Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Behaviour

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-15-2018, 01:07 PM   #1
Jaysephine86
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 15
Question Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

Hi everyone, I'm jaysephine and am looking for some help as you are all clearly very knowledgeable and we're not! All the advice i can find is for young hamsters so i was wondering if it's the same for older ones.

We adopted a lovely little black Syrian, Alan, he is about a year old. He is quite shy. We left him the best part of a week to get used to his surroundings (gave him a run round the bath part way through and the poor little thing was terrified so we gave him more time to settle. I was with him and am worried I've scared him). We've tried to be patient and let him come to us so have been gradually upping contact. He's started taking food from our hands - not every time, but mostly.

We've put him in a little pen the past couple of nights and he seemed fine, but tonight was scared again and hid where he could we really want to hold him but the advice has been conflicting. I keep being told to just grab him or scoop him but that feels like too much for him. Or are we being too soft about it?

My main worry is that he's going to not have enough contact and will learn to hate any attempt at holding. We don't know his past but the lady at the adoption centre picked him up fine and he crawled all over us seemingly happily. I'm concerned if we keep leaving it he will get worse. Is that fair or should we keep going as we are, being gradual? Do older hamsters take longer to trust people? We just want him to be happy and comfortable around us!

Admittedly we could be over thinking this.

Thank you for any help
Jaysephine86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2018, 08:41 AM   #2
Shadow Cat
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 156
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

If he seems scared of being scooped up in your hands from his cage you could use a mug or small bowl to lift him out and let him crawl out of the mug onto you in his own time.
Shadow Cat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2018, 09:03 AM   #3
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
cypher's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

Welcome to the forum & congrats on getting Alan, great to hear you've given an older ham a forever home.
I actually think it sounds as though you're doing ok, obviously you don't know his history so it is probably best to go slowly but be consistent, taming will often seem to take a step back then pick up again so try not to worry too much.
If he's taking food from you that a good start.
I would keep doing the sessions in the pen, if he seems nervous keep it short & give him a nice treat when he goes back in the cage.
People have different approaches to picking them up but I wouldn't be in any rush to scoop him up, try to get him used to just running over your hands to begin with & he should progress & be more comfortable with that then move on to letting him run through your hands, like a tunnel, from there you should be able to handle him more easily.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️
cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2018, 12:44 AM   #4
Jaysephine86
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 15
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

Thank you so much for your helpful replies. We did try again the pen last night and he seems to just not want to come out at all anymore. We're concerned about stressing him if we remove him from his little nest box so we put that in the pen and he just stays in the box. Nothing. I read another post saying to just start scooping him up gently for short amounts of time, and that it is ok and is the only way to properly get them tame. We wanted to try but again... he won't come out! Conscious of time ticking where he has no human interaction, conflicted with aware he is adopted and may take longer or even just never get used to us which makes me sad as i feel like he'd have a happier life once he has been tamed and feels bolder, and more comfortable in his own home!
Jaysephine86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2018, 11:51 PM   #5
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
cypher's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

It's hard to know which approach is best sometimes without actually seeing the ham, sometimes you just have to go with your instincts, they're all different & respond differently, getting him out in his nest box probably isn't the best thing as he needs to feel that that is a safe place, try to coax him out if you can & see if he will climb into something you can transport him in.
It might be right for him to just try & scoop him up but only you can decide really, you do need to be confident if you do that or you could just make him more nervous.
If he does seem really stressed out when you try getting him out maybe leave it the next day to give him a break & try again the day after.
Continue with lots of talking to him so he can get comfortable with you by the cage.
Sorry I can't think what else to suggest really.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️
cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 07:50 PM   #6
Thin Lizzy
Hamster Warrior
 
Thin Lizzy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Posts: 15,575
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

Hello jaysephine, welcome to HC.
Good on you for adopting Alan. Like cypher suggested, continue with the gentle approach, the talking softly and building his confidence. The thing with adopting is we never know the pets history. He might just be nervous or didn't have much contact with his previous owner. That doesn't mean he can't be tamed, it may take longer. Each ham is different. Try keepin to a routine, over time he'll adjust. Praise him with everytime he makes progress and reward that with a little treat.
__________________
Mom To Gorgeous Noah
Over The Rainbow Bridge - Master Harvey 2 years & 5 months, Twinkle 'The Diva' 1 year & 8 months, Archie 2 years & 3 months & Xena 2 years & 9 months. Forever loved by T-Liz.
Thin Lizzy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2018, 02:57 PM   #7
Jaysephine86
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 15
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

Thank you so much for your tips with Alan. I just wanted to give an update as we'd felt so sad and were thinking he might just like being alone. Well... since then he's been out to play a few times and I've held him! He's acted curious and had a good few runs around his playpen. We've just been more confident and stopped being as tentative around him. He must have just taken a little longer to adjust, being older and we are inexperienced with hamsters. We love him lots and he is finally seeming more comfortable with us. Chuffed to bits. Xx
Jaysephine86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2018, 11:02 PM   #8
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
cypher's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

That's really great
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️
cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 07:59 PM   #9
Thin Lizzy
Hamster Warrior
 
Thin Lizzy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland
Posts: 15,575
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

That's wonderful news.
__________________
Mom To Gorgeous Noah
Over The Rainbow Bridge - Master Harvey 2 years & 5 months, Twinkle 'The Diva' 1 year & 8 months, Archie 2 years & 3 months & Xena 2 years & 9 months. Forever loved by T-Liz.
Thin Lizzy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 09:58 PM   #10
larry ben kenobi
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 56
Default Re: Adopted shy older hamster, need help with taming

awwwww <3 I also adopted an older hamster whose previous home was not very appropriate for her, and it has been much the same of trying to move at her pace. She's over a year old and my first ham as well. This place has been extremely helpful to me too.
larry ben kenobi is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
older, part, time, gave, scared, contact, adopted, past, fine, advice, shy, hamsters, worry, main, hate, learn, taming, told, conflicting, hold, grab, jaysephine, attempt, feels, scoop

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:10 PM.