ricktavious

My girlfriend just got a hamster....the cage is plenty big (slighly smaller than the recommended 19 x 19, but it has a place for it to climb to another level, so he has plenty of room), he's got plenty of food, water, proper bedding, treats, etc. However, all he does is stay in his little house thing and does not come out to play. The only times he has come out is for food and water. He has yet to play on his wheel or anything like that. Is this normal with a new hamster and will it take a few days for him to be more social? My girlfriend was wanting one for awhile, so she's a little disappointed right now Any help or advice you folks can give is appreciated!

Bonochick

Wow, that's surprising that he won't even go in his wheel. Have you tried putting treats in the wheel to entice him to at least check it out?

sirdarksol

That's not normal, at least not compared to the two hamsters that I've had.
Is she sure that it hasn't come out to play at night? My hamster drove me crazy running on his wheel in the middle of the night, but his home was right next to my bed.
Also, are there any other animals in the house? If there are cats or dogs, it could be panicking right now.

My suggestion would be to cover two or three sides of the cage, as well as part of the top, with a light blanket. It might just think that everything except its little house is too out in the open, and is afraid to venture out.

AlisonChristine

That is normal, actually. With hamsters, you're supposed to give them a few days to adjust to thier new homes, not even hold them in those first few days. I would recommend putting it in a quiet room and leaving it in dim light or dark. After those first few days, then start to hold it, but not for extended periods of time, so that it can slowly adjust to you.