Teddy Bear Hamster Bonding Tips

So what does it take to be best friends with your teddy bear hamster? At first thought, getting the little one to accept you may not seem like much of a chore, now does it? After all, you might think cynically, you are the one in control. In control of cleaning his home. In control of feeding times. In control of just about everything dealing with this guy. Some people would say he should be making friends with you – and pretty darn fast.

But consider this fact. He’s a mere four inches large and you . . . well, you must appear to be quite a giant in his eyes. And anything that’s that large could be potentially dangerous – and definitely scary.

So, you’ll have to use some patience and dedication to earn the trust and the affection of your new hamster friend.

The first thing you want to remember is that you do not want to pounce on the poor little creature the moment you bring him home. Believe me, you will be tempted. But he’s already going to be frightened. So the best thing you can do is simply set him in a dark room for several days to a week. During this period, the only time you should have with him is to give him food.

Once a week or so has passed, then you can take a tissue, rub your hands with it and stick it in the cage. Hamsters have a wonderful sense of smell. This is the perfect way to get him to recognize your scent. After about a week, then you can slowly and carefully place your hand in his cage for him to smell you.

If he bites you, remove your hand immediately and try the “getting-to-know-you” ritual the following day. Eventually, he will crawl over your fingers and even around your arm. Then before you know it, you’ll be able to take him out of the cage and give him some “out-of-cage” experience . . . better known as playtime.

Before you know it, the two of you will be the best of friends. The only thing you really need to keep in mind is that you make friends with the teddy bear hamster on his terms — not yours!

Want to learn more tips and secrets on how to give the best care to your dwarf hamster? Click here!