The little Djungarian hamster has an extraordinary appearance that will not leave anyone indifferent. True, in a new place he usually categorically refuses to make contact with a person and shows dissatisfaction and fear with a loud squeak. To tame the dzhungarika, it is important to know the main stages of the process, follow the recommendations of experts, and also understand the reasons for possible failures.
Behavior of Djungarian hamsters at home
By nature, Djungarian hamsters lead a solitary lifestyle, so these animals are kept one individual per cage. For them, their relatives often play the role of a competitor, which often ends in conflicts.
Despite the mistrust of hamsters towards humans, these rodents practically do not bite and are highly trainable, which has made them one of the most popular pets in the world.
Their main distinguishing feature is fear and distrust of large animals, so in case of any danger they hide in the house or bury themselves in the litter.
Did you know? Djungarian hamsters were discovered in 1773 by the German zoologist and naturalist Peter Pallas.
Djungarians are nocturnal animals. This means that most of the time they are active exclusively at night, and during the day they often sleep, waking up for a short time to eat.
Such behavior is associated with their physiological and morphological characteristics, since the nocturnal lifestyle in nature protects Djungarian hamsters from all kinds of predators that feed on small animals.
Short description
Domestic hamsters belong to the order of rodents - the most numerous of mammals. They prefer a solitary lifestyle, but with proper training they quickly get used to their owner and love cheerful communication with him. These are crepuscular animals. During the daytime they are inactive and sleep until dusk.
Hamsters have a high metabolism, so they tolerate physical activity well and can run on a “treadmill” of a rotating wheel up to 10 km per day.
Hamsters' vision is poorly developed, they do not react to color changes, but they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. They orient themselves in space solely by smells and sounds, and are sensitive to touch. They have a good memory and are able to remember family members even after a long separation.
How to tame
Taming hamsters requires a lot of time and patience. These animals do not always make active contact with humans, especially in the first days of acquaintance. The main thing to remember is that jungarians do not tolerate excessive persistence, so active contact with the rodent must be mutual, built on general trust.
Otherwise, the hamster may perceive the owner with aggression, which often ends in painful bites. Therefore, when taming such a pet, it is imperative to adhere to the sequence of steps described below.
Find out all the most important things about breeding and reproducing Djungarian hamsters at home.
Adaptation period
The relocation of animals to new conditions is necessarily accompanied by excessive stress for them, and hamsters are no exception. In order to get your pet to like you, you must give him some time to adapt to his new home.
At this time, the hamster must get used to the cage, new bedding and house, and also mark its territories. At the same time, his irritability decreases sharply, which has a beneficial effect on the overall success of his taming.
The adaptation period often lasts 4–7 days. The first signs of positive results are active exploration of your territory. It is best if during this period the owner rewards the rodent with his presence - this will help him get used to the idea that a person is an essential element of his daily life.
At the same time, it is important to pay attention to how the pet behaves: it should not be afraid to drink, eat food and leave the shelter for walks. Otherwise, the adaptation period should be extended.
Important! Only young hamsters no more than a few weeks old are suitable for taming. Adults have persistent habits and behavior that are extremely difficult to change.
Master's voice
After the animal has become accustomed to the new conditions, you need to accustom the pet to the owner’s voice. This stage is one of the most important, since sharp noise during the process of active taming can cause rejection of communication with a person.
First, the animal must be accustomed to whispering, which should accompany each of its appearances from the house. Over time, the volume needs to be increased, but do this over several days.
If you don’t know what to talk about with your pet, you can use a proven method - to do this, you should read your favorite book. But it is best to place the pet in the room in which the person and his entourage spend the most time.
This will help him not only get used to a variety of noises, but also prepare for further contact with a person. At the same time, the animal can be accustomed to the smell of the owner, as well as to the hands.
To do this, you need to put a small amount of bedding on your hand and place it in the cage. If the rodent becomes actively interested in the person, you can safely proceed to the next stage.
Find out what kind of cage should be for a dwarf and what accessories can be in the cage.
Treating yourself to a treat in the cage
Often, adaptation and the first acquaintance of a hamster with a person last for 7–10 days. At the same time, there is often an increased interest of the animal in everything around it, since the rodent is always ready to explore a new world for it. Right now is the best time to show the dzhungarika that his owner shows kindness, care and affection.
