Hamster Training
Is Hamster Training Possible?
Hamster training isn't something most of us know much about. For that matter, most of us don't have the slightest idea as to how to go about it. If we did attempt it, what would we train the hamster to do?
Dogs Are Easier - One of the challenges we would face would be the great difference in size between human and hamster. We can train a dog by going out into the yard to conduct a session, training and although the dog is smaller, there is a feeling that a sort of equality exists, or at least you're dealing with something that is quite intelligent, hence trainable. Also, by observing the dog, we can get a fairly good idea at times as to what might be running through its mind at any given moment. The fact that a dog can look curious, intense, focused, confused, disinterested, or upset, helps the trainer to keep things on the right track and know when it's good to proceed and when to quit for the day.
The hamster doesn't bring all of these expressions to the table. Most of the time it just looks like a hamster, and we haven't much of a clue as to what it might be thinking about. When we're engaged in a session of hamster training, the fact is we're dealing with an animal which, while adorable, isn't really all that intelligent. Unlike a dog, a hamster doesn't have any particular desire to please, and whether it gets any enjoyment out of doing a trick or responding to a command is difficult to judge.
Hamster Whispering - One theory is, if you are going to train a hamster, you have to learn to think like a hamster. Easier said than done. This applies more to training a horse, where you have to learn to think like a horse because in communicating, a horse isn't going to meet you half way, as a dog seems to be able to do much of the time. Those with enough time on their hands and patience can learn how to think like a horse, and professional trainers, some of whom we call "horse whisperers" do just that. Whatever is involved in becoming a "hamster whisperer" will likely elude the most of us.
Reward And Punishment - There are a few things that a hamster can be trained to do however, and like training dogs or horses, a lot of it has to do with food, and a lot of it has to do with reward and punishment. Punishment does not involve harsh treatment, but in this use of the word it simply means the withholding of a reward, until the animal does what is expected of it at that moment. In training a dog, punishment is withholding the milk bone that would have been offered if the dog did the right thing. In training a horse, punishment can be keeping pressure on a rein instead of releasing it, because the horse didn't respond to the pressure in the first place. Punishment for a hamster? Who knows?
Poop! - One of the first things a hamster can be taught is to use its litter box. Being able to do this helps both the hamster and its owner, by keeping the living quarters much cleaner. Here we get one glimpse of how a hamster thinks. When it defecates, it prefers to go in the same spot every time, and will seek that spot out, usually through its sense of smell. Simply observe where the hamster goes, usually in a corner if it can, and place the litter box there, putting in some of its mess in the box. After a few days, it will have learned to use the litter box. Easy, Right? The hamster won't learn to poop on command of course.
Come! -A hamster can be taught to recognize its own name, mainly by constantly saying it, and to come when called. Getting a hamster to come when called can be almost as difficult as getting a beagle to do the same, but it is possible. It usually takes a bit of food. Call the hamster, offer the food, and if your hamster is of average intelligence, after two or three weeks of doing this several times a day, the hamster will get the message, and begin to come when called. It helps of course, in fact it's critical, that the hamster has been handled well and often, and has come to trust you. It doesn't trust you, the tidbit you offer will do little good. A supremely intelligent hamster may pick up on this in about a week, but don't let your hopes get too high. Your hamster is probably average.
Up! - You can also teach a hamster to stand on its hind legs by offering it a bit of food and making it stand to reach it. Eventually, a simple hand signal or voice command will be all that's required to get the hamster to stand upright. Just be careful not to withhold the food too soon, or you'll lose its trust.
As far as more advanced tricks are concerned, like standing on its forelegs or riding a miniature bicycle, that's for hamster graduate school, and beyond the scope of this article.