New Russian Dwarf Owner, Settling In and Taming Tips

[Thin Lizzy]

Congratulations Euan on your new ham Nugget, sounds like you're making good progress.

[Euan]

So now I have Nugget sitting in my hand, exploring me via nibbles and approaching me when he hears my voice near by, would the next step being trying to lift him up off the substrate in an open palm? He seems cautiously confident in, though easily spooked by sudden noises/movements I don't want to freak him out by moving too fast. What are your thoughts?

[cypher]

If he's happy to climb onto your hand now then he probably won't even notice if you lift hem ever so slightly & gently off the substrate, just go slow with increasing the height if he does seem at all uncomfortable with it but he should be fine.

[Euan]

Great, ok I'll try that whilst he is preoccupied with the food in my hand so he'll be distracted. What general nibbles would you recommend for hand feeding a hamster as I have been using sunflower seeds and meal worms and I know that in moderation they're fine but especially with meal worms they can be not great in high quantities and I don't want to turn him into a little blob. Any suggestions?

[CMB]

Flax, linseed, pine nuts and pumpkin are some I used for hand feeding. You could try son broccoli or cucumber.

Hope he continues to get used to handling, lifting etc.

[cypher]

All treats do need to be given in moderation really & it's best to have a selection of things so they don't have too much of one thing.
I use various seeds including flax, sesame & hemp, you can also try a small piece of veg, a little bit of broccoli or any other favourite veg that he might be happy to munch on while sitting on your hand.
Sprouted sunflower seeds work well too as they tend to sit & eat them rather than just pouching it & immediately looking for the next one!

ETA I forgot to mention millet sprays which are good too are they tend to spend some time munching on them, you can either hold a whole one for them while they sit on your hand or just break a piece of & put that on your hand.

[Euan]

So Nugget is now happy to climb into my palm and have a nibble and a sniff, he's also happy for me to stroke/pet him and play with him on the substrate. However, he gets a bit cautious if introduce a second hand and if I try and scoop him up he just runs out of my hand, not away, just hops straight out. I get it as a small prey animal in my relatively large hands he may feel entrapped, are there any tips you have for trying to get him comfortable in both hands?

[CMB]

Let him get on one hand then put the other next to it but a little bit lower. In an attempt to get down to the ground, Nugget should go from one hand to the other.

You could do this sitting on the sofa/bed or on the floor (possibly in a hall to lessen the chance of loosing him).

[Thin Lizzy]

Euan, I'm so pleased for you & Nugget, so lovely reading through this thread about your progress.
Agree with CMB, just go slowly with the other hand.

[cypher]

Just give him time to get used to the second hand, as CMB said letting him walk from one hand to the other should help, if you stroke him while he's sat in your hand he'll get more used to your hand being over him too & you could just try laying both hands flat & letting him walk over them without scooping him up & once he's comfortable with that try lifting him a little.