2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21
Not only cats and dogs can be taught to follow all sorts of commands. Rodents are also trainable. Rats and mice are the easiest to train. Hamsters can also be taught tricks if you put in the effort. But how should a hamster be trained? What rules must be followed? What to refrain from?
How to choose a hamster
It's no secret that it is best to start training any pet from his childhood. At an early age in animals, the formation of conditioned reflexes occurs. Hamsters are no exception. For trick training to be most effective, it is best to purchase a hamster between 3 and 15 weeks old. The older the hamster, the more difficult it will be to tame him to actions and teach tricks. If the hamster is more than two years old, then training is already meaningless.
It should be an active and curious animal, non-aggressive and not shy. It is best to buy a hamster from those who already have positive reviews. Buying a hamster in a pet store or bird market, you run the risk of taking a sick animal home with you. Experienced breeders breed only the most promising animals, make sure that there are no closely related ties, and the animals are initially kept in good conditions. In a pet store where animals of different sexes are kept together, you can buy an already pregnant female, an animal with bad genes, or a hamster infected with parasites.
You need to pay attention to the type of hamster you want to buy. Many owners find Syrian hamsters easier to train and tame. On the other hand, they need more space than dwarf hamsters. The minimum cage size for a Djungarian hamster should be 50 x 30 cm, and for a Syrian hamster - 60 x 40 cm. The diameter of the running wheel for dwarfs should be at least 16 cm, and for Syrian hamsters - 18 cm. two feeders and a drinker. Syrian hamsters live a little longer, but they are not as active and agile as Djungarian hamsters.
Taming
Before you can teach a hamster commands, it must be tamed. After moving to a new home, the animal needs time to adapt. The first three days you should not pick him up or disturb him once again. You can talk to him in a quiet calm voice. After the animal settles in a new home, you can start getting to know each other.
First, the animal needs to be given a treat from the hand. The hamster should get used to the smell of your body, and he will begin to associate your hands with treats. The animal itself can run up to your hands and smell them. Sometimes hamsters bite their fingers slightly. Not worth itscold them for it. The animal is just exploring you and doesn't want to harm you.
When the hamster is no longer afraid of your hands, the treat can be put a little higher so that the animal has to completely climb into your palm. You need to repeat this procedure several times. When the hamster climbs onto your hand without fear, the palm can be slightly raised above the surface. Gradually, the hamster will climb into your arms, and you can easily get him out of the cage. But be careful, because sometimes hamsters can jump from their palms. If an animal makes a jump from a meter high to the floor, it may break. Therefore, the hamster must be monitored very carefully when it is outside the cage.
Basic training rules
Hamsters, unlike cats and dogs, perceive punishment for misconduct as an act of aggression. In response, they try to protect themselves: bite or run away. Therefore, hamsters can be trained only with the help of encouragement. For the sake of a delicious treat, the animal will go to great lengths.
Before you train a hamster, you need to observe the behavior of the animal. All hamsters have their own special traits. Some animals make contact easier and are more friendly towards humans. Other hamsters may bite and act aggressively and are difficult to tame. In any case, you should not force the animal to do what he does not want. The tricks you teach your hamster should be based on the animal's habits, tendencies, and ability to learn.
Hamsters are nocturnalanimals, so training is better to start in the evening. You should not wake the animal during the day, because this way you can bring down its daily routine, which can cause diseases of the animal. Do not train with a hungry hamster. It is necessary to abandon the training of a sick, old animal or a pregnant female.
Hamster name
Hamsters can recognize their nickname and respond to it. The name for the hamster should be short and clear. It should contain hissing sounds. To teach the animal to respond to him, repeat the name of the hamster when you approach the cage. When the animal looks out of the house, give him a treat. If the animal is on a walk, pronounce its name often and clearly. As soon as the fluffy pet goes to your voice, encourage him. Gradually, the hamster will run towards you when he hears his name.
Exit the cage
This trick is possible if your cage has a door on the side, not on top. If it is too high from the exit from the cage to the floor, substitute a ladder so that the animal is not injured when it leaves. Place a treat at the bottom of the ladder. Then repeat the word "walk". When the hamster leaves the cage, he will immediately stumble upon a treat. Repeat the workout several times. When the animal learns the command, you can no longer use the treat. Although periodically it is worth encouraging him so that the skill is not forgotten. Over time, having heard the command, a trained hamster will rush to the exit even before you open the door.
Rack on the rearpaws
To teach a small pet to stand, you need to take a treat with two fingers so that the hamster can see it. After that, it must be raised so that the hamster is forced to reach for it, standing on its hind legs. In this case, the command “attention” or “stand” should be repeated. When the command is fixed, the treat is no longer necessary to show the animal, you can only pronounce the command. As soon as the hamster completes it, then you can give a treat.
Following the master's hand
How to teach a hamster a trick? The hamster needs to be shown that you have a treat in your fingers. When the animal approaches your hand, slowly move it forward, beckoning the animal to follow you. After your hamster follows your hand, give him a treat. You can teach your pet to follow your hand in a straight line, after which you can draw circles or whole patterns. Don't forget to encourage the animal periodically, or it will quickly lose interest in following your hand.
Overcoming obstacles
The cage for the Djungarian hamster should be equipped with different toys. When choosing filling for a cage, it is necessary to pay attention to the safety of all items. Metal ladders with thin bars can cause injury to the animal. Unsafe for hamsters and fabric hammocks. Hamsters love tunnels and bridges, various swings. It is better to choose wooden toys for hamsters. Plastic ones are less environmentally friendly. With these accessories your hamster will learn to overcome obstacles in the cage.
Djungarian hamsters jump high enough,therefore, they can be taught to jump over the ring. But how can this be achieved? How to train a hamster? Do not hang the ring too high, because then the hamster will simply run under it. Initially, the ring may be in contact with the surface. Put a treat on one side, and plant the animal on the other. Move the ring so that the animal has no choice but to pass through the ring on its way to the treat. When the skill is fixed, raise the ring a little above the surface so that the hamster has to jump over it. Over time, the height can be increased.
Similarly, a hamster can be taught to pass through other obstacles. A treat can be hung directly over an obstacle by a thread. The hamster will have to climb onto the ledge to get it, and then get off it. If you taught your hamster to follow your hand, you can move it over an obstacle so that the pet jumps over it.
So we've looked at how to train a hamster. It must be remembered that hamsters quickly forget what they have been taught. Therefore, without constant training, the animal can quickly lose the learned skills. A hamster needs constant communication and work, otherwise he can forget all the tricks and run wild in a short time.
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