Hamsters are nocturnal. Which means that they sleep in the day times and are their best at night. If your hampster is sleeping to often that could be a sign of illness or even depression. Your hamster can get ill from many things. If the cage isn’t cleaned often enough that can cause many problems. Hamster can be social, but not all are. If you have a social one then they could have depression. That is often caused by loneliness. If you hamster is alone it if you don’t spend enough time with him/her it can be upsetting for them. Good luck! If you spend extra time him/her and nothing changes the vet is the best answer then.

Astro is a Syrian hamster that I got when he was just 6 weeks old and he's such an adorable little pumpkin :) Personally, I do not think that they are exceptionally smart but each and every hamster has a beautiful and strong personality which makes them adorable little pets. They are smart to a certain extent, and it just depends on their personality.

I must say that I've never expected to have a syrian hamster as jumpy and nervous as he is. The first few weeks with him was rather tough as he would get nervous at every sound or touch, and thus we have to make changes to our routine to ensure that he can have a quiet environment to thrive in. By the fourth week, he would be more familiar with our scent but holding him was not an easy task of yet as he would jump off our hands feeling nervous and his palms would get horribly sweaty each time we tried to hold him. It took a long time to warm up to people but when he did, he was the sweetest thing on earth.

Usually, we would let him run around the room each night. He would frequently enter his cage on his own accord to get food whenever he feels hungry. One day, he found it tiresome to run across the room and enter his cage to take his food thus he decided to keep a stash in the corner of the room instead. The picture below shows the stash of food he stocks up each day :)

Oh, and did I mention? He trained himself to go back into the cage when he is done with his roaming session. And potty “training” was certainly an easy task for me as he trained himself to pee in the sand bath. Also, whenever he wants to get out of the cage for a run, he would tell me by climbing the cage when I walk past it… and ONLY if I'M walking past it, not kidding…

To me, he's a smart chap full of personality, and running and climbing is his favourite hobby above all :)

Yes, he loves climbing up the clothes in the cabinet, and curtains included. He has certainly gained a fair share of muscles from all those climbing session he does in the wardrobe. He also has mastered climbing up my shirt, onto my shoulder, and he loves to sit on my shoulder while watching me watching tv or studying :) He's such a sweet hammy, spending time with him is such a blessing, and I'm sure he loves his cuddles as much as I do, as he would come back for more…

He also has a weird habit of throwing his sh*t and nutshells outside his house for me to clean it whilst leaving the fresh stash of food under his bed… and he loves to make his bed each day (out of bedding) and it would always be in three layers — the top being a layer of tissues, the middle being paper bedding, the bottommost being his stash of food. Not to mention he also covers the entrance to his house with tissue, creating a “door” that you can only open from the inside. I've no idea why and when you would empty his house or mess up his bed, he would always return to set up his nest the very same way the next day. It's amazing and funny at the same time to watch him open the “door”, fling his poop out of the house, and put the “door” back in place like before. There are also lazy moments when he doesn't open the “door”, but put his tiny poop through the window of his house such that it falls outside.

He's such a small potato, and the amount of cuteness he gives is amazing :) I'm proud of him, and knowing that hamsters live very short lives (about 1 to 2 years), I'll give him all I can. Losing him would be a traumatic experience for me, but meanwhile, I'll do my best to help him live his life to the fullest.

And to answer your question again, I would say that yes hamsters are smart to an extent, though not exceptionally smart, but they still make great pets for older children and adults.

(Sorry if I have had gone off topic in the middle, and hope I haven't bored you too much!)

I'm going to end off with cute pictures of him!

I don’t know if they’re smart, but I do know they can deliver a hell of a bite!

While I was in college, I worked part time at a vet clinic. One day a man came in, accompanied by his son and a hamster.

The son looked like he was six or seven. He had been handling the hamster outside its cage, had dropped it, and the hamster had hurt its leg.

I give the father full marks for bringing the hamster to the vet. So many people would just let the poor little hamster suffer, figuring that a vet visit costs more than a replacement hamster.

The vet they saw was a young, macho vet. He reveled in dealing with big animals. Angry mastiff? No problem! Snarling German Shepherd? Bring it on! Feral tomcat? Not a challenge!

Well, Dr. Macho reached into the box the owners had put it in, grabbed it, and the hamster grabbed him.

Hamster bit right through his thumbnail on top and all the way through the thumb to the bone on the bottom. One hell of a bite.

Dr. Macho somehow avoided flinging the hamster away from him, and only mouthed the obscenities I know he wanted to say. I got one of the other vets in to take Dr. Macho’s place, and he went to bandage his thumb.