You can do this with his favorite treat. Place a small amount of seeds or any other tasty treat of your choice on the edge of your palm, and then place your hand in the cage.
By nature, jungarians are very inquisitive, so delicacies and a new source of smells will seriously interest them. At the same time, it is strongly not recommended to move, as this may frighten the rodent.
If the hamster still shows fear of hands, you need to put a small amount of bedding on the palm: this will help reduce possible stress and mistrust of the person.
Important! Before contacting a rodent, be sure to remove any odors from your hands. Sharp and overly rich aromas can cause an unexpected reaction in him, even aggression.
Hand feeding
This step quite often follows a treat from the hand. At this time, the dzhungarik already knows that his owner’s hand is safe and does not bring him any harm.
To hand feed a rodent:
- Take a small piece of treat with your fingertips and push it through the bars of the cage. For these purposes, sunflower seeds or other food that can be held with your fingers are often used.
- After the animal learns to take food through the bars, you can try to treat the animal inside the cage.
- Carry out the procedure several times daily. Don’t worry if the rodent doesn’t immediately show interest - to do this, he needs to overcome his own fear and fear for his life.
Pet in the palm of your hand
When you have managed to instill the necessary trust in the dwarf, you can try to take the animal in your arms. This can only be done when he has completely mastered it and accepts human hands exclusively as one of the interior details in everyday life. By this point, at least 2 weeks must have passed after the pet appeared in your home.
Find out if you can feed your hamster bread.
To pick up a rodent in your palm:
- Take a small amount of some treat (seeds, large grains, etc.) and place it on the back of your palm.
- Place your hand with a treat in the cage and wait for the animal to climb onto it.
- Try to raise your hand and take it out of the cage.
- In most cases, the first time the hamster will try to escape, so attempts to pick it up should be repeated periodically, several times a day. At the same time, the main thing is perseverance and perseverance, otherwise it will not be easy to completely tame a hamster. But you should also not frighten the animal, as this can cause aggression in it.
If your actions are successful, you can try to touch the jungarik with your other hand and stroke it, and eventually lift it above the ground by the waist. After some time, the hamster will completely get used to you and will actively engage in all kinds of games.
Once this has happened, you can try to teach the animal various commands.
These animals are quite smart, so with persistence, such a pet can please you with several learned tricks at once. Did you know? In the wild, in a short period of time, one hamster is able to store up to 90 kg of food: this gives them the opportunity to survive for a long time even in the desert.
Basic rules for training a hamster
Physical condition of the animal
You should not start training if your pet has health problems that cause him discomfort. Also, do not disturb the rodent during estrus, mating, or pregnancy. During such periods, hamsters will not be able to exercise to their full potential, and any training will end in failure.
Times of Day
The most suitable time for training is evening. Closer to night, hamsters are at the peak of their activity; they are more resistant to perceiving new information and working through exercises. As soon as your pet gets out of its house after a nap, you can safely start working with it.
Satiety
Train your pet on a moderately full stomach; when hungry, the pet will be distracted by extraneous odors, and the training will fail. Your hands should also be clean and free of food odor.
Confidence
Before a long training process, you need to build a trusting relationship with the rodent, you need to educate it and accustom it to your presence. A strong bond can be established through hand feeding. This way the pet will understand who its owner is and will get used to your smell.
Age
Training a hamster should begin at the right age - from 2 weeks from birth to 2.5 months of conscious life. This period is the most optimal period for training a hamster; at this time, he best perceives information and shows curiosity about the outside world.
How to train a dzhungarik
Teaching a hamster to follow any commands is difficult, but possible. These rodents have a fairly high intelligence, so they are able to understand their owner almost instantly. But when training an animal, you need to acquire considerable patience, since the process will be hampered by its natural cowardice.
What tricks can he do?
Djungarians are capable of performing many commands. With enough attention and effort to train, these animals can serve their owner no worse than cats or dogs.
