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Old 01-17-2017, 06:12 PM   #1
squeakylittlepaws
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Default What's your taming technique?

Again for interest/fun/knowledge sharing - what's your favourite taming method or methods? How long do you really leave them to settle in? Etc

I'm sure we've all read the same literature on what works best blah blah but there's nothing like hearing from actual people who have had a range of experiences and hammie personalities to deal with!

So interested to hear what you do! Same approach for all or different approaches between pet shop, rescues and breeders?
Your usual treats ?
Leave hand in cage?
Work from outside at the bars first?
Take hammie in a box to the sofa to start there?

And what's the most ridiculous lengths you've gone to or funniest thing you've tried - now when you look back?

And come on we've all at some point messed up no matter how hard we want to do the right thing - what's your worst taming horror story?
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Old 01-17-2017, 08:40 PM   #2
Drago
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I leave my hams to settle in anywhere from 4 days to a week, depends how long I personally feel they seem to be settling down. During this period, I don't spot clean daily or move/touch anything this way the ham can become completely comfortable with his/her environment. First I begin small with giving tissues and napkins with my scent on and out it in their food dishes so they can smell me and they tend to appreciate the extra nesting material as well. Then I'll start speaking calmly to them and putting my hands near the cage, and I will also give a cheerio each time I pass and they act curious or friendly towards me. After that I like to pet the ham slowly and see their reaction, most hams, even my most tame don't like being pet so this is mostly to desensitize them to human touch and hands. I'll do this until I will begin lifting them slowly and letting them become comfortable with having me touch them. Then they're generally all good to be tamed and I can take them out as I please. One taking horror story I have is when I decided to be impulsive and pick my young Syrian up without taking it slow and steady. Well, needless to say, she hissed at me, bit my finger open, and then leapt out of my hand! She was a cheeky little one, and never tamed down or enjoyed being touched. I had it coming though, rushing her into it! I use the same approach for all hams, but will modify based on personality. No two hamsters are the same and each taking method is different for each hamster. And lastly, my favorite treats to use are plain cheerios as they are yummy and healthy in moderation. Hope this comtributed a bit!
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Old 01-18-2017, 06:41 AM   #3
squeakylittlepaws
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I was once bite by a really friendly tame girl who loved to be handled, it was just one of those things, I'd opened the cage up to give her a treat, she was at the door but lost her footing and slipped I instinctively lunged out to grab her to stop her falling - even though it wasn't far, and she wouldn't have hurt herself even if she did land on her bum, she was about 6 inches away from the substrate - but it was just instinct and the quick motion/lunging action from above her etc meant she responded with instinct and she bite me - it didn't draw blood and it all happened in an instant - but I think she was as shocked as I was. I think had she'd been able to talk she would have said, "oh my I'm so sorry for that' haha.

I sat down in shock, she sat down in shock and then we both got up and apologised with a cuddle
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Old 01-18-2017, 10:35 AM   #4
EnerHam
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I've owned 10 hamsters and I've found there isn't a single taming technique that works for every hamster out there.

For example, I usually leave them to get used to their new home for around 4 days to a week with little interaction above adding food, changing water and speaking to them, but that's not always the case/possible. I went to add a little fresh food to Aurora's cage on the second day I owned her and she marched right up to me and walked onto my hand like she'd been with me for months. The weird part: in her six months of life before me she'd only been handled for cage clean outs.

I also had a special needs ham for a time, Speedy, and couldn't leave him for longer than four hours at a time, so there was no time for him to settle in. Luckily Speedy seemed to inherit his mum's (Aurora) friendliness and never appeared stressed with all the attention from day 1.

A few years ago I owned an extremely nervous Chinese hamster, Keith, who never really got tame. I did get him from a pet shop and I have no idea what his circumstances were before I got him, but no amount of offering food, hand-in-the-cage or just standing in the room his cage was in got him used to people. Eventually I managed to get him to a point where he didn't bite the moment my hands came near him and I could pick him up, but sadly he was more of a look-don't-touch kind of guy and never really trusted me.

But those are all extremes of one form or another. My usual taming tactics start with offering food from the tips of my fingers and then gradually moving the food towards the palm of my hand (or creating a trail of food from the tips to my palm) and then lifting them and inch above the ground to start. I gradually increase the distance from the bottom of the cage/the amount of time I hold them for (both of which are dependent on the confidence of the hamster) until I can lift them out of the cage without feeling as though they will jump at any given moment. After that, I play the hand-to-hand game for a bit, and gradually extend the amount of time they're out of the cage for until they're totally comfortable being handled. I find doing the taming sessions at the same time of day helps, too.

