Elusive Hammy!

[MabelFullelove]

Hi again!

So I've had Mabel a few weeks now and I'd really like to start the taming process with her properly. The problem is that she won't come out of her house until about midnight! She's awake inside and she'll stick her nose out if I rustle in the sawdust but just will not come out. Even when offered a treat she just stays inside the door to her house. I don't want to lift the house as I accidentally knocked it once when cleaning and she shot out of it and cowered in a corner all night. It really set her back in terms of trusting me. Unfortunately I have to get up early for work so I really can't stay up until midnight every night.

The thing is I know she's not completely scared as I've had her come and try to climb out of the cage door a few times and she'll happily climb into her ball then and she's then been out on my bed a couple of times (we tried the bath but she absolutely hated it). This problem is that she only ever does this about 5 minutes before I have to go to work! I've tried getting up earlier but again she won't come out before then. I've even been late to work the few times I have had her out just so I could see her but obviously I can't keep doing that!

She doesn't trust my hand yet either so the ball is currently the only way to get her out of her cage.

I don't know what to do for the best. Any suggestions would be very gratefully received!

[xFluffyHamsterx]

Maybe try the tissue trick? She'll get used to your scent so if you do gently speak to her she might smell you and think oh its her shes okay! I assume she has plenty to do in her cage? I'm still taming my hamster and mine didn't really use to come out but I realised the tissue trick and routine really helped (routine to come and play with him). Also what helps is hand feeding her treats. If you do this every day as a routine she'll really trust you (use big treats at first if you're scared or just her food!)

Does she only come out when it's dark? Is there a pattern?

[MabelFullelove]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

I have tried the tissue trick every other day and while she took a couple into her bed at first she generally ignores them now. She has lots of toys and hiding places and she loves her wheel... She pretty much ignores all the others toys for that exclusively! She'll also happily take treats from me when she's out of her bed but not when she's in it. She actively looks for the treats at her cage door in a morning.

I try to stick to a routine and gently wake her around half ten by gently talking to her and trying to coax her with treats but she just won't come out of her house until around midnight. And no it isn't only when it's dark as she happily comes out in the morning when it's bright light and I'm just about to leave. I'm guessing it's because she's had a happy whole night running! But as I said I can't really be late to work anymore to play with her as much as I'd like to

[cypher]

I know it's hard but I've found that trying to wake hams & get them out of their house can sometimes just result in setting things back, for a while anyway I would just continue to do what you are, try to coax her out of the house a little earlier & work round her schedule as best you can, if she seems to be gaining in confidence even a little bit then maybe try scooping her out into a play bin & doing some taming/interaction there.

The other option is to leave her at night & get up earlier in the morning to spend more time with her, I find Zeki hates being woken up, gets up late & just wants to run in his wheel without me bothering him too much but is very happy to interact early in the morning which just happens to suit me as I wake ridiculously early anyway!

[CMB]

Even if she isn't using the tissue for her nest. She is still getting used to your scent by having the tissue in her cage.

Maybe try different treats, there may be something she can't resist and that could be enough to encourage her to come out.