Traditionally, animal teams can be divided into two conditional groups:
- simple - skills that require a minimum of effort from the animal and its owner to perform. This is the so-called basic level, which turns a wild animal into a well-mannered and submissive pet, so even small hamsters up to six months old are taught simple commands. Most often, such tricks include the ability to recognize your nickname, leave the cage on command, roll over, etc.;
- complex - all kinds of skills that require basic knowledge from the animal. Not all individuals are often suitable for complex teams, so only smart enough pets can be taught tricks. Such commands include jumping over obstacles, the command “Fu!” and other skills that require combining two or more simple skills.
Find out why the hamster constantly sleeps, bites, and squeaks.
How to train
The main thing to remember when training a dzhungarik is that the rodent does not tolerate severity and punishment. In most cases, this method of training will permanently discourage the animal from learning any commands, so it is best to rely on patience and praise.
Each training session should be reinforced with vocal accompaniment (a command word): this will help develop a conditioned reflex in the rodent that can be successfully reproduced in the future.
It is best if each training and success is fueled with small pieces of treats - this will help speed up the process and make it more effective.
Did you know? Domestic hamsters are able to swim in water - to do this, they take air into their cheeks, using them as a kind of life preserver.
Let's look at the main stages of teaching a dzhungarik simple tricks.
Knowing your nickname:
- Choose a short and sonorous name for the rodent.
- Introduce your pet to its name - to do this, repeat the name clearly but calmly, while giving the animal small pieces of treats.
- Repeat the animal’s name periodically during any close contact, and be sure to fuel every success with a treat.
- After some time, the dwarf will begin to respond to the name and come up for a treat.
Running in a circle:
- Move the hamster out of the cage into a more open area with a low fence (small tray, kitchen table with sides, etc.).
- Take a small amount of treat in your hand and bring it to your hamster.
- When your pet becomes interested in food, say loudly and clearly “In a circle!” and start moving it in a circle.
- After the dwarf stops chasing food, give him a treat.
- After some time, the animal will develop a conditioned reflex, so after each call “In a circle!” he will instantly reproduce what he has learned.
Rolling over your back:
- Move your hamster out of its cage into a more open area with a low fence.
- Take a small amount of treat in your hand and bring it to the hamster's back, loudly and clearly playing “Roll Over!”
- After the animal reaches for the treat and rolls over, repeat “Roll over!” and give him the food.
- Conduct training daily, several times a day. In just a few weeks, your pet will easily learn the trick.
Important! You need to be in contact with the dwarf every day, otherwise even well-learned commands will be forgotten over time, and the once tame pet can again turn into a timid and even embittered animal.
Important points
If there are children in the house, they must be explained that the rodent is not a toy, and they should not try to pick it up or stroke it every 5 minutes. It would be better if children start feeding the miniature rodent only after it begins to go into the hands of adults. During contact between the hamster and children, an adult must be nearby. Children should not be allowed to hug a hamster: they may miscalculate the force and hurt the pet. This, in turn, will trigger the animal’s defensive reaction and it will begin to bite.
Possible problems
Training a hamster is a rather delicate and unpredictable process, so owners of such a pet often face many problems when taming a rodent. There can be many reasons for this, but in most cases it is a consequence of the animal’s timid nature, but this is its natural behavioral reaction.
Bites
A bite is a natural reaction of any animal to danger: in this way it defends itself or tries to prevent possible harm to itself. However, dzhungarikas often bite only in exceptional cases.
There may be several reasons for this:
- strong or unfamiliar odors;
- pain caused by human touch;
- irritability;
- prolonged stress;
- an attempt to protect one's territory from unauthorized entry.
The first thing to do if you are bitten by a pet is to identify the cause and eliminate it.
Next, it is imperative to eradicate any attempts to harm a person. To do this you need:
- The first contacts with the pet should be carried out exclusively with protective gloves or while walking;
- pick up your pet only after feeding;
- avoid squeezing, damaging, or frightening the animal;
- gradually increase the duration of direct contacts from several minutes to several tens of minutes.
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Runs away
Like a bite, an attempt to hide is a genetically determined norm that helps the animal avoid the fate of being eaten by a predator.
Fear is often caused by:
- new living conditions;
- natural cowardice in the face of larger objects;
- unfamiliar sounds, smells and objects.
