Taming not working

[basiltheroborvoski]

I got my robo dwarf hamster a week ago and after the first 3 days i started taming. I had heard that the best thing to do is start by hand-feeding treats - so i did that. Basil has no issue with taking treats from my hand - but any kind of direct contact with my hand, and he runs off to his hide. It's nearly been a week like this, and we haven't got any further.

Any ideas on how to get him more comfortable with my hand?




p.s. I'm new to hamster care.

[SKB_Hamsters]

You are making a great start to taming and its good that Basil is comfortable with taking treats from you. Taming hamsters does take a little while and depends upon their personality to - personally I find taming requires a lot of repetition - so I would recommend continuing with hand feeding treat and maybe start putting a treat on the palm of your hand to see if he will climb on to get it.
Another way to get Basil comfortable with your hand/scent if by doing this tissue trick - which involves placing some unscented white tissue up your sleeves for a while to get your scent on and then tear the tissue up then place inside his cage to help him to get familiar with your scent and also help him to find comfort in your scent.

[SimonandSyril]

Make sure you are washing your hands with a soap that isn't harshly scented. Hamsters have an incredible sense of smell so any strong smells can startle them.

[CMB]

Robo hamsters are often hard to tame due to their speed and size. I have a robo and he hasn’t taken food from me yet (it’s been about 3 weeks),

He will sniff my hand. I wait until his is off his wheel then put my hand in front of the wheel, so he climbs over my hand to get on his wheel.

He also will climb on my hand in the playpen, when it’s empty other people have used an empty box the same way I use the empty playpen.

I get them used to being on my hand first, before trying to stroke them.

I have also used an exercise ball. My hamster climbs in. Then I sit on my bed and let him climb out of the ball onto my hand.

Hopefully with practice your hamster will get better with handling and not hiding.

[basiltheroborvoski]

Thanks guys! I will try out your advice.

[velma]

It sounds like you're doing just fine. A week is still early & he's still settling in so if he's taking treats you're doing great. I second repetition and letting him get comfortable with your hand. My old robo Hector wasn't mad keen on bring stroked too much but he'd walk on my hand to take treats & then just to run over. I found a play tub was useful, just a storage tub with a handful of substrate to scent. I put a wheel & his sand bath or a loo roll/small box something like that. I found it was easier to get my hand flat to get him to walk over it. But like I said, it's still early so don't worry.