HELP! Impossible to tame hamster!

Emzlou09 · 10-08-2010, 02:59 PM

Hi all,
I think I know quite a lot about hamsters due to the amount I have had through the years, yet I am finding it impossible to tame my new male Syrian (Greg). Greg is a grey banded satin short haired approx age 9 weeks (when I got him and asked his age p@h said he was between 8-10 weeks). He is very shy and he hisses (something I have never heard a hamster do before) when you speak near him. At any sudden movement or loud sound he leaps into his pipe, my other hamster Simon used to do this but he is now tame after a month. I have only had him a week but am finding it impossible to tame him as when I manage to pick him up (this can only happen if I take his cage apart and take all the tubes apart) he will sit in my hands then he will jump out this is really worrying as he is so fast it is really hard to catch him because as soon as I manage to get him he just leaps out of my hands. I do not want to lose him he's a beautiful hammy but I am so scared of him hurting himself. I have never had this problem before! Has anyone else encountered this problem? Do you have any tips? Please help x

Ellie · 10-08-2010, 03:03 PM

Hold him close to the floor - so if does jump he won't hurt himself... Try hold him in a hammy proof room with no holes/gaps...

I've heard people mention sitting in the bath tub so they have nowhere to run?

Or at the moment we are taming Dynamite and if my brother is handling him Dynamite can be a bit fast and jumps onto the floor (from a low level) we put his ball infront of him and he will climb in that with ease, as he doesn't panic.. So thats a good way to stop your hamster from running off!!

Also my brother is holding the hamster just above his cage (without lid) so if he does jump, he jumps in there...

Hope this helps, sorry I'm not more expirenced...

Emzlou09 · 10-08-2010, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ellieandhammy

Hold him close to the floor - so if does jump he won't hurt himself... Try hold him in a hammy proof room with no holes/gaps...

I've heard people mention sitting in the bath tub so they have nowhere to run?

Or at the moment we are taming Dynamite and if my brother is handling him Dynamite can be a bit fast and jumps onto the floor (from a low level) we put his ball infront of him and he will climb in that with ease, as he doesn't panic.. So thats a good way to stop your hamster from running off!!

Also my brother is holding the hamster just above his cage (without lid) so if he does jump, he jumps in there...

Hope this helps, sorry I'm not more expirenced...

Thank you for the response and the advice

I was holding him close to the floor but he was SO fast I have honestly never seen a hammy move so quick! This is only the second time I have managed to hold him but the first time he walked along my hands then made his hissing noise (I nearly pooped myself as I wasn't expecting it) he didn't bite I haven't had that problem it's just he runs away so fast!

Ellie · 10-08-2010, 03:13 PM

Not sure if this works BUT try tire him out before handling him? Put him in his exercise ball etc so by the time it gets to your handling he doesn't have too much excess energy?

Emzlou09 · 10-08-2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ellieandhammy

Not sure if this works BUT try tire him out before handling him? Put him in his exercise ball etc so by the time it gets to your handling he doesn't have too much excess energy?

That's a good idea, he's been running in his wheel for a while now so I might try taking him out in a minute, put him in his ball for 10 mins then try over the bath tub.. will let you know how it goes..

Ellie · 10-08-2010, 03:17 PM

If he jumps in the tub though he will hurt himself, I think you have to actually sit in it, or maybe you just hold your hands very level to the bath.. Sorry I'm not sure, I'm sure someone that has tried it can help

Emzlou09 · 10-08-2010, 03:20 PM

I will try sitting in it to be on the safe side

stellanova1 · 10-08-2010, 03:21 PM

You could try letting him come to your hand in the cage with a tasty treat on it as well? It may take time but he will slowly learn your hand means something good and will start to trust you and be less frightened. I think the key is patience and letting him come to you.

amyXlovesXhamstersX · 10-08-2010, 03:28 PM

It might be a good idea to put some towels in the bottom of the bath incase he jumps...he would have a softer landing! if you sit in the bath and put his ball in the bath as well then if he is scared he can go into the ball, he might feel safer in there. Good luck, i hope it goes well!

Emzlou09 · 10-08-2010, 05:46 PM

I sat in the bath with him for two hours and he was climbing over my legs quite happily but whenever I put my hands near him he would turn into super fast super jumping hamster but I did notice that when I put him back into his cage I left him for 5 minutes (so I could clean the poop he left in the bath) and when I came back he was running in his wheel so I opened up the little hatch and he came over to have a little nose.. This is a BIG improvement as before if I went near the cage he would stop what he was doing and shoot straight up the tube!
Please look at my photographic evidence... So cute

Hello

| Flickr - Photo Sharing!
DSC00489 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!