My hamster is such a diva!

MummaBorris · 03-11-2017, 09:12 AM

I haven't posted in a very long time. I have had many Russian Dwarf hamsters but now have a lovely dark brown syrian hamster, she has white legs so I have named her mittens - she is roughly 6months old.

Mittens is such a Diva! She has days where she comes up to the bars of the cage when I talk to her and seems pleased to see me and other days runs away if I go anywhere near her. When I got her, she seemed very scared, whereas now it just seems she can't make up her mind. She is very fussy about if anything changes in her cage. She enjoys being out and about in her ball or in a play box most days and in the last week is finally allowing me to stroke her.

I have put treats on my hand and she will take it but she wont climb into my hands. Any suggestions on what I can do to tame her more so I can hold her?

Drago · 03-11-2017, 10:51 AM

She sounds like she's full of personality! Most hamsters don't tend to like their cages touched/rearranged so it's not unusual that she would be displeased. It sounds like you're progressing steadily in the taming process, and it simply may just take more time and patience before you're able to handle her at any time you wish. You can try having her crawl onto your hand and rewarding her AFTER she's sat on your hand for a respectable period of time. This encourages her to sit on your hand and it helps her associate you with good things. Mittens sounds so adorable, good luck with taming

Jennie F · 03-11-2017, 02:39 PM

Take it slow and at her pace. I hold the ball up to the cage for Khali to come out, but when I put her back I hold the ball with one hand and put my other in front of the ball so she has to get out on my hand to get back in the cage. Ive found this has really helped. She was reluctant at first but now she is used to it. Ive recently started to put a blanket on my lap and then open the ball so she can come out and roam around. I will keep the ball handy and put it in front of her to go back into when she gets a bit boisterous. Sometimes i stand the ball upright so she climbs out herself and then she will walk over my hands. Little and often but at her pace seems to have worked for me. She wont get into my hand if i place it in her cage, but she is happy to walk over my hands and lets me stroke her when she is on my lap, so baby steps. Im sure you're little diva will be very loving in time

Thin Lizzy · 03-11-2017, 09:24 PM

Some hams can be a bit ocd when it comes to their cages.
As for climbing into the hands, this can take time, some hams just won't. My Twinkle was a right diva and taming took a while but it's all about going at her pace, I used the tissue trick so that she knew my scent and I praised her constantly, this helps their confidence.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 03-12-2017, 05:51 AM

It just takes time for your hammy to trust you. Have you had her since she was a baby? I see you've had her 6 mo

I rescued a hammy with cuddly on the sign of her cage. So I didn't have to do any taming at all but it did take a little while to bond with her, to get to know her.

MummaBorris · 03-15-2017, 11:39 AM

Thanks everyone for your posts. We are currently having a "im not talking to you today" mood swing from Mittens, bless her. But I will follow your helpful tips! Its good to hear others have had similar difficulties. She is too cute so I just want to cuddle her

but I will keep going at her pace.

Im not sure how old she was when I got her but she has grown a lot so I'd guess she was quite young.

I had seen some videos obline about people using the bath strategy, anyone tried that?

**Cinnamon Bear** · 03-15-2017, 01:44 PM

I tried bath tub taming and she was happy for about 5 min, then she got real scared so I took her out and put her back in her cage. I didn't try again since then.

Missy_Crane · 03-18-2017, 04:31 PM

Haha, aww. That sounds like my first Syrian, Mariah - she was a total diva. Some days she loved me and my mum holding her; other days she would shove us our hands of the way and off she'd waddle, like 'shoo, plebs, I have places to be' xD I barely ever got to cuddle her!

These little critters just have very strong personalities; they know what they want and when they want it. It sounds like you're a great, patient hammy-mummy, so I wouldn't worry that you're doing anything wrong

Cotton · 03-18-2017, 07:21 PM

Mittens is a cute name. That's great she will let you stroke her now. Have you noticed if time of day makes a difference?

I've had my dwarf hamster for only a week and was surprised she was so tame the first couple days and then seemed hesitant on days 4 & 5. Now I realize it's the time of day. Eager to play & jump in my hand in the evening, but not so much during the day. Being nocturnal, I guess her main priority during the day is sleep.