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Old 05-26-2012, 01:22 AM   #1
HorseyMandz
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Question Taming Guide Needed

Does anyone have any idea of the best way to tame a hamster, there's loads out there- they seem to range from the "leave the hamster for a day then grab it" to the "it will take you at least a month to tame your hamster".
Has anyone got a decent guide that will work on a Syrian?
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Old 05-26-2012, 02:20 AM   #2
HammyWammys
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

i dont think there is a way.. but with mine, ive just got a new hammy yesterday shes 9week old. and all i do is make sure i get her out everyday & talk to her. ( if you think they mite be abit bitey ide put some gloves on to be safe ) and that has allways worked for me
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Old 05-26-2012, 03:23 AM   #3
vanilla-yazoo
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

i tent to wait the day then pick them up, or use a ball for them to sit in on my lap if nervous, I cant keep my hands still as I get shakey hands really quickly, not from nerves but my blood pressure makes them twitch and shake.

I find that they soon settle down to handling, and im more then prepared to be bitten, but I rather get on with it and get them friendly then take months to get them to be stroked. you can see on 'we need a new nanny, jane and micheal banks' thread, I have been taming these two for their new homes, and how lil jane has gone from a slippery eel to climbing out to see me and having cuddles.

getting them used to you being around, but not constantly fussing them, getting used to your smell, sounds and movements, they soon settle down
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Old 05-26-2012, 04:42 AM   #4
StarlightSerenity
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Firistly, both of those statements are wrong - you should never grab a hamster (unless absolutely necessary, to prevent them hurting themselves or something) and a month is too long.

I waited two days with Luna, just to give her time to settle in. I started off my just talking to her, waiting for her to get used to the sound of my voice and start to venture out of her nest while I was about. Then I started 'proper' taming.

Each evening I would take off the top of her cage, remove the larger toys except for her nest, wait for her to go into a corner (makes it easier when they want to escape, never chase a ham) then scoop her up. I'd close my hands so that she couldn't leap off and hold her like that for a few seconds (no more than 5 seconds at a time), then open my hands up. At first she would leap straight off and I'd wait for her to go into a corner to start again. Eventually she would stay on my hands, when she started doing that I would put her back down after a few seconds so that she knew that I would put her back. Then it was just a case of increasing the time before I put her down again. I'd only spent 10 minutes or so each evening doing this.

Was really easy, within a a few of nights she stopped leaping off straight away and was fine being picked up (so no more hand closing needed) and within a couple of weeks she was confident enough to walk straight out of her cage and onto our hands and then became an attention seeking little madam! I never got bitten or anything either I didn't use any food/treats to tame her.

These links should help -

Taming tips - Hamster Central WIKI
Taming handling hamsters
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:24 AM   #5
HammyWammys
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlightSerenity View Post
Firistly, both of those statements are wrong - you should never grab a hamster (unless absolutely necessary, to prevent them hurting themselves or something) and a month is too long.

I waited two days with Luna, just to give her time to settle in. I started off my just talking to her, waiting for her to get used to the sound of my voice and start to venture out of her nest while I was about. Then I started 'proper' taming.

Each evening I would take off the top of her cage, remove the larger toys except for her nest, wait for her to go into a corner (makes it easier when they want to escape, never chase a ham) then scoop her up. I'd close my hands so that she couldn't leap off and hold her like that for a few seconds (no more than 5 seconds at a time), then open my hands up. At first she would leap straight off and I'd wait for her to go into a corner to start again. Eventually she would stay on my hands, when she started doing that I would put her back down after a few seconds so that she knew that I would put her back. Then it was just a case of increasing the time before I put her down again. I'd only spent 10 minutes or so each evening doing this.

Was really easy, within a a few of nights she stopped leaping off straight away and was fine being picked up (so no more hand closing needed) and within a couple of weeks she was confident enough to walk straight out of her cage and onto our hands and then became an attention seeking little madam! I never got bitten or anything either I didn't use any food/treats to tame her.

These links should help -

Taming tips - Hamster Central WIKI
Taming handling hamsters
we all have our Own opinion on how we do things, i dont think that it is wrong!. ive only had mine a day! and shes allready use to me. so i dont think there is a proper way of doing it.
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:26 AM   #6
StarlightSerenity
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by HammyWammys View Post
we all have our Own opinion on how we do things, i dont think that it is wrong!. ive only had mine a day! and shes allready use to me. so i dont think there is a proper way of doing it.
So you think there is a right time to tame a hamster by grabbing it?

PS - what I said is my own opinion and I agree that there are many ways to tame a ham just that some things shouldnt be done, like grabbing a hamster.
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:27 AM   #7
kyrilliondaemon
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by HammyWammys View Post
we all have our Own opinion on how we do things, i dont think that it is wrong!. ive only had mine a day! and shes allready use to me. so i dont think there is a proper way of doing it.
Actually she was right.
You should never grab a hamster and it shouldn't usually take a month to tame it.

We all have different ways but its never good to grab a hamster and its rare it'll take a month or more to tame too.
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:33 AM   #8
HammyWammys
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlightSerenity View Post
So you think there is a right time to tame a hamster by grabbing it?
i wouldnt put it in such words as grabbing it. but in my view its only way to get use to you.

for example.. kids. they are allways wanting to get them out for a cuggle. and after about a week, she got use to them & would take food off them ect:

its not going to hurt them.
but thats just my opinion on it. im not saying anyones way is wrong! thats just how i tame mine..
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:33 AM   #9
StarlightSerenity
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Oops, I actually read the month bit wrong - I thought they meant 'leave a hamster for a month' not that it will take a month to tame. Sam is right though - it's rare for it to take that long.
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Old 05-26-2012, 05:36 AM   #10
StarlightSerenity
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Default Re: Taming Guide Needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by HammyWammys View Post
i wouldnt put it in such words as grabbing it. but in my view its only way to get use to you.

for example.. kids. they are allways wanting to get them out for a cuggle. and after about a week, she got use to them & would take food off them ect:

its not going to hurt them.
but thats just my opinion on it. im not saying anyones way is wrong! thats just how i tame mine..
Your view it's the only way? So no other way works? Your contradicting yourself by saying no one is wrong but that the only way is your way.

You shouldn't grab a hamster, you will cause it to become frightened and stressed. There are much, much better ways to tame a hamster and it certainly isn't fair on the hamster to let children grab it as they can easily hurt them by grabbing them.
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