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Old 04-24-2020, 02:22 AM   #11
Ria P
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Petite View Post
Early experiments with the pastry brush haven't been noticeably successful. She had a quick nibble of it, then retreated hastily, seeming a bit frightened and regarding it with suspicion. She has also developed a habit of hiding in the most ungettable-at places, so it's hard to get a chance to stroke her with it. I wonder why she's so nervous and skittish.
Best to stroke them with a brush while occupied with eating or drinking. Its a way of getting them used to touch without actually showing them the brush in the hope that one day the brush can be replaced with a human finger.

It could be simply her personality that she's nervous and skittish. My Robo is like that. Out of my four hamsters there's only two i can pick up. One on his terms only and one that's been born tame and totally at ease with humans. I can interact with the other two but not by picking them up or petting them.

Have you tried taking her out of her cage yet to see how she responds to that?
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Old 04-25-2020, 12:15 PM   #12
Petite
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

I will keep going with the pastry brush to see if I can get her to a point where she doesn't mind being stroked (even though OH is now complaining that he will have to buy a new pastry brush for pastry!!)

Could I ask how you interact with your hamsters without picking them up or stroking them? I talk to Freya, and she likes to be hand fed treats. I've only taken her out of the cage once so far, and she didn't seem worried about it - just got on with the very serious business of investigating a variety of tubes.
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Old 04-25-2020, 04:24 PM   #13
Ria P
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Post Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

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Originally Posted by Petite View Post

Could I ask how you interact with your hamsters without picking them up or stroking them?
Percy the dwarf who bites i get out of his cage in a mug and then let him run around on my lap and the futon. I talk to him and he responds to his name or i just watch him hamstering about in his cage. Aside from the odd, light stroke interacting with Percy is non physical but i feel that i have made a lot of progress with him because he was a very disturbed wee hamster when i adopted him.
Robo Gordon is shy and elusive so i talk to him when i see him and watch him run around in his tank. He does come onto my hand to get linseeds and sniffs me. It took him three months to build enough trust.

I think its when a hamster responds to my voice, looks at me, doesn't run away and responds to his name, that's when i feel that they are interacting with me.
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Old 04-26-2020, 06:44 AM   #14
HamsterHaven2020
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

Maybe go back to the basics and just talk to her while she’s awake for about a week, this helped a lot while I was taming all 3 of my hamsters
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Old 04-26-2020, 09:50 AM   #15
Nika
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

Hey there! While I have no experience with dwarves I thought I would share some tricks that have worked for taming with Syrians talking to them while interacting with them is quite a good idea as it helps them recognise you a lot easier! A cool trick that has been helping me a lot with initial handling is grabbing a jar that they very easily fit in, putting their favourite treats in, and putting the jar down in the cage. They will eventually let you pick up the jar while they are inside. This familiarises them with your hand a bit without having to touch them so they don't bite! as they get more comfortable I find that I can carefully pet them at the opening of the jar, and then with time they let me do it outside the jar as well! I hope this helps and good luck
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:33 AM   #16
Petite
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

Thanks, Nika, I'm going to try the jar next time I clean her cage, after today's experience. I thought she perhaps knew me well enough by now for me to lift her from playpen to clean cage in my hands, scooping her up as I did with her predecessor. But she jumped! The floor wasn't too far below in this instance, but then hubby tried to catch her and she jumped again (from about waist height). Oh gosh, I do hope she's not hurt. She doesn't seem to be, but I feel so guilty.
I guess that's put back her taming by several steps.
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Old 05-21-2020, 02:54 AM   #17
Petite
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Default Re: Biting the hand that feeds you...

I'm pleased to report that taming has taken a significant step forward. I still only stroke Freya when she's absorbed in a tasty treat (because she really seems to have it in for my fingers!) but the last two evenings she has walked onto my hand for a treat placed in my palm without even trying to nibble anything else (except the sleeve of my cardigan). I feel we are making progress.
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