.  We've had two Djungarian hamsters and they were the sweetest pets.

[trulycrabby]

I dunno; most of the hamsters I have met either bit me or made a career out of escaping their habitats. How about a nice guinea pig or rat? Rats are often very intelligent and sweet-natured. :001_wub:

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I'm so sorry for your loss.  Animals can be such sweet little things, and it's hard when they leave us.  :grouphug:

 

Thank you. I will actually really miss that little guy so very much. He was another personality in the house. 

 

they are cute.  but if I knew now, I would have gotten an animal awake during the day.  I thought we would catch it before bedtime and in the mornings, but this creature has no intention of tolerating us :(

 

Next time get some gerbils. We definitely made a mistake switching to a hamster, because our gerbils really gave us what we needed in a pet (well, a pocket pet, anyway). Live and learn, I guess!

 

How about a nice guinea pig or rat? Rats are often very intelligent and sweet-natured. :001_wub:

 

We would loooooove a rat, but DH, who grew up in NYC and barely tolerates the gerbils and hamster, vetoed that. He just can't get past the vermin element. And he's allergic to everything, so guinea pigs won't work either. Sigh.

[The Girls' Mom]

My dd had a Chinese Dwarf hamster that was very friendly...towards her.  He'd bite me every time he got the chance..lol.  He was a one person hamster.

We had a teddy bear hamster that was fairly friendly, but he had been a day-care pet and was used to lots of people.  

 

 

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Thanks everyone. Nothing has really changed so far. She's definitely not a mean hamster, but she's...standoffish. When anyone looks at her or talks to her, she gets up and goes behind her spinner. She'll take food by hand very calmly, but she doesn't want to be touched. She won't panic or run from hands in her cage, but she does get up and waddle immediately away.

 

After your advice here, we stopped handling her for a few days and fiddling around in her cage so much, except for absolute necessity (adding food, fixing her spinner, etc.). Then DD9 did start handling her a bit, and she'll tolerate being held for a little while, but then she seems to get a little frantic and unhappy and we put her away pretty quickly. She bit DD last night--not hard, but harder than our gentle gerbil ever did. DD's pretty tolerant, but she was startled. 

 

So I don't know what's going to happen. I'm pretty sure we'll keep her, since it would probably be hard on her to go back to the store and then be sold again, but we might also end up getting some gerbils too and just giving her a gentle, quiet life here. She's still pretty young, so maybe she'll mellow out some more. We'll keep handling her gently (like I could stop DD anyway!), so I have some hope that she'll eventually get used to us. 

 

Thanks for the help!

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

My dd had a Chinese Dwarf hamster that was very friendly...towards her.  He'd bite me every time he got the chance..lol.  He was a one person hamster.

 

We had a teddy bear hamster that was fairly friendly, but he had been a day-care pet and was used to lots of people.  

 

Well, I was definitely our gerbil's favorite, but we always said that meant he just hated me least :lol: Of course, DD9 was much rougher with him than I was, so I guess he knew I was a safe haven. Plus, I always had the good treats and would stay in the kitchen with him while he basked in the sun in the windowsill!

 

I keep reading different things online, but I guess this little girl is a panda bear hamster, which I thought was just a coloration of Syrian, but some sites say it's actually a "relative" of Syrians. I don't know, all I know is that I had several of those fluffy, long-haired hamsters in my lifetime, and they were all friendly and sweet. (Well, except for the one who developed the brain tumor, but that was an unusual situation.) I 'm still hoping this little girl will get used to us if we handle her frequently and gently. She really is just incredibly adorable!

[gardenmom5]

I had hamsters - we only did gerbils with my kids.   the hamsters needed time to acclimate, but they were friendly.  they're not as smart as gerbils. (which can also be an advantage . . . iykwim.)