How to Teach a Hamster Tricks

Having a hamster can be lots of fun, but it’s even more fun to teach it to do tricks and reward it with treats! Plus it gives you something to show off for your friends.

Steps

1
Build a good relationship with your hamster. Teaching a hamster will NOT work if the hamster is scared of you. Get to know your hamster by giving it treats daily from your hand until it will come out of its house and explore your hand for treats when you put your hand down, palm up, into the cage.
1. 2
  Know your hamster. Many people say that dwarf hamsters are not smart enough to do tricks and are likely to bite, but despite common beliefs, dwarf hamsters are surprisingly compatible and intelligent. If you hamster is a very grouchy one, you may want to reconsider teaching it tricks as it will probably get impatient and slouch away. If you hamster is very hyper, it will take more patience from you to get it to know what you want it to do.
  1. 3
    
    Be ready to have many days of training and patience ahead of you. Training your hamster to do tricks will take lots of patience and plenty of treats. Here’s a hint – have a good supply of treats in store before you start to train!
    
    4
    
    Now you’re ready for the Circle Trick. This trick is the easiest to do, but will still take a few weeks of training. Simply hold the treat above your hamster so that he/she knows its there. It will stand up and sniff the air, then try and reach for it. Lower the treat so that it’s at eye-level with the hamster, but before the hamster can get it, move the treat in a circle, while saying the training word(s), i.e. “Do a circle!” or “Turn around!” Keep it short and simple. The hamster should follow the treat around in a circle. Then give the hamster the treat
    
    5
    
    Repeat.
    
    6
    
    Repeat again.
    
    7
    
    The next step for the Circle Trick is to hold the treat above the hamster’s head and say the training word(s). If the hamster does not turn around, go back to step 4 for a few more days. If it does turn around, give it the treat right away. Do this again until you can hold your finger above the hamster, say the training word(s), and it will turn in a circle. Once you are satisfied with the hamster’s abilities, make sure that you reward it with a treat