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Old 02-07-2019, 04:28 AM  
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: New hamster owner.. is it too late??

It's time and patience It is so frustrating when you want to just pick them up and hold them. But you will get there. It took 2 months until our last Syrian was hand tamed. Set back by the fact I changed his cage cold turkey after 3 weeks and did a lot of things wrong! Also he was a pet shop hamster, not used to much interaction or being handled - or possibly handled roughly.

It is a wonderful moment when they are suddenly hand tame and trust you - and it may take a while but when it happens it can happen instantly. They just need to learn to trust that you're not going to hurt them, or steal their food and nest - and also get used, gradually to touch and handling.

Bath tub taming is the usual thing suggested. Have added a little video I did of how we tamed our last Syrian Charlie. It doesn't show a lot really but there are some written tips with the stages it took.

We did a couple of sessions a week with the odd tunnnel or toy in the bathtub (you don't have to have an Octopod!). They tend to just slither up and down the side of the bath trying to get out. Start by trying to gently stroke your hammy on the back with one finger while he's slithering up and down - just a second or two. If he jerks around as if to bit then wait and try again later. Maybe do this twice the first time. If your hammy does bite when you do that, or you're nervous he will, then use an old toothbrush to do the gently stroke (just one or two strokes) on his back. Until he gets used to it and stops jerking round as if to bite.

Then move onto a finger. After that you can try cupping your hand under him while he's walking around the bathtub. Just slide the palm of your hand under him and lift it 1cm or so but don't try to hold him - just let him walk off again. Next couple of times, do that the odd time. He will then be used to your touch and scent and realise it doesn't hurt.

From there you can move on to lifting the palm of your hand while gently holding him for a second or two and using your hands like a tunnel so they walk between one hand and the other. Just for a few seconds. After that you should be able to pick him up.

Bearing in mind they often don't like to sit still or be held for long anyway even after they are tame and used to you, and baby hamsters are very fast and active.

Setting up some kind of playpen for out of cage time can be good while they're young and zippy and you can sit in it too occasionally. That way they run all over you (as if you're an object) and get used to your scent.

Some hamsters are very scared of hands if they've ever been handled roughly by anyone. And as prey animals they are naturally scared of anything coming from above.

Also their cage is their territory and they often don't like a hand in their territory (and may run at it if they're not tame) - but they can accept a hand much better when they're out of the cage/their territory.

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