Pet hamsters might be nice enjoyable to spend time with, even while you’re simply watching them of their habitat. Relating to choosing them up and dealing with them, although, the method can appear a bit overwhelming and even intimidating at first. They’re so small and fragile!
The excellent news is that holding a hamster safely and correctly is simple as soon as you understand what you’re doing and also you get just a little apply in, however solely do it in case your hamster is used to it and enjoys it. In the event that they do, here’s a step-by-step information for holding your hamster safely and correctly.
Preparation
You will need to ensure you totally wash your fingers earlier than dealing with your pet hamster. Hamsters have a robust sense of odor and in the event that they odor something that alarms them or in the event that they choose up the scent of one other animal that you just’ve been dealing with, they could really feel threatened and attempt to chew you in protection. Washing your fingers with unscented cleaning soap will assist be sure that you don’t scare your hamster with lingering scents and that you just don’t switch any micro organism or germs to them.
The 7 Ideas for Holding a Hamster Safely & Correctly
1. Get Shut for Acclimation
Earlier than choosing up your hamster, allow them to sniff you, and get acclimated to your shut presence. You are able to do this by slowly placing your hand of their habitat and letting it linger close to them, being cautious to not contact them fairly but. Allow them to method you and provide treats in return. Being too aggressive or working too shortly can scare the hamster and make them scared of future makes an attempt to carry them.
2. Encourage Your Hamster to Get in Your Hand
Flip your hand the other way up so your palm is open and displaying, and encourage your hamster to climb onto your palm. Should you keep nonetheless and be affected person, your hamster may climb onto your hand on their very own. You possibly can attempt to entice them by placing a deal with, like a sunflower seed, in your palm. In case your hamster doesn’t wish to get in your hand, come again once more later and take a look at once more. After a number of tries, the method ought to be profitable.
3. Use a Scooping Methodology
As soon as your hamster is within the palm of your hand and appears calm and comfy, gently fold your fingers up round them with out completely enclosing them and scoop them up out of their habitat. It’s essential to make use of each fingers and maintain your hamster near you so that you don’t by accident drop them in the event that they attempt to get away. In the event that they do attempt to escape, put them again of their habitat as shortly as doable to attenuate any stress that the dealing with is inflicting them.
4. Make Sluggish Actions
Whereas holding your hamster, make sluggish actions, and watch out to not jerk round when doable. Fast and erratic actions can stress the animal and make them scared to be held. They might attempt to chew or bounce off and injure themselves within the course of. Utilizing sluggish actions and staying nonetheless will assist hold your hamster calm and stress-free.
5. Provide a Deal with
Providing a deal with to your hamster whilst you’re holding them, not less than in the course of the first few instances, will assist the animal see the dealing with as a optimistic expertise. In case your hamster is aware of that they’ll get a deal with everytime you maintain them, they’ll begin to stay up for the dealing with periods and fortunately climb into your palm while you provide it to them. Make certain the deal with is small so it doesn’t lower into their common eating regimen. Sunflower seeds, carrots, apples, and broccoli are all wholesome deal with choices to think about.
6. Preserve Dealing with Periods Quick
Even when your hamster continues to be and appears calm whilst you maintain them, the motion might be stressing them out, particularly in the event that they’re not used to being dealt with. So, for the primary a number of dealing with periods, it’s a good suggestion to maintain the periods brief. Spend simply 5 minutes or so holding your hamster earlier than slowly placing them again within the habitat once more. When you’re assured that your hamster is snug being dealt with, you may prolong the dealing with instances till you might be spending as a lot time as you’d like with them.
7. Make Time for Dealing with Typically
Holding your hamster frequently is a superb technique to bond with the animal. As soon as they’re snug with the method, dealing with may help them really feel protected and safe. In case your hamster doesn’t thoughts, you may deal with them as much as two or thrice a day! Simply achieve this in brief spurts. Ready too many days between periods may also hold your hamster from getting used to the dealing with, which in flip, may cause stress each time you do determine to deal with them.
A Closing Recap
Wash your fingers, take your time, let your pet hamster get snug with you, after which benefit from the time you spend holding your hamster. That’s all there’s to it! There isn’t a cause to be afraid of holding your hamster with the assistance of the following pointers and tips. At all times supervise youngsters and older kids after they’re dealing with a pet hamster to make sure the security of the animal and everybody else concerned, however be certain that they’re sufficiently old and perceive methods to behave round such a fragile animal. Younger kids mustn’t deal with hamsters.
In case your hamster is skittish and dislikes being dealt with or just isn’t eager on being held, respect that and don’t pressure an interplay which may be uncomfortable, or nerve-racking, probably even harmful if the hamster tries to leap off your hand.
Featured Picture Credit score: sabza, Shutterstock
