Help me train a jumpy hamster

oranges123 · 11-22-2015, 07:23 PM

Any tips on taming jumpy fast syrian hamster this is only my secound hamster and i need alot of help

cypher · 11-22-2015, 11:45 PM

Think of it more as bonding that taming.
Go slow, one step at a time, let your ham get used to your voice & presence around the cage then move on to introducing your hand, don't rush it & try to let your ham come to you rather than forcing things.
Once your ham has settled in try getting him/her? out with something that it's happy to climb into like a large mug, ball or box then try a little bonding either in a safe play area where your ham can't escape or in the bath tub.

pixiehollow · 11-23-2015, 03:03 AM

What Cypher said, Miley was extremely jumpy. I talked to her everyday and put my hand in for her to sniff and gradually she would climb on my hand but wouldn't be lifted. That took a bit longer. Work slow, he/she will need some time to trust x

Chezzu · 11-23-2015, 04:16 AM

Personally I follow a similar method in all of my hamster taming (though like cypher said, think of it as bonding, you and your hamster are getting to know and trust eachother!

But here's the step by step guide I usually use for my taming! :
Step 1 - introduce yourself to your hamster; talk to them softly and put your hand in their cage, try to slowly touch the sawdust and toys to get your scent on them. Put an old sock or an unscented tissue in your sleeve and put it into the fold in your arm, keep it there all day and then ad you're going to bed, take it out of your sleeve and put it in your hamsters cage, it should have your scent on it by now! This method lets your hamster know you are there and you're a presence.

Step 2 - Start putting your hand in their cage more often, a couple of times a day! You should do it slowly as not to startle you hamster, shuffling the bedding under your hand when you put it in the cage let's your hamster know you're there! Ideally you should be talking softly to your hamster at this point too even a simple "hello" will do! Your hamster may come up to you to smell you it may not, it all depends!

Step 3 - Now that your hamster is a bit more used to you and your hand being there, start offering treats to them! A lot of people say holding out the treats for them is the best way to do it but I think starting with just putting your hand on the bottom of their cage with the treats on works just a little bit better. Keep talking to them like you had been in the previous step. Chances are the first couple of times you do this your hamster won't come over and take the treats from you, but that's okay! Just be patient! Slowly they will start coming over to you and taking the treats! As they get more comfortable with this, start lifting your hand up highter so they hve to climb on your hand to get the treats, this will help you in the next step! Don't move on from this step until your hamster is fully comfortable with you putting your hand in, and is comfortable climbing onto your hand and taking the treats! If your hamster is scampering away as soon as they've taken the treats they are not ready to move on to the next step.

Step 4 - Gentle lifting; when your hamster comes over and onto your hand to get the treats slowly lift your hand with your hamster on it - at this point your hamster should at ready used to having your hand somewhat off the ground so lifting a bit higher shouldn't be too much of an issue! Once you've held them higher for a few seconds, lower them to the ground again so they can get off if they wish. Try to do this at a height that if your hamster does jump, they won't get hurt. Don't move on from this step until your hamster is fully comfortable with you lifting them up and putting them back down.

Step 5 - Slowly transition this to taking them out of the cage and into a different container, like a small box or something similar. Remember be careful but you are taking them out the cage and although they are used to lifting them higher they are not used to being took out of the cage. So be ready for the possibility of them jumping or something similar, just remember take it slowly. Once your hamster is in the container give them a few seconds and then put the container in their cage so they can climb out back into their cage. When they are comfortable being taken out and put in the container slowly you can start lifting them back over to their cage so they get used to you taking them both there and back! I recommend slowly taking the container away so it will become you picking them up, and holding them for a few seconds then you putting them back in the cage. Don't move on from this step until you and your hamster are fully comfortable with it and there is no jumping or nervousness!

Step 6 - Start walking around with them in your hands, not far, just around your room to get them used to you carrying them around, and stroke them gently whilst carrying them!

Slowly but surely they'll get fully comfortable with you! I hope my method works as well as it does for me for you! ♥

flowerfairy · 11-23-2015, 04:37 AM

Lovely bonding tips Chezzu.

Chezzu · 11-23-2015, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerfairy

Lovely bonding tips Chezzu.

Thank you! I just hope they come in helpful for anybody who reads them! ♥

Shannonmcn · 11-23-2015, 05:03 AM

Lovely detailed post there Chezzu! I think the important thing to emphasise is to go slowly

I will disagree with you in one point though, sorry. Walking around and carrying your hamster might be okay for very chill hams and in all probability nothing will ever happen but I personally wouldn't take the risk of a loud noise or sneeze or a weird noise from the TV or a door banging in the wind causing an incident. You really can't control for freak noises and a ham could get really injured falling from that height. Having a little carrier for transporting a ham more than a few feet close to the ground is much safer, especially if your ham is a jumper!

Chezzu · 11-23-2015, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shannonmcn

Lovely detailed post there Chezzu! I think the important thing to emphasise is to go slowly

I will disagree with you in one point though, sorry. Walking around and carrying your hamster might be okay for very chill hams and in all probability nothing will ever happen but I personally wouldn't take the risk of a loud noise or sneeze or a weird noise from the TV or a door banging in the wind causing an incident. You really can't control for freak noises and a ham could get really injured falling from that height. Having a little carrier for transporting a ham more than a few feet close to the ground is much safer, especially if your ham is a jumper!

Thank you! And definitely! Hamsters need a lot of love and patience, if your hamster is forced to move on too early it can actually cause taming to take longer!

You have a very good point! I always have a container close, it's always handy! If your ham is a jumper, I agree, it's probably best that you just transport them using a container! It can be quite dangerous to transport your hamster across the house even when they are very chilled! A container is definitely a must have!

Wookiee · 11-26-2015, 03:23 PM

Our syrian is still a little jumpy 3 months on but we are getting there slowly and have pretty much been doing exactly what Chezzu has outlined. It all started off badly when Chewie bit my husband on the day he arrived home lol. It made everyone a bit nervous and he was clearly still unsure about actual contact, even though he's been perfectly happy to come up and take a treat from our fingers for a while.

Over the past couple of days he's started running to the cage door when we open it (which makes my daughter panic a bit when she's changing his food bowl, she's scared of getting a bite like daddy and probably hasn't helped progress at all, although he runs to her when she's talking to him from the safety of the other side of the cage). Just this evening for the first time he put his front paws on the palm of my hand while taking a nut from me. Only for a second or two and then he took his nut and scurried off, but it felt like such a big achievement!