Advice re new pet hamster

[SpanishFly]

Hi everyone. So we got a dwarf hamster a couple of weeks ago. He was very timid to begin with, so we let him settle in for a day or two, then started to put our hands in the cage etc etc. He's now totally fine with our hands being in, and we've also had him in his exercise ball a few times- by putting the ball in the cage then waiting until he goes into it, then putting the lid on. The issue is that we're not quite sure how to take the plunge to pick him up - he is faster than Usain Bolt, and I'm certain he'll just run off. The other night, we sat in a circle and allowed him out of his ball, and within seconds he'd escaped and we could barely catch him 🙈 We eventually got him back in the ball then into his cage, but none of us have managed to lift him 😖
We then bought a little hamster playpen hoping it would be a way to lift him inan enclosed area until he got used to us handling him, but he clearly hates it, and runs around in it in a kind of panic, so we won't be using it again.
We just feel a bit like we've hit a stalemate and don't quite know what to do next, without either being bitten or him escaping and never being seen again 🙈🙈
I've read posts saying to set up the bath to allow him to run around, but given that he hates the playpen, I don't imagine a big white bath being any more appealing to him, and it all seems like a lot of hassle in any case.
Any tips?

Hi, we had a dwarf for just about 3 years until he died. He was alone, like yours we were told he would be better that way.

Don't be down hearted. We got a Rody silent hamster wheel that he loved. We also got a sort of wooden fort thing to go I the playpen, he loved that - I think if you use a playpen the hamster wants somewhere to hide, not a big open space. You can put bits of food inside for him to find.

They are incredibly quick. We were able to handle ours, once he was well settled in. My husband with his huge hands was the best at it, funny enough. We had a large sofa, we would spread a huge throw over it to stop it burrowing down the edge of the sofa cushions (heaven forbid) then let it run around there for a minute or so.

I agree you don't get a bond with the animal, it's just a tiny rodent. Honestly I wouldn't have one again as my DD bored of it really quickly.

First of all, please don't use a hamster ball. They hate it and it can be unintentionally cruel. Look up some information on that and how they navigate/what the experience is like for them

This. Very dangerous for hamsters.

The exercise balls are very cruel and I'm disgusted they're still sold. The hamster inside is trying to get out but it can't. It is an alien place for it to be and very stressful. I wouldn't bother to try to pick it up. Just enjoy it coming over, taking food from your hand etc.

Dwarf hamsters can make good pets. Yes, they can be fast but also they can be handled fairly easily once they are settled in and you are used to each other. You need to be patient and spend time with them, otherwise they will be scared. I think they're much nicer than Syrians.

Put toys in the playpen and hide food in there so they have something to do.

I agree about not using a ball though.

I'll reply fully later, but just a query re the ball. When we put it in his cage, he goes straight into it, so wouldn't he stay away if he didn't like it? Also, yesterday the lid came off it while he was running around, and he just sat in it, so again wouldn't he have made a run for it if he didn't like it? Genuine questions x

Hamsters instinctively walk into open ended things like balls or tubes. It doesn't mean they enjoy running in the ball. Though this can be quite useful when you want to move them and can't pick them up. Let them walk into the ball or jar or tube and transport them in that, but don't shut them in the ball to run around.

Op. We had a dwarf hamster when my eldest was 9. We did manage to make it work and be a positive pet/owner experience. I built a play pen using some bits of wood from b&q. We used magnets that allowed us to superglue some magnets on the wood and the play pen magneted together. It was big play pen 2m x 2m I took it apart when not used and it lay under the sofa.
The tank we used had a lid which came off completely (So you lift that off and only the bottom half is left.) We lifted the tank into the play pen and took the top off the tank. My son sat in the play pen and lifted hamster out and put him on floor next to him. The hamster ran around and climbed over my son exploring him like he was a big toy (top tip is to tuck your trousers in to your socks though). We also laid out a few treats and toys for him. We did this for about half an hour ever night while we chatted and watched tv and it was lovely.
He did oCcasionally bite but only in a curious way not aggressive and never drew blood. A few times we used special gloves to handle him if we didn’t want nipped.
When we wanted him to go back into the tank we laid the bottom half of the tank in to the play pen and the hamster basically climbed back in myself and we put the lid on.
My son absolutely adored his hamster he was a lovely pet for him.

Also the reason we built a wooden playpen was because the one we bought which had bars all the way round he just spent the entire time chewing to try and get out

@SpanishFly

I'll reply fully later, but just a query re the ball. When we put it in his cage, he goes straight into it, so wouldn't he stay away if he didn't like it? Also, yesterday the lid came off it while he was running around, and he just sat in it, so again wouldn't he have made a run for it if he didn't like it? Genuine questions x

www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/7712578/Hamster+balls+%28PDF+148+KB%29.pdf/712d2d82-6975-3b25-71ca-7789650d2e7b?version=2.0&t=1559134491346&download=true

All of that is irrelevant. Your hamster will go into it out of curiosity. That doesn't mean it's safe for it to do so.