[MaryRobinson]

Hi all,

So, a year after signing up on here and doing all my research, I somewhat surprisingly got not a new baby hammy from a local breeder but an adopted girl from a colleague whose children had - surprise surprise - grown tired of their pet. She's between 4.5-6 months old and we've re-christened her Dora.

I've 'babysat' hamsters before but never owned one outright, so am a newbie but like to think I've read enough to be pretty confident about taking on a hamster. I've got a lovely haul of Rodipet stuff which I'm introducing to the new girl slowly and she is actually very social and happy.

I'm re-taming her as I hear that she was never properly tamed; they got her from a pet store and started handling her immediately. She did bite, but then, with three children under 7 prodding you, who wouldn't!

I have had Dora a week and she's sweet: will take treats from my fingers and come up to say hello. I'm using the bathtub method and she is now very happy to clamber all over me - with the exception of my hands. She won't go near them. I can put a treat 1mm away from my motionless palm and she'll take it. Put it on the tip of my fingers and she will ignore it.

So, she's a social hamster with a hand phobia! Any thoughts as to how I can help her? Treats in the palm of the hand seem completely uninteresting. If I have my hands out flat, motionless, she will actively avoid treading on them. She's climb on my arm, but not hands. My husband has managed to get her to take a treat from his but she ran off with it.

What do you think - be patient and keep on with the bathtub method, or try something else? I haven't picked her up or stroked her since we got her except when she tried to jump off me to the edge of the bath when I cupped her to stop her falling - she squeaked loudly!

I am doing the hand wash/rub in substrate/wear tissue down bra and give as bedding techniques etc. Shall I just persevere? Do things differently?

Thanks all!!