How do I stop getting nervous around my hamster?

[rocknrage]

In the past, I've had bad experiences with biting hamsters. I just bought a hamster a few days ago to help ease my fear and redeem myself from unknowingly false care of my previous ones a few years ago. This new hamster, Munchie, seems to enjoy his new home and adapted quite well. When the employee who originally picked up my new friend to give me from the store, Munchie did not bite and seemed pretty tame.
I've given him 3 days to adapt without attempting to pick him up. He's taken food out of my hands, but I get very nervous when doing so, which I think is making him nervous as well. What's the best way to stay calm when trying to tame your hamster?

[Shannonmcn]

Practise is the short answer I think. Slow is better for both of you, don't feel bad for being nervous. Just wait until the both of you are completely confident with the current step before going to the next one, take everything at your own pace.

Picking him up is a big step. I would think about some free roaming time first where he can get used to you and walking on you and being around you for a prolonged time before attempting to scoop him up. A bathtub is perfect for this. Use his ball or a cup or a tube to transport him. If he's taking food from your palm, stepping on your hand to get to the food and allowing you to stroke him while he does then maybe think about lifting him but you shouldn't try it until both you and your ham are completely comfortable.

Good luck with it, I know it's hard to get over a setback like a bite sometimes

[SilverLainey]

Well done for getting back on the hamster... er horse!

[cypher]

I agree with everything Shannon has already said, it can be hard not to be nervous when you've been bitten before but if you just give yourself time for you to both get to know each other, take it slowly & don't feel you need to rush anything I'm sure you'll be fine.

[Pebbles82]

I was like that - especially as Charlie would run at me if I put my hand in his cage! But that's partly because it was a rubbish cage and he was stressed and aggressive (Rotostak space command).

The bathtub thing worked for me. Don't try to handle him in the cage until he is used to you. I put a kitchen roll tube in the cage, holding onto the other end and he would walk into it (they usually just walk into a tube, but if he doesn't have a treat at your end and that will tempt him in). Once in the tube I would lift the tube out carefully, have his hamster ball to hand, and put your end of the tube in the hamster ball.

I'd do this over a big cushion just in case he leaps out, but mine never did once in the tube - he felt safe in the tube. Have a peek in the end he went in to make sure he is the right way round! If he has turned around in the tube, then turn the tube around so his head end is pointing into the hamster ball. He should just walk straight into the ball. Then pop the lid on, let him have a run around for a few minutes in the ball, then carry the ball to the bathroom - I used to wrap the ball partly in my jacket while doing this so he felt safe, and talk to him on the way there!

Put the plug in the dry bath, put the hamster ball in the bath, then take the lid off and let him come out when he is ready. He will probably do what mine did and just try to run up the side of the bath and slide down again, over and over! Put the cardboard tube in the bath as well so he has something to play with or hide in. We couldn't try and pick him up or even touch him in the bath for the first 2 or 3 times as he was nervous and jumpy and that made me jumpy. But then we tried sitting in the bath first and he would just run all over us. (make sure he doesn't run up your arm and jump out by steering him away from that area with your hand or with the tube). After that, our little boy used to sit in the bath and I would just start stroking the hamster's back while he was running up the side of the bath.

He would tolerate it the odd time but sometimes would jerk his head back as if warning you he could bite - but he never did bite. So then I'd stop for a bit and then do it again a bit later. Once we were able to stroke him while he was in the bath (after 2 or 3 times he got used to it), I then tried to pick him up, but from underneath. So just cup your hand and slide it under his middle, lift him very slightly but don't hold him, and let him walk off your hand. After a couple of bath playtimes of doing this we were able to hold him and he seemed relaxed and not jumpy. The following night I put his hamster ball on the sofa on top of a big fleece blanket and opened it for him to come out. I kept pulling up the edges of the blanket so he couldn't escape. Picked him up and he just sat on my hand and I was able to stroke him - lovely!

It took weeks with ours but yours may be better if he was handled in the shop - I don't think our hamster had ever been handled - the pet shop assistant got him out in a tube. He is now perfectly handleable and never does the threatening head turn but he does try to run off a bit sometimes, but only slowly now so he is easy to manage.

Have a look at our recent little video. He is just out on our little boy's bedroom floor in the second bit of the video, on a blanket, so could have run off, but didn't venture too far. If you have a tube or two out with him they tend to run in them and hide anyway.

I've put both my videos on. The first one was a couple of months ago, before he was handleable, playing in the bath (with our little boy's Octopod!). The second one was a couple of weeks ago. Both very short. No more than a couple of mins. Note - the plastic anchor didn't hit him on the head! It hit the side of the bath but I couldn't see. Also it is a welly boot I am talking about in the second video. Treats help them go where you want!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IndB6nkeP7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzhFx1b63c

Hope this helps!

[rocknrage]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

[summerdaze]

You can buy some gardening gloves or thick gloves that may give you confidence to pick him up.

Also, if he hates being picking up and you don't want to, you can buy a plastic gardening scoop - if I place that in the cage with me holding the handle prammy runs into it ready to come out.



By the way, if you get that, make sure you place your hand at the end after he climbs in so he can't jump out. Kind of cup the hamster. Prammy's never jumped out of the scoop but I make sure she can't!

[Thin Lizzy]

Firstly, it's good you've not let biting hamsters put you of, go slow with getting to know Munchie.
Start by putting your hand slowly into the cage and let him sniff you from a distance, try rubbing his wood shavings on you're hands so he doesn't feel threatened. If you still feel unsure try a pair of cotton gloves when giving him a treat.

One thing about hamsters is they can sense if you're nervous - so call him by his name and talk to him quietly and softly to let him get use to your voice and scent/smell at the same time.

Don't clean him out till he's use to you and maybe when you do decide to clean him out, clean little sections with him in the cage and let him get use to the cleaning spray smell.

In time he will trust you and vice versa and you'll bond. Good luck, keep us informed of your progress!