He had his hand bandaged for two weeks. Had to take antibiotic shots.

The hamster made a complete recovery.

Maybe she wants a little more TLC. All hamsters are different, of course, so I may not know exactly. Though I have a few tips that I’m sure will help! Also, I’m super proud you did the research to know hamsters can’t be kept in tiny plastic cages, good job!
-When you replace bedding(which should be 6–10 inches, ideally. Hamsters love to burrow), leave a section of clean bedding. Hamsters mark their territory with poop or their scent glands and this helps let them know that it is their home. When you leave that bedding, it helps the hamster feel way less stressed.

Put a towel in your bathtub and carefully move your hamster their(letting her crawl into a cup or measuring cup, like a hamster taxi so she doesn’t fall) and let her in the tub. Just sit in their with her for a good half our or hour.

Make sure she gets half an hour to an hour or more of attention every day.

Try to give her a water bowl instead of a bottle. She may be getting frustrated with the effort to suck the water out.

Give her treats like mullet spray, hay and a nest.

I really hope this helps. From what I can tell you’re doing an amazing job caring for her and it’s clear you really want to make sure she is the happiest, healthiest she can be. Also, you may know but please do not get her another hamster. Even with a really big bin they will fight and possibly die. That I know for sure.

I hope your hamster is happy soon, and if you want update me on the progress.

I help my niece keep a hamster. I had them when I was young and I’ve always been fond of them.

Because I’m an adult and value animals, I spent a lot on a cage for her. It’s huge. Multi level. Filled with nooks and crannies and toys.

Sadly hamster got out. My niece was devastated and asked a similar question to you. Why did she run away? Was she never happy being my niece’s pet? I reassured her that Tufty hadn’t run away but had gotten lost and was desperate to find her way home.

I came round for a few consecutive days and I was starting to get worried. We re-searched under the stairs. We pulled everything out and her parents agreed to leave it empty with humane rodent traps lying around. I hadn’t even left before we heard loud agitated clicking. There was Tufty! Looking very dishevelled and worse for wear.

She was so excited when we put her back in her cage! She ran up and down up and down, drank a huge amount of water and stuffed her cheeks with food. It was very obvious she was ecstatic to be home.

Hamsters are nocturnal and most of them are active around 8 pm - 6 am so you probably didn’t see your hamster move because they are active during the night. Also, your wheel might need to be bigger.

This above is my 11 inch wheel. Your enclosure also might need to be bigger

And here is my Ikea Samla bin cage with Coffee in the picture.

-A cage of at least 450 square inches. Aquarium tanks are really great (without water, of course) and petstore cages are actually trash.

-Bedding. Hamsters like to dig and burrow. Give them 2–3 inches of bedding.

-Toys and hideaways. Hamster’s teeth never stop growing, so they need plenty of things to chew on. They’re also prey animals with the instinct to hide, so they need lots of things to crawl under and sleep in.

-Food. All animals need food, of course, but you can’t just get any hamster food you find. Not all foods sold for hamsters are actually safe for them! When buying hamster food, check the “guaranteed analysis” section on the back of the bag. The protein should be between 17% and 19%. Fat should be between 4% and 7%. And fiber should be between 6% and 15%. This is very important!

-Water bowl/bottle. Most people choose to use water bottles for their hamsters, but I’ve always preferred bowls. I find them easier to keep full, easier to clean, and more natural for hamsters to use.

-Running wheel. Hamster wheels are very important, because hamsters in the wild can run up to several miles in one night! Hamsters in cages can’t really do that too easily, unless they have a wheel! Hamster wheels should be solid, not mesh or wire, and should be big enough that your hamster’s back is not bent when they’re running. If the wheel is too small, it can cause severe damage to their backs. Mesh and wire are bad because they can cause sores on your hamster’s feet.

There are plenty of other things that hamsters need, these are just the basics. Please do lots of research before getting a hamster! There are tons of amazing YouTubers who talk about hamster care, and there’s also a forum for hamster lovers called hamsterhideout. I would really recommend checking out both those sites.

she’s not unhappy!! may be you should give your hamster a little bit time outside of her cage! my hamster (koro) also lives in bin cage which is big enough, but she will always want to come out of her cage every single day. koro would bite on her water bottle, until we come to take her out! koro stays out for 10 to 20 min straight. then she would sleep on my hand. and these same things happens everyday. and i’m sure koro is happy. i think your hamster also wants to play outside of her house. take her out! just give it a try!!!

here’s my girl Koro, she loves hand!

