Hi! Here's the taming advice post. It may seem a bit basic because I wrote this for someone who was really struggling with taming two of their hamsters on The Guinea Pig Forum.
"The important thing is to remember to keep rewarding your hamsters when they make progress with taming.
Something I recommend you do is the tissue trick. Take some unscented, white toilet paper and keep it up your sleeve for a few hours, then place it in the cage. The hamsters should use it for nesting. It will help them get used to your natural scent. Don't give up with taming, it can take some hamsters a long time to be tamed, but the result is worth it. It can range from a week to several months. Always wash your hands with unscented soap before handling a hamster and between hamsters.
Firstly, make sure your hamster is in an adequately sized cage and species appropriate wheel (10-12 inch for Syrians and 6.5-8 inch for Chinese, Winter Whites, Campbells and Hybrids/Russians and 6 inch for Roborovskis as a standard). Secondly, if the cages have tubes, remove them. Hamsters are very difficult to get out of tubes and a nervous will often retreat to them. Tubes can also pose a risk to health if the hamsters pee in them (ammonia build up). Hamster poop is perfectly fine as they do reingest some poop.
Barred cages are easier for taming but the option is up to you. Make sure to find a well loved treat, that won't go mouldy but isn't ridiculously unhealthy. I use a combination of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and freeze-dried chicken (Thrive Chicken available from Pets At Home). If the hamster isn't too nervous, you can offer the treat in front of the nest/house. If the hamster doesn't come out to accept the treat within a couple of minutes, place it in front of the nest and leave it. This can be done with barred cages too, if the hamster is comfortable with you around. You poke the treat through the bars and wait for the hamster to take it from you.
Once the hamster is comfortable enough with this, you can move onto the next stage. Put the treats onto the palm of your hand so the hamster has to put its paws on your palm. When the hamster is consistently comfortable with putting its paws on your palm to take the treat and sitting there to eat it, you can move onto the next stage.
The next step would be to get the hamster used to stroking. You can start with something other than your hand if you aren't confident enough. Whimzee or Greenies dog dental toothbrush chews work well. These can be found in the dog treat aisle. While the hamster is on your palm, stroke it with the toothbrush and as they get more comfortable, you can switch to stroking with your finger. Keep doing this and rewarding the hamster when they tolerate stroking.
Afterwards, you should be ready to try handling. Take a good sized tube, where your hands can cover both ends if necessary. Cover one end of the tube and place treats at the end that is covered. Wait for the hamster to jump in to eat the treats and cover the other end. You can then lift the tube out and put it in a play pen or play bin, depending on your confidence and the hamster's confidence. Have a hand under each end of the tube so they have to walk over your palm to get out. Practice stroking the hamster again in the new environment. As they get more confident, you can put the tube on your lap, so they get used to climbing on you and you stroking them. You can then try picking them up off your lap, when you feel they are happy enough.
At this stage, I would consider them tamed."
Hope this helps
