Time to man up a bit :P

[FreddyAndMe]

I've had Freddy for almost 8 months now. He generally comes out in his ball for 10-15 minutes every night, but occasionally I put him in his little box and hold him. I started doing the usual offering treats to 'tame' him ages ago and that just made him think I was a source of food and so he would bite me.

At that point, I put leather gloves on and for the past five months I've only held him with them on in (dare I say it...) fear of being bitten.

The other week I was holding him and he was just crawling up my arms and over my gloves hands and I just thought that it's about time I tried holding him without gloves again. A bit nervous, but I am going to go for it in a few nights!

Any tips to avoid hamster savagery? Lol

[Thin Lizzy]

Be sure to wash your hands of any food smells and let Freddy come to you. Be calm, if he senses you're nervous then he'll be too. Talk to him, encourage him and praise him.

[CMB]

If you are nervous, you could do one gloved hand and one bare hand.

[FreddyAndMe]

I intend to do that - left hand I gloves first, because I don't care about that one as much XD

[FreddyAndMe]

Step one of project 'man up' achieved last night! I held him in a gloved hand and stroked him with a non gloved hand. It's actually the first time I have PROPERLY felt a hamster! They're really silly I think. I've stroked him with my finger before but not my whole hand like last night. He didn't try to nip it either!

[cypher]

Well done both of you! I'm sure you'll be ditching those gloves completely very soon now

[Thin Lizzy]

Lovely to hear it went well!

[FreddyAndMe]

Thanks We never got the best of starts, seeing as I wasn't there to get Freddy, so I couldn't assess whether timid or bold, flighty or bitey and so forth when my parents got him. I think it'll alllll work out now though!

[CMB]

Well done on both being brave with handling. Hope taming continues to go well and the gloves are no longer needed.