Teaching tricks
Having a hamster that can perform is very rewarding and amusing. Although it may take some practice, it is definately worth the effort. First you'll have to make sure that your hamster is tame.
Always use a treat as a reward (sunflowers seeds are brill, as Maxx will tell you). Hold the treat above the hamsters head, so it has to stand on it's hind legs to reach it. Whilst doing this, repeat the word stand. Do this a few times each day until the ham-o gets used to it and will stand on its hind legs when you place your hand above it's head without a treat, but still say 'stand'. Soon after quite a bit of practice, your hammy with learn that the word 'stand' is related to the action of standing on its hind legs. So when you say stand, hopefully your favourite rodent will stand. Yippy-ki-yay!
Feeding
Forget that rubbish McDonalds advert saying hamsters have a boring diet. The hamster food that is available is varied and interesting for hamsters. But hamsters are no great problem to feed, seeing as it will eat almost anything. The foods I just mentioned consist of pellets, sunflower seeds, peanuts and mixed flakes. A small handful of this each day will be fine, and fresh water in a water bottle every day (the bottle is nessicary because if water is placed in a dish, the hamster will soon have a soggy cage) But hamsters will always appreciate table scraps such as: potato, egg, rice, pasta, meat, fish, broccolli, carrots
Taming
When you get your hamster home, it is bound to be very nervous (and no doubt very cute). So leave it alone for the first few days so can get accustomed to its new home, unless it shows it wants to be friendly.
The best way to pick up your new furry pal is by 'scooping them up by putting either hand by the hamsters side. Gently close your hands in and the hamster will walk on to your hands. Taming is a simple precedure. It is only a matter of gaining your hamsters confidence. Be patient.
1. First, slowly but your hand in the cage. Offer your pet a titbit such as a sunflower seed, a peanut or raisin. As it nervously comes towards you, leave the treat on the floor of the cage. Keep doing this for a day or two so the hambo will learn that your hand brings food. Keep talking to it, using it's name. This way it'll get used to your voice and will soon learn it's name.
2. When your hamster is used to this, leave your hand there whilst it eats the food. This will help the hammy to learn that there's no reason to be afraid of your hand. After a few goes, use your other hand to gently stroke its back.
3. Then, a day or two later, leave the titbit in the palm of your hand. By now, (s)he should be confident enough to walk on your hand to get the delicous offering. When its on your palm, gently place your other hand on the hamsters back, and lift it a short way off the floor.
4. Finally, when they're used to that, take them out of the cage, and stroke them. Then you can out it on a table or something so it can get used to other environments other then the cage. Let it walk on your hand and stroke it. (Be careful. Although hamsters aren't stupid and like jumping of tables (aka Lemmings) accidents can happen. So keep an eye on them when they are up high.)
5. The important thing is to handle them regularly, but don't over do it when everything is new to them. 30 mins of handling in one go is about right, then let them have a rest in the cage, then go again. Soon, the hamster will be tame and not be afraid of you and will want to play with you whenever they're awake! Good Luck!
Lazy hamster? No problem!
Hamsters are nocturnal (sleep in the daytime) If your hamster gets up too late, there are a few ways to get them up earlier.
1. Feed them at a particular time, every day. They will learn when the food is available and will come out at that time.
2. If they are getting up late, think about where the cage is. Is it in a brightly lit room? Is it in a noisy room, where there is clunking and crashing of pots and pans? If the answer is yes to any of these, try and put the cage somewhere quiet away from sunlight. They should get up earlier and they will get a better sleep.
3. It's a bit cruel and I don't really approve of it, (lie, I do it all the time.....) but if your hamster is REALLY lazy, you could tape a sunflower seed to a short stick of wood, or a pencil. Gently put it in they're bed so they can smell it. As they go to take it pull it away a little bit so they have to walk out of their bed to get it. You could lure them to the door, and then pick them up. ONLY FOR USE IN EMERGENCY CASES (just do it anyway)
4. If your hamster is representing your country in the Olympic sleeping event, (i.e. its as lazy as my hamster), don't worry about waking him. So you ruined his dream where he's juuuuuust about to meet Kelly Brook-hamster. (you and me both mate). Tough. They might not like it but, they need to have exercise and attention. Its better then leaving them to sleep so they end up bored and alone at night at night. I find giving them a big peice of food, say apple or banna or an entire Weetabix, will interest them but it is too big for a casual nibble, so they will get up and drop it in their food corner. You can them pick them out.
Care of the cage
You should clean the hamster's cage out thoroughly at least once a week. I won't go through all the gory details, but basically, 1. Bin the old shavings on the cage floor.
2. Wash the base of the cage, using pet safe disifectant, (remember to rinse it off)
3. Add fresh shavings, available from pet shops
4. You'll find stored away food so throw away some of it in case it rots, but leave some.
5. When you clean the bed, remember to shape the bedding as it was before. Hammy's don't like making their beds any more then you do (except one strange person I know who likes it).
You find that sometimes, especially in Winter, your hammy likes to take the bedding out of the house and make a little nest down below by shoving the shavings against the side and using the bedding as a blanket. There is nothing wrong with this, it is probably warmer and more comfy, but put extra shavings in otherwise the rest of the cage will be a bit sparse for shavings.
Where the hamster goes to the toilet, try putting a large jar with a wide mouth in that corner. The hamster uses the jar as a toilet and it is much easier to clean this then soggy shavings.
Make sure the feeding dish is kept clean and rinse out the water bottle to prevent algae.
