i got my hamster only about 6 hours ago...

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Followup To
Question -
it's brand new to my home and it was EXTREMELY stressed in the little box that you're supposed to carry it home in. she's quite an energetic hamster! but when i put her in the hamster ball, she was desperately trying to find a way out, she wasn't having any fun at all! i'm not comepletely worried, she just got here but i was wondering how long this phase will last, also i wanted to know how long it takes for a new hamster to be able to be held. i'm only in 6th grade, and i've been waiting 1 1/2 months for it, i don't want this hamster deal to be a failure, my parent will never trust me again.
Answer -
Hi Misha,

Don't worry.  All new hamsters go through this.  They're stressed out from being brought from their previous home to your new home.  It will take your hamster a little while to adjust to her new surroundings, so you'll have to be patient.  To make her as comfortable as possible, try these things:  Don't take her out of her cage for about 48 hours.  This will give her time to adjust to her cage.  After this time is up, you may gently pick her up with two hands.  Sit down when you pick her up, as she may try to jump out of your hands.  Just remember to be very gentle with her, and if she starts to stress, place her back in her cage for a while so she can calm down.  As for the hamster ball, you should wait at least a week before putting her back in it.  She should get used to it and enjoy it.
Gradually, following these tips, your new hamster will learn to trust you.  She may not calm down completely (one of my female hamsters is very high-strung and energetic), but you will learn to handle her and love her for her energy.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kelly

i had one more question, but i'll probably come up with more later on. anyway, i was wondering if the cage i got Dazza(my hamsters name) is too small. it's about 3/4 ft wide and 1 ft long. is it too small?

Answer
Hi Misha,

Well, it does sound kind of small for a normal-sized Syrian hamster.  Picture the size of a 10-gallon aquarium (or the next time you're in Walmart or someplace that sells them, look at their size); this is roughly the minimum amount of space a hamster needs.  If the cage you got her is a connectable kind (like S.A.M., Habitrail, Hartz or Crittertrail) you can buy a smaller cage to attach to your existing cage.  If it's not a connectable kind, I would recommend purchasing a larger cage.  The new Hartz Extreme Home is a good one; it can be found at Walmart for around $20.  My personal favorite is the Crittertrail Two cage.  It can be found at Petdiscounters.com for around $25, plus shipping.  However, since you have a female hamster, which tends to be larger than a male, you would probably have to replace the Crittertrail tubes with Habitrail or S.A.M. curved tubes, which are a few dollars more.  This is what I had to do with my cage, and it has worked perfectly.
   If you can't afford to buy a new cage right now, try to make her existing cage more interesting.  Make sure she has a working wheel and at least one play accessory to keep her from being bored.  Time (about 15-20 minutes) in her ball will also stave off boredom.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kelly