First off, thank you for taking the time to do your research and make sure you can be a responsible pet parent before rushing off to get a hammy. I’ve got a few tips for you:

1) Buy the Vitakraft VitaSmart forage blend for your hamster; it’s a nutritious diet and most hamsters seem to like it (but they don’t care much for the stick-like brownish pellets in them, so it’s fine if he/she ignores those). This is available at PetSmart. Alternatively, buy whatever your vet/pet store professional recommends. Supplement your hammy’s diet with fresh greens and fruit, like apples. Make sure you feed in moderation and that you avoid foods hamsters cannot consume.

2) Give your hamster a chew-proof enclosure of AT LEAST 450 square inches. Many commercial hamster cages are too small. A 40-gallon glass aquarium or a DIY bin cage works well, as does the Prevue Pet Products 528 Universal Small Animal Home, Dark Gray. Make sure your hamster cannot squeeze through the cage bars (this is especially important if you get a dwarf hamster). Hamsters are renowned escape artists and may get hurt or trapped if they get lost in your house, so SECURE THE ENCLOSURE.

3) Your rodent friend likes to interact with the objects in his/her living space, so provide an enriched environment with toys and treats. You can get them at pet stores or make DIY hamster toys out of household materials (an inexpensive option that works great!). Just steer clear of toxic/non-edible materials. You can change the toys and place them in different spots once a week to provide additional mental stimulation. If your hammy chews on the cage bars, that could mean they are bored and it’s a sign that you need to give more entertainment.

4) Find a small animal vet in your area that you can take your hamster to if he/she gets sick. Hamsters might get stressed during vet visits and they don’t need checkups, but if you notice open wounds, lethargy, abnormal behavior, persistent hyperactivity, crusty eyes, discharge from the nose, abscesses, etc., it’s time for medical attention.

5) Buy a safe non-scented bedding (aspen shavings or paper bedding). I like to use Full Cheeks Paper Bedding. Avoid cedar and pine shavings as they can cause respiratory problems in your furry friend. You want to go for something absorbent and not too dusty.

6) Hamsters are nocturnal, and they don’t like being woken up during the day. They like to get lots of exercise so it is crucial to provide an exercise wheel for them to run in at night. Make sure you get one that’s adequately sized because many wheels are too small and might cause back injuries. Hamster exercise balls are toys that come with risks because a hammy’s leg might get caught in one of the ventilation slits. They’re safe enough as long the slits aren’t too big. Again, you want to do your research on exercise ball sizes and provide one that’s appropriate if you choose to use one. Hamsters might make noise as they dig and run, so DO NOT keep them in your bedroom because they will keep you up at night.

7) Set money aside for your hamster. The first few months of taking your pet home would be more expensive, as you need to buy the cage and the toys. Vet bills can add to costs. However, hamsters are generally cheaper to care for than cats or dogs.

8) If you can, adopt a rescue from your local shelter rather than buying from your local pet store to give a forever home to a pet that desperately needs one. If you choose to purchase, always buy from responsible breeders/stores.

9) One cannot accurately describe how SATISFYING and RELAXING a friendship with a tiny rodent can be. If you did your research, made your budget, prepared yourself, and are ready to learn on the job, GO FOR IT!

I apologize for the extremely long answer and I will spice it up by adding this:

This is a sign that you are making them VERY happy and relaxed. Whatever you’re doing to make a hamster pancake, keep doing it.

First, they have to trust you as a personal presence. Then, they have to trust that you aren’t going to suddenly become aggressive toward them. Then, they have to just be in a fickle good mood. Then, you have to coddle them just right, and coo and stroke them nicely to relax them further.

Only then will you get a pancake hamster. Have you ever given a partner a backrub sooooo good that they just go floompf and lose all muscle tension? That’s EXACTLY what’s happening here.

Your hamster trusts you enough to release the predator-awareness, to release the instinctive prey paranoia, to do with you what they would only do huddled inside their very private burrow. Normally they go loose only after they’ve curled into a ball, and perhaps not even then.

Consider this a very personal treat, and a sign of love from your little fuzzball.

Our 17 hamsters seem happy, and here is what we do for them:

Individual cages once they get old enough to quarrel among themselves

Clean cages every week

Deep layer of wood chips to dig in

A toy of some kind in the cage (swing, tube, see-saw, etc.) swapped out every so often for variety

Fruit or vegetable morsel every day, along with a teaspoon of the usual seed/grain mixture

Time in a sand bath every week (we do it while we're cleaning the cage)

“Maze time” every day (my kids built a cardboard maze for them to play in)

Time in the hand every day (more for the human’s sake than the hamster’s, since they'll do wild if they're not picked up every day).

Enjoy! Hamsters are the best!

