Handling Your Hamster

There are several ways you can hold and pick up your hamster. Here are some of the most commonly used methods. When you bring your hamster home and place him in his new cage, he will be very afraid and will need some time to settle in to his new home. You should leave you hamster alond to settle for 24 hours to give him time to settle down, he needs time to get used to his house before he can get used to you. 1. Lower a container/jar into the cage and let your hamster climb into it. This is the safest method that ensures that your fingers do not get bitten by a hamster. 2. For tame hamsters, you can also place both hands together to form a cup like a scoop to slide underneath the animal and lift it up of the cage. You can also slide one hand under your hamster and cup your other hand over the top of it. 3. Another common way to hold a hamster is to lift it by the scruff of the neck (i.e. by the skin on the back of its neck). This method is debatable as some books claimed that it is absolutely safe and humane, while other books warn that this method will harm the hamsters. If your hamster shows any signs of discomfort with being held by this method, practice other ways, such as supporting its full weight on your hand, to hold your hamster.

Copyright � 2001 by Amanda