While all that is going on I speak often to get them used to my voice, and sometimes scrunch tissues in the palm of my hand and then put them in the cage so the hamster gets used to my scent--though I tend to save this for the ones who won't come near me at all.

Above all, I'd say just judge it on the temperament of the hamster. The friendlier they are to start with, the easier it'll be. Some just need a little time and love to be coaxed out of their shells, while others may never get totally used to people.

Wow, wall of text! Okay, just one more thing...

My worst taming horror story came from the second hamster I owned. I think I was twelve at the time, and still not particularly well versed on the needs of hamsters in general (think small cages, bad food mix choice). The lady who sold Henry to me showed us her taming technique: trapping the hamster between your hands to 'get them used to your scent'. I didn't think this was a good idea and refused to try it, but my dad said that 'we had to get him tame' and gave it a go. Cue four bitten fingers and a stressed out hamster. Luckily, I finally realised that the computer-thingy sitting on my desk could be used to find out hamster info, and Henry and my other ham at the time, Humphrey, got better treatment. A woman from the same pet shop told me syrians could be kept together in groups a couple of years later. No wonder that place got shut down. Henry was no worse for wear, and actually turned out to be the sweetest hamster I've ever owned. He lived for two years and eight months.
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Old 01-18-2017, 02:36 PM   #5
squeakylittlepaws
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I read an article saying you shouldn't start taming in the cage but remove the hamster first I.e your first interaction should be on the sofa or similar.

We've mostly worked from outside the bars, to inside the cage to out. The article prompted this post as it's a different way of looking at it. Didn't disagree with the wisdom behind the article and I don't think it was wrong - but hasn't by and large been our approach - although was with our first hamster.

It's interesting. Wondered if anyone else always removes the hamster to a neutral area rather than placing hand in cage to offer sweets and things?
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Old 01-19-2017, 07:31 PM   #6
kelza
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I usually take the first few days to week after the settle in period to get new hamsters use to climbing into an item (upside-down hideout or an empty tissue box) being carried/lifted short distances. This is always followed by a yummy treat! After a few days, I moved them to a dry tub or playpen to explore. I then start offering my hand towards the end of each play session. Once they are comfortable with my hand in the neutral zone I will start offering it in their cages. Of course I'm using the tissue trick from the start to help them get use to my scent.

I usually, but not always, start new hamsters in a smaller cage. This helps me to get to know their personality and to determine their individual needs. The smaller spaces seems to help the shy hamsters build more confidence too.

The hams I have started this way with have always had more confidence. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks before I can handle them, but it is all done their pace. Some take less, and some more time. Even if they end up being a look-don't-touch friend, they at least end up not being cage aggressive or scared of everything.
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Old 01-20-2017, 06:58 AM   #7
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Default Re: What's your taming technique?

I use a variety of different techniques depending on the hamster and their personality.

With James and Victoria, I had a head start with them as they were from club breeders and were already used to human interaction so it really was just a case of getting them used to me personally and I began this the day after they came home. All I ended up doing with them was just getting them out of their cages for handling sessions before I put them in their playbins for playtime. I think if I'd have left handling them for the four days to a week like some places suggest, they'd think something was wrong as they'd have been used to frequent handling as babies by their breeder.

Matthew was bred by myself and when taming babies, I found that it helped to handled their mother first so that some of her scent would be on my hands when handling them. They were removed from their tank for handling as I don't think I'd have got anywhere with them if I'd have waited for them to come out and find me. I think when you're dealing with taming a litter, it's best to get on with it rather than wait around too long because that first week after their eyes open is such a crucial time.

I've had to use different methods with my pet shop hamsters but I've never really had much success with the 'tissue trick'. I had one girl who was really rather nervous of human interaction so I had to go ever so slowly with her. It literally was a case of she'd climb out of a mug or something one day and she wouldn't take to any further progression to the next stage for a couple of weeks. Jessie on the other hand was friendly towards people from the word go but was just too hyperactive to be able to deal with too much taming. Interacting with her in her playbin was a great help here as she didn't feel restricted at having to sit still - even now at a year old, she's friendly but doesn't do sitting still that well so is not really a hamster for cuddles.
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