Hamsters are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active during dusk and dawn hours. It’s a very common misconception that they are nocturnal, meaning awake at night.

And the amount they sleep can vary from hamster to hamster. It depends on their age, the temperature, time of year etc. At the moment my 2 are sleeping a lot and waking up really late too. Forrest wakes up around 10pm, and his sister Dora, around 4am.

Be sure not to disturb them while they sleep as this does cause them stress. They will be up and around when they feel like it :)

Also a good thing to do is weigh them weekly. I use jewellery scales that I got on ebay for around £5. Weighing weekly will help keep tabs on their health, and if there are any dips or rises in weight can be an indication to another problem, the weight Record you record could help a vet with a diagnosis.

I’m more of a guinea girl 😉 myself but I do know quite a bit about hamsters. Your little one might either be sick or more likely bored. Often times when hamsters are put in too small of a cage they get bored very easily. The minimum cage size is 450 square inches. They also need 6 inches in depth of bedding in their cage. Putting some toilet paper tunnels will also be fun for them. You also might need a wheel (not wire, which could cause bumble foot or caught limbs) that is at least 8 inches in width so they can actually go in it. Make sure you do some research about it. Thanks for the question! Hope your hamster gets over her or his boredom!

Hamsters make great pets IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. Hamsters in fact are absolutely not good for young children despite popular belief. They are crepuscular or nocturnal animals so the child wouldnt be able to see or play with the hamster almost ever. Waking them up everyday in the afternoon to play is detrimental to their health and shouldn't be done either. Hamsters also require alot of care and pet stores most often do not provide correct info on hoe to do it. If you are older and okay with seeing your hamster only at night and will spend time beforehand researching proper care then they make excellent pets. I have 3 myself. For enclosures i recommend 40 gallon breeder aquariums or larger or if you're okay with the look of it a plastic diy bin cage (look up on Google or yt) with a minimum floor space of 420 sq inches. For bedding NEVER use cedar or pine chips, if you go with wood the only safe option is aspen to my knowledge but there are also paper beddings available which are safe if it is dust free and unscented. Good brands include kaytee clean and cozy as well as carefresh. For food I think you shpuld just do your own research but I use higgins sunburst and mazuri dat and mouse diet along with oats, flax, chia, and mealworms. Also weekly fresh foods shpuld be given, make sure they are safe of course. For wheels just make sure it is not wired or barred and is the proper size for your hamster (search on Google) comfort wheels, flying saucers, and silent spinners are some examples of good wheels. Never bathe your ham it is very bad for them so if you want to clean them offer a dish of childrens play sand or chinchilla bath sand (NOT DUST) DISCLAIMER: please do not only use this info to provide proper care for your ham, please visit sites like hamster hideout and youtubers like erins animals or hopping hammy. DO NOT follow the advice a let store gives you if it contradicts this info or other info that you find on those websites or YouTube channels. If you really want a ham and are willing to follow all these guidlines and more then they are one of the best pets to own, very fun with lots of personality!!

I’m going to answer differently to what most people said: NO!!! I don’t think that they make good pets!! I love them to death and will continue to own them, but that doesn’t mean they make a good pet.

1. They’re very expensive. “Hamster on a budget” isn’t really a thing, unless the hamster isn’t getting proper care. Vet bills WILL cost hundreds of dollars, and you need to be prepared for that. You need money for lots of bedding, a large wheel, a suitable species appropriate diet, natural supplies (cork logs, grapevine, birch logs, multichamber, extra substrates, etc), possible vet bills, a large cage, sprays, herbs, platforms, and more. The start up cost is hundreds of dollars, and a lot of that will need to be replaced over time.
2. Making them happy is extremely difficult, especially syrians. They need a ton of space and enrichment, and often still won’t be happy. Many people would see my syrians 1000 square inch cage as massive and more than enough, but she’s stressed and chews the bars all night. You need the funds and space to upgrade a cage if they end up stressed, and often that can mean several thousand square inches of floorspace. A lot of people can’t fit a cage that size!
3. They’re nocturnal! It’s very common to end up with a hamster that wakes up past midnight and is asleep again before you wake up. Since you shouldn’t wake them up (except for emergencies) you might rarely see them. Often the only sign that my robo is even alive is that the food is gone, I see him once a week at best.
4. Their diet is complicated. A species appropriate mix with high variety and proper nutrition is difficult to find, I’m only aware of one in north america (although there might be more I don’t know of).
5. Getting suitable supplies can be difficult/expensive, depending on where you live and especially for kids. A lot of necessary supplies are only available online, and they can add up quickly, especially with shipping. Some things are really difficult to get your hands on in certain countries. (for example, wooden wheels over 12″ for really large syrians)
6. They aren’t social. While some hamsters love to come out of their cage and hang out, just as many despise interacting with you. It’s not rare to put in all this time and money to make them happy only to have them never be fully tame and not want to interact with you

I love hamsters and can’t imagine not owning them, but they aren’t a simple pet and the vast majority of people just can’t give them what they need to live a good life. The cons are worth it to me, and I’m lucky enough to have the ability to give them what they need, but unfortunately not everyone does.

