Confused About Hamster Behavior

[Natasha95]

I've had my Syrian for about 8.5 weeks now, and I got him at 10 weeks old. He was the calmest hamster at the pet store (he let me pet him, and he didn't try to bite the associate who was helping me pick out a hamster). He still doesn't bite.

I followed all the usual steps for taming, and it took a couple of weeks for him to crawl into my hand. However, we ended up skipping the step where I lift him up a little more each day because he immediately started climbing up my arm every night. I'm not sure if it was because he was comfortable with me or because he wanted to get out of his bin cage.

He recently moved into a rat cage for better ventilation in the summer, and he doesn't need my hand to get out of his cage anymore. Now I can't tell if he's tamed because he'll climb onto my hands or lap sometimes, but most nights he avoids me while he's free ranging. He'll usually use me as a bridge, but he won't stay on my lap or in my hands for more than a couple seconds before jumping off. Some nights he's nervous and he hides in the corner and won't come near me, and other nights he's energetic and he climbs all over me.

So my questions are:
1) Did I do something wrong while taming?
2) Is this normal behavior?
3) Should I just accept the fact that he's not the kind of hamster that likes to cuddle and be held?

[CMB]

You have done the taming ok. It just takes practice. When young they are more eager to explore rather than sit and be cuddled.

You will learn to know what your hamster wants/doesn't want and adjust handling, free ranging etc.

[Cinnamon Bear]

Like CMB said, you didn't do anything wrong. Takes time to build a relationship & then you'll know what he likes & doesn't like. Don't get discouraged. The rat cage sounds interesting, maybe your hammy needs time to adjust to the new cage. He probably was using your arm as an escape attempt. Just give him timeXX

[MissJeliza]

He sounds like he could be getting comfortable with you though if he was exploring on you!

Like others have said he might be getting used to the new cage
And he might be very curious! Young hamsters tend to be!
My late Hammy Jeliza was a climbing wiz, all she wanted to do when she was out was explore everything, including me!
She was always up my arms, down my back, over my shoulders, up my sleeve.
Even till the end!
It was just her personality!
it sounds like yours has a similar personality type!

It sounds like your doing everything right!

[Natasha95]

Thanks, everyone! Hopefully it will just take some time for us to get to know each other. I'm glad I didn't do anything wrong.