[Fluffagrams]

I usually leave mine just a day to settle and then I'll start getting them used to me but all of my current hamsters have been from breeders rather than pet shops. I think it depends on what interactions they've had with humans prior to rehoming rather than it being a hard and fast rule so I agree that there's really no need to blame yourself.

I've not found that the 'tissue trick' has made much difference with mine but over the years I've used several different approaches to taming and the one thing that seems to have been fairly consistant is that the sessions that have taken place outside their cages have had the best results.

You'll need to entice your hamster into a mug or something so that you can carry them over to the taming space safely and then what happens next will depend on your hamster's nature. With a young Chinese, I would use a small space, gently stroking them, picking them up and most importantly, allowing them to get down from my hand if they want to get down rather than trying to keep them in my hands. With a slightly older, more lively hamster, I may choose activities that involve engaging with them at playtime such as allowing them to climb over a hand (gloved to start with if you're worried). At this early stage it will be about getting you used to each other as I imagine there's probably a bit of apprehension on both sides at the moment.

I know that a lot of taming advice often recommends offering treats but again this does not always result in success. A Chinese lad I bred a couple of years ago went through a rather nippy phase because he had come to associate my hands with food. To overcome it, I had to stop feeding him the treats directly from my hands. He eventually learnt to wait at a particular place in his cage for the treats to come dropping through the roof and he ended up being one of the most soppy, loving hamsters I ever had.