It’s not the hamster’s fault that you didn’t know better, it’s not their fault that you don’t have the space, it’s not their fault that you can’t afford things. It sucks but you really need to consider if it’s worth it to you and if you have the ability to care for them properly.

I can say that they are amazing animals and it’s just incredible to see them displaying their natural behaviors and living their happy hamster life and I love them for it!!!

sorry for that really long ranty post, just sick of them being seen as easy pets for anyone haha :))

Short answer is 1) Enrichment 2) A close bond with a human owner. 3) Out of cage time.

Enrichment is a combination of:

A large enough cage that is not too tall (100cm x 50cm x 50cm tall approx)

Deep enough bedding to dig tunnels and burrow in - at least 6 to 8″ deep

A large house that is dark inside (eg a multiroom house)’

A shelf or platform they can sit under or climb onto for a change of scene

Not too much open space in the cage - plenty of clutter and hidey places like hides and tunnels so they don’t feel too exposed.

Sprays (like wheat and millet) which again helps prevent them feeling too exposed in the cage and allows for natural foraging).

A good hamster mix with at least 18 to 20% protein.

A small piece of fresh every day - no bigger than the hamster’s ear! They LIVE for their fresh veg

Mainly only “spot clean” their pee area. Don’t do big weekly cleanouts and don’t clean everything at the same time or you remove all their familiar scent and they feel invaded, stressed and want to escape. Allow them to have their natural habits of foraging and hoarding and don’t mess with their nest! If it’s pee’d in you would have to remove the nest but usually they grow out of that quite quickly,

They are actually quite clean little creatures and once past the baby stage, Syrian hamsters will have a toilet area separate from their sleeping and hoarding areas. They can actually be potty trained - if you put the potty/litter tray in the right place! ie their chosen pee place. Then you only need to empty the litter tray once or twice a week and the rest of the cage stays clean and dry. The more bedding you have, the less often you need to change it - it can last months, with just “spot cleaning”. Clean the wheel a separate week from the substrate and so on so something alway smells familiar.

Hamsters scent mark everything. Partly to claim it as their territory, partly because they really don’t see well at all so their scent trails help them find their way around. Hence a full big clean out is very stressful. They are lost and feel chucked out of their familiar environment. As they get older they handle minor clean outs better. There is a link below with cage cleaning tips as well :-)

Out of cage time and a close bond with a human owner go together:

Playpen time (or free roaming if your room is hamster-proofed and you’re there to constantly monitor). During playpen time you can gradually get them used to you, familiar with you, and gradually used to touch and handling. So you build trust. There is a taming/socialising guide linked below.

And finally - be kind and gentle with them. They are a prey species and they know when a human is kind or unkind or to be trusted or not. And they can suffer from stress easily. The cage should always be left in the same place and avoid changing things in the cage. They like stability.

They are actually very intelligent animals - you need to watch and observe as they are good non verbal communicators! They can let you know if something is wrong by their behaviour - eg if the wheel isn;t working or the water bottle is empty.

That depends on what bores you. If you are a real biologist then it takes a lot for any organism (except maybe some humans sometimes) to bore you. If your empathy with organisms is well developed then the behaviour of hamsters (and other small rodents) remains interesting for a long time, and so does their biology. They also have the advantage the you can keep them in a well-sized, well-laid-out, well maintained, well-supplied cage, they can keep themselves well occupied.
More "interesting" animals generally means more intelligent animals, with a greater demand for company, and in urban conditions, for the amateur to keep ferrets, parrots, corvids, cats etc except under usually unrealistically demading conditions, generally amounts to animal cruelty.

