[dreamtree1234]

Hi and welcome to HC! Miles certainly is a real cutie pie. I'm so happy that he has such a loving home with you now. Concerning taming, each hamster sets their own unique timeline of when to move on to the next step so just let him determine when he is ready for each new one to begin. Also, try your very best not to get discouraged if he seems to have some backtracking in taming as well as this is perfectly natural for some hams, especially if they have a tendency to be shy or insecure with interacting with humans prior to taming. I would just continue with the tissue trick. This entails placing an unscented tissue into your sleeve for a few hours in order to have your scent transferred onto the tissue. Then, place that tissue directly into his cage so he will become familiar with your scent even if you aren't around. He will probably take the tissue into his nest and use it as extra comfort while being in there. If he chooses not to take it to his nest, it is still fine as he will become familiar with your scent and find its presence in his cage to be nonthreatening. In the meantime, take every opportunity possible to talk calmly and quietly to him regardless if he is visible or not. This will allow him to become used to hearing your voice and recognizing it as a friendly one. Keep all cleaning and rearranging of his cage to a bare minimum for now and only do the spot cleaning when needed. I would also make sure he has plenty of substrate to burrow into and plenty of hiding places to make him feel more secure. Since it is typically much easier to tame a hamster outside of his cage, I would probably give him a few more days to settle and then start the taming process by having him go into a container or ball to transport him to a hamster-safe playpen or tub with the drain covered with a towel. Make sure to have plenty of hiding areas, toys, etc. in there with him and let him have a chance to crawl on you in there. I wouldn't pursue him but instead let him come to you at first. After a while of that step going well for a few days, start offering him treats and see if you can slowly scoop him up at a low level at first and then gradually rising the level a bit higher after each level of height is successful for a few days. Be sure to have a towel to help cushion the area where you are lifting him up at in case he decides to leap or jump down. Make sure to keep each taming session very short and only a few minutes and then gradually increase the length of time. The key is being consistent and extremely patient. Since he appears extra shy, it may take a little longer for him to gain confidence and become more willing to be held or petted. After he is used to being handled and gains more courage, you could try interact with him more in his cage, too. Stay positive that all will be fine because hams, like other animals, can sense if we are stressed, worried, or fearful which can increase their fear level, too. Good luck and have fun. I believe all will be fine with the taming since he has already accepted you petting him. Good luck and have fun with Miles. I hope that this helps.