In order to win over your pet, you should:
- Place the cage in a quieter place, away from loud noises. At the same time, the hamster should not be restricted from the outside world - he must see and hear his owners every day;
- When in direct contact with an animal, thoroughly wash your hands to remove foreign odors. Strong aromas are one of the main causes of excessive stress for a timid animal;
- avoid raising your voice and making sudden movements when communicating with the dwarf;
- at each open contact, reinforce communication with a small piece of treat;
- get rid of the method of excessive pressure - the animal will show itself as soon as it gets used to the new conditions.
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The Djungarian hamster is a fairly smart and quick-witted animal, which is why it can be easily not only tamed, but also successfully taught even complex commands. Today this is not only a whim of some owners, but also a necessary norm that helps turn a wild rodent into an affectionate and good-natured animal. However, in order to properly train a Djungarian, you will need not only perseverance and great desire, but also quite a long time and tolerance.
Features of some breeds
Getting used to hands after adaptation
Most often, the Djungarian, Syrian and Roborovsky hamsters are kept at home. In general, the algorithm for taming representatives of different breeds is the same. But you need to take into account the characteristics of the breed. So, for example, the Roborovsky hamster is considered the most peaceful. He bites very rarely. Most often, pregnant females show aggression, so taming a rodent of this breed is easy and quick.
The Syrian hamster is more aggressive. Before taming a dwarf Syrian hamster, it should be given enough time to adapt. To speed up the taming process, you should start giving your pet treats outside the cage.
Taming Dzungarik
As for the Dzungarian rodent, it is the most aggressive. Djungarik can only be tamed at a young age. This restive rodent is not inclined to change its habits and lifestyle, so when purchasing, you need to make sure that a young individual is taken into the house.
Let's look at some recommendations from experts who know how to tame a Djungarian hamster.
- Before taming Dzhungarik, they thoroughly wash their hands and rub them with litter in the cage. A familiar smell will inspire confidence in your pet.
- If the rodent behaves too aggressively, at first they put on mittens intended for gardening.
- Dzungarik has poorly developed eyesight, so when getting to know any object he uses smell and touch. Sometimes touching with his paws is not enough for him, and he may bite lightly on the palm. An introductory bite should not be confused with a display of aggression. You should not make any sudden movements, you just need to smoothly move your palm to the side, showing your pet that its bites cause discomfort.
We begin to tame
No pet will love its owner from the first day of meeting him just because he bought it. All animals go through periods of adaptation, taming and education, and such a funny little furry as a pet hamster is no exception. The general rules for taming animals fully apply to hamsters: patience, calmness, slowness, perseverance, kindness, affection, trust.
If the pet has become a little accustomed to its new home and no longer hides in the house when it sees you, you can gradually begin to get closer to each other. Based on your observations, you already know what food he eats especially willingly, when he is most active, and when it is better not to touch him. You should not wake him up during daytime sleep - this will cause severe irritation of the animal, nervousness, anxiety and even aggression.
Continue to actively accustom your hamster to the sounds of your voice, and in order not to get tired of the monotonous phrases of your vocabulary, you can quietly read an interesting book out loud every day in an even, calm voice, sitting in a comfortable chair not far from the cage. If your pet once again hides from you in the house, under no circumstances force him out of there, be patient. Gradually, he will stop running into the house when you approach and will calmly start eating . The hamster will understand that the sounds of an already familiar voice are not dangerous.
What to consider when purchasing an animal
Sometimes people thoughtlessly get a hamster after seeing it with friends and watching funny tricks and games, with little idea that this is preceded by painstaking educational work with the pet.
You should not decide to buy a hamster without first familiarizing yourself with its biological characteristics and lifestyle. Discuss all points with your family members, especially if you have children. It is better to refuse the purchase if someone close to you categorically cannot stand the presence of rodents. A negative, tense environment will not lead to anything good either for the hamster or for family members.
If everything is settled with everyone, carry out thorough preparations so that the hamster lives in comfortable conditions. You need a good spacious cage, a house for shelter and sleep, a running wheel, a feeder, a drinking bowl, and accessories for games. Make sure that the cage is in a calm, quiet place, but not completely isolated and inaccessible to other pets. It is necessary for the animal to gradually get used to the sounds and smells around its home and to hear the voices of household members. Prepare a variety of food, taking into account the recommendations for housing conditions.