At the pet shop we put on heavy leather gloves, scooped the hamster up from underneath, then cupped our other hand over the little guy so he couldn’t jump and injure himself. We would hold him until he calmed down, then move him against our chest and hold him cupped against us until he calmed down. It took repeated gentle handling to get a hamster over his fear. When you pick up a hamster, please don’t come down from the top to grab him. That is so much like a bird of prey trying to grab him that it can even scare a gentle hamster into biting for self protection. If you reach toward your little buddy and he lays on his back, that is a defensive posture and he is afraid. Sometimes it helps if you just scoot a gloved hand up in front of him so he can smell your hand, realize you are not a threat and take a little treat from the palm of your open hand. Mostly it is patient, gentle treatment that eventually calms a frightened hamster (therefore unfriendly and inclined to bite.) Only give up the leather glove when the little guy trusts you enough not to bite and then be really careful at first. We only had a few hamsters that gentle handling didn’t eventually tame. One thing also, don’t think getting him another hamster as a companion will help. Hamsters are solitary and trying to introduce a “friend” usually results in a fight to the death.

Part 1 of 4:Mastering the Basics of Training
1. Give your hamster a chance to settle in.

While it's a good idea to begin training a new hamster early, let it get used to its new surroundings once you bring it home. Gently put your hamster in its new cage and leave it alone for three days. Put fresh water and food in its cage, but don't try to hold or interact with it.

Time alone will let your hamster become familiar with your smell, voice, and the sounds of the house.

2. Hold your hamster.

Your hamster should feel comfortable with you holding it before you begin training it. Talk to your hamster as you interact with it, so it becomes used to the sound of your voice. Pick your hamster up in one quick movement and avoid scaring or chasing your hamster before you pick it up.

To pick your hamster up safely, first gently place your palm face-down on the cage floor. Slowly move it toward your hamster, turn your palm up, and let them crawl into your palm. Cup your hamster, and use your other hand to keep it from falling. Then, slowly and gently lift it out of the cage.

If your hamster is frightened of you, consider holding out a sunflower seed to get it interested in coming over to you. Pick up your hamster and let it eat the seed. Over time your hamster should become comfortable without the treats.

Let your hamster crawl on you and your clothing so it can start to get used to your scent.

3. Keep the training sessions short.

Work on one trick or skill at a time with your hamster and limit your training sessions less than 15 minutes at a time. If it begins to lose interest in training, end the training session and let your hamster play for a while.

Pet your hamster and spend time with it throughout the day, so it can get used to you. Training is also a great way to bond with your new pet.

Try not to wake up your hamster just to start a training session. Schedule them in the late afternoon and evening when your hamster will naturally be awake.

4. Choose a good reward.

Get out a few sunflower seeds, a little hard boiled egg, or pieces of fresh vegetables and fruits (such as carrots, greens, apples, and berries) to give to your hamster when it follows your commands. Remember that these are treats, so limit the amount you give your hamster during the training session. To keep things interesting and nutritious, switch up the treats you give during the week. Avoid giving your hamster:

Chocolate

Fruit pits or seeds

Citrus fruit (oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit)

Meat or dairy

Candy

Almonds

Peanuts

Crisps or chips

5. Be consistent with the training and expectations.

Start with basic skills and tricks that you'd like your hamster to do before moving on to more advanced skills. Follow your hamster's lead and don't push it too fast to learn a new skill. Be patient and remember that your hamster might learn some tricks faster than others.

Make things interesting for your pet by teaching it a few different skills. For example, work on rolling over one day and standing the next. Alternate between the two tricks until your hamster follows the commands.

Part 2 of 4:Training Your Hamster to Follow Basic Commands
1. Teach your hamster to stand.

Place a sunflower seed over your hamster's head and firmly say "Stand." If your hamster follows the command and stands up on its feet, give it the seed. If it doesn't, keep saying "Stand," until your hamster does it. Remember that your hamster will learn through repetition. Eventually, it should follow the command even if there isn't a sunflower seed above its head.

Don't give your hamster the sunflower seed unless it stands up or you'll confuse it.

You can also try this by saying "Paw" and putting the sunflower seed in front of your hamster. It should put its paw forward to get the treat.

2. Train your hamster to roll over.

Carefully set a sunflower treat on your hamster's back and command your hamster to "Turn" or "Roll over." If your hamster rolls over, give it the sunflower seed. You can also give it verbal praise by saying something like "Good job!" If your hamster doesn't roll over, continue to set the seed on its back and give the command.

3. Teach your hamster how to jump.

Hold a sunflower seed in front of your hamster, so it can see it. Raise the treat up above your hamster. The seed should be just out of reach and your hamster will probably stand to try to get it. Say "Jump" and your hamster should jump up a little to get the seed. Keep practicing this until your hamster associates jumping to get the seed with your command.

Don't place the seed too far away from your hamster because they can only jump a short distance.

4. Teach your hamster to climb up your shoulder.

Set your hamster on your shoulder and see if it's comfortable sitting there. If your hamster seems happy to sit on your shoulder for a few moments, teach it to climb your shoulder. Place your arm down on a couch or bed and set your hamster next to your wrist. Use the other hand to put a treat on the opposite shoulder and say "Climb." Your hamster should walk up your arm towards your shoulder to get the treat.

