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Pebbles82 · 03-25-2018, 03:09 PM

Just replied to your other thread but mainly on housing. Generally best to leave her alone for the first 2 or 3 days to settle into the cage and scent mark, then move onto gradually taming so she gets familiar with you and trust builds.

You can talk to her through the cage bars so she gets used to your voice, and then move on to offering a treat through the bars, then a few days later see if she'll take one from the palm of your hand near the cage entrance. They often don't like a hand in the cage, so taking her out for taming can be good by then, for out of cage time. If you have a hamster ball, let her hop into that from the cage, pop the lid on and carry it carefully to the bathtub (dry with plug in) where you can put the ball down and let her out to run around safely. Put a couple of toys in - eg a kitchen roll inner tube slit down one side so it expands. Or a mug on its side. And you can get her gradually used to being held while she's out of the cage. If she's not tame already start slowly by just stroking her back with one finger until she gets used to you.

They can "ping" when they're not tame - ie wriggle and leap at the same time about 2 feet in the air, when you try and hold them. So get her used to touch while in the bathtub and always hold them low down over something soft - eg sofa, cushions or the bed.

If/when she's hand tame she won't ping any more.

03-25-2018, 03:09 PM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: advise needed Just replied to your other thread but mainly on housing. Generally best to leave her alone for the first 2 or 3 days to settle into the cage and scent mark, then move onto gradually taming so she gets familiar with you and trust builds. You can talk to her through the cage bars so she gets used to your voice, and then move on to offering a treat through the bars, then a few days later see if she'll take one from the palm of your hand near the cage entrance. They often don't like a hand in the cage, so taking her out for taming can be good by then, for out of cage time. If you have a hamster ball, let her hop into that from the cage, pop the lid on and carry it carefully to the bathtub (dry with plug in) where you can put the ball down and let her out to run around safely. Put a couple of toys in - eg a kitchen roll inner tube slit down one side so it expands. Or a mug on its side. And you can get her gradually used to being held while she's out of the cage. If she's not tame already start slowly by just stroking her back with one finger until she gets used to you. They can "ping" when they're not tame - ie wriggle and leap at the same time about 2 feet in the air, when you try and hold them. So get her used to touch while in the bathtub and always hold them low down over something soft - eg sofa, cushions or the bed. If/when she's hand tame she won't ping any more.