[velma]

I think the best way is to not be confrontational - saying things like "don't do this or that" as part of a "we need to talk" conversation can be seen as negative and get some people's back up. I think a possible way of dealing with it to to make them think they are helping you out. you could be sat on the sofa having a general chit chat and drop your hammie into the conversation - make it about your learning curve and not theirs so they don't feel attacked (because has when people stop listening). Something along the lines of how much you're enjoying your hamster but wow, haven't things changed in the last few years and you feel like you're learning all over again. It's amazing what you've found they can/can't eat etc etc. And then you can say something like you've been chatting to some people who breed and show hamsters about how to tame them best. How their behaviour in the wild of being hunted affects how you get them to trust you and that sort of thing. You could invent a routine (feeding, handling, cleaning etc) that you feel has to be stuck to and explain how important that is and if they'd like to help that's be great but it must adhere to the routine so you "don't get set back with your progress". That could help?