Ensure that your hamster sees you put the treat on your shoulder.

Only try this trick if your hamster is comfortable sitting on your shoulder.

Part 3 of 4:House Training Your Hamster
1. Choose or make a litter box.

You can buy a small covered litter box that fits in the corner of a hamster cage or make your own. Take a small, sturdy container with a lid and cut a 2 to 3-inch (5 to 7-cm) hole in the side. Use sandpaper to rub down any sharp edges and put the lid on the container.

Keep in mind that you'll need to replace homemade or commercial litter boxes if they're not chew-proof.

2. Add litter to the box.

Choose a litter that will absorb odors and be easy to clean. Look for wood, paper, grass, or grain pelleted paper. You can also use sand or cat litter, as long as it doesn't contain silica dust. Place a little litter in the bottom of your hamster's litter box.

If your hamster tries to eat the litter, switch to a different litter that your hamster won't eat.

3. Set the litter box where your hamster is toileting.

Watch your hamster for a day or two to see which corner of the cage it's toileting in. Put a little soiled bedding into the litter box along with a few hamster droppings and set the litter box in your hamster's preferred corner. Your hamster should start using the litter box without any problem.

Give your hamster a chance to explore its cage right after you've put the litter box in. Don't force it to go straight to the litter box or it may not want to use it.

4. Troubleshoot any problems.

If your hamster isn't using the litter box, determine why. If it's sleeping in the litter box, it probably needs a separate sleeping space. If your hamster is eating or hiding food in the litter box, the cage might be too small for it. If it's simply not using or going into the litter box, the litter box might be too hard for your hamster to get into or it might dislike the litter. Try a larger box or different litter.

You might have to try a few solutions before you fix whatever problem is keeping your hamster from using the litter box.

Part 4 of 4:Training Your Hamster to Stop Biting and Chewing
1. Get your hamster used to your scent.

Hamsters might bite if you smell like food or another hamster. Wash your hands and set your hamster out on a bed or a couch. Let it roam around and block its path with the backs of your hands every once in a while. Your hamster should sniff you and then move on.

Try to do this for 5 to 15 several days in a row. Eventually, your hamster will become comfortable with your scent and will realize that you're not trying to grab it with your hands.

Never stroke or try to hold your hamster when it is eating, washing itself, or sleeping. Interrupting your hamster can cause it to bite.

2. Respond to your hamster's bites.

If your hamster does try to bite you, very gently blow towards its face to distract it from biting. Be patient with your hamster and give it space before you try to interact with it again. Avoid yelling at, hitting, or punishing your hamster.

Hamsters don't understand punishment, so you'll only damage your relationship with your hamster and encourage it to be aggressive.

If your hamster is usually angry and bites, let it play or do something it enjoys before you try to interact with it.

3. Redirect your hamster's chewing.

Hamsters often chew or gnaw on things to grind down their teeth. If your hamster is chewing something it's not supposed to, firmly say "No," or "Stop." Move your hamster away from the object and set out other items that your hamster can chew. Offer different types of chewing objects, so it can choose one that it likes.

Set out new chew sticks, try coating them with honey, rub a carrot on the sticks, or shave off a bit of each stick to encourage your hamster to chew them.

Depends on how the hamster was socialized when young. If the hamster had little or no contact with humans and was left with the mother until they had to be separated, the hamster is going to be difficult to get on one’s hand and is likely to bite upon the slightest commotion.

On the other hand a hamster that has been handled carefully from an early age will be used to humans and is likely to eat from one’s hand and even climb on it, looking forward to be petted.

As a general rule, hamsters should have plenty of opportunity to exercise and most hamsters don’t mind 12" rat wheel as the bigger diameter avoids the back being bent while the animal is running. Even better if you have a room which you can make escape safe (no open windows, pipes or anything the hamster might crawl into) let the animal run freely in the room for an hour or two as often as possible in the evening after waking up.

Finally, hamsters are not social, thus you should only have one.

Hamsters love broccoli - healthy treat.

Pandas are lazy for a reason.

Pandas are carnivorous in terms of the anatomical structure of its digestive tract, physiologic characteristics, and evolution. The animal’s ancestor is a true carnivore, which boasted sharp and well developed canine teeth, a short intestinal tract and digestive characteristics like other carnivores. Thus pandas today still possess characteristics from their ancestors, but to adapt to the greatly changed environment, they ultimately live on bamboo with low nutritional value and digestibility. They dine almost entirely on the leaves, stems and shoots of various bamboo species, but food can only be kept in their bodies for a short time and only a little nutrition can be absorbed. In this case, they have to spend more time on eating to make sure they gain enough energy. Meanwhile, they choose to consume little energy by reducing activity range.

That is why pandas seem very lazy. This is their survival skill.

Personally I don’t find my dwarf hamster boring at all. Because her mother injured her she is missing a back foot and doesn’t like to climb like many hamsters do. I have to think and make her habitat easy and comfortable for her, and find new things to catch her interest so she doesn’t get bored. Extra deep paper litter is fun for her to burrow in, and I never know where in the tank she’s going to be napping. Cardboard tubes both above and below the litter give her tunnels to play in.

Most hamsters like a hamster wheel and a ball to run in, but Hammie doesn’t like them due to her foot, so we play other games. I drop a small flavorful treat into her dish and try to see when she’ll come out of hiding to eat it.

In certain situations, they are, in others, they aren’t. Hamsters suck as pets for kids, and are nocturnal. They also need a LOT of space. They make great pets if cared for properly.

My enclosure ^

Plenty of attention is the short answer here. Your hamster will need a large enough cage for him to wander around and hide food. He will need a good exercise wheel to have a run in and a variety of treats with his food so he doesn’t get bored. It’s a good idea to place some treats in his cage that he has to work hard to get to the treat. I like to chip a small piece of shell off a walnut exposing a small section of nut so he has to work at getting to it. Hanging dried sweet corn is also a good idea as they have hours of fun pulling it off and storing it. I am not sure if they eat any of the corn or just pull it off and store it as I always find a mountain of the stuff when I am cleaning his cages. Tubes are good as hamsters love going through them and I place a small sandpit in one of my cages so he ham have a play in that. You need special kiln dried sand for animals available from your pet shop, please don’t use building sand.

In top of that try to get your hamster out of his cage as often as you can. Fred gets around 3 hours a night out of his and loves to run around in a ball. If you put your hamster in a ball keep an eye on him and give him a treat every now and again. I like to give Fred a small piece of apple so he doesn’t get thirsty. He often runs up to me when he is in his ball and bangs into my feet. I am sure it’s for attention. I then let him out to have a wander on my lap. A perfect opportunity to have a snuggle and stroke him.

Hope this helps

I am so glad you are doing proper research before adopting a hamster! On behalf of hamsters everywhere- thank you!! The first thing you will need is an appropriately sized cage- which can vary depending on what breed of hamster you’re getting. But, the bigger the better. They are active little critters! But please don’t get those cute little cages that are nice and colorful and tiny unless you’re getting more than one and connecting them with tubes. And don’t do that with Syrian hamsters. But also make sure the bars on the cage are close enough together so no one can squeeze out. Then, they need bedding,( several inches deep- they love to burrow)food, water, chew toys, treats, a properly sized wheel,and hideouts. Clean their cage regularly. Watch for stashed food that they may have hidden that may get moldy. Clean pee/poop out. Put in clean bedding. Find a local vet who sees small pets- take them for a wellness checkup at some point. Hamsters don’t have a long life span, so it’s better to know where to take them if something health related comes up- plus you can ask them any questions you have about caring for them properly. Good luck! Hamsters are lots of fun!

Humans are animals

yes we all can get lazy!

Have you noticed that bears hibernate when it’s cold and humans there are sleepy when it’s cold? Do you think they’re copying each other or are they in the same club of being a human and animal Hammond what is the deal. We’re all related to each other and we all have similar behaviors and patterns of behavior.

The big unknown is what is really going on and I had a most home what do you animals really fake and I understand and perceive is the biggest unknown frontier next to the backside of the universe so much assI am believe have it is on the backside of the universe if you’re traveling that direction that you and Jup coming out to circle back in the opposite direction from your start for you start points!

The mind is a non-explored phenomenon that it didn’t sound self has tremendous abilities. Recently I study brought out that’s a grain of a human is not all inside its body. That there is a parallel level of intelligence the brains tap and sell the next hand says their ability to perceive and understand information is still unknown Chivas people on the earth curious this is hell Egypt had pictures of flying saucers

So make sure you ask your parents if it’s OK for you to have a wild imagination and think of the great things that you could do if you were an animal exploring the universe please involve your parents that I everything you do and don’t have any secrets from your parents. Show her how you’re writing and asking questions so they’ll be happy with your decision.

I feel a little lazy now and I think I’m gonna call it a night my polar bear my dog and I are all going off to hibernate in a while have a good evening if we return wanna let you know. Best regards Mary