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Old 03-31-2018, 07:42 AM   #1
Posi
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Smile Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

Hi everyone!

Thought I would introduce myself and my new hamster! I have wanted a hamster for about 6 years but unfortunately the flats that I rented through Uni didn't allow pets.

Pepper is a 4 month old shorthaired syrian hamster. I bought her from a breeder as I was a bit apprehensive about handling a hamster as I haven't done it before (my dad was in charge of that when I had hamsters as a kid! )

She is very active, inquisitive and VERY food motivated!!!

I would really appreciate some advice about handling her. I was doing quite well with her and was doing the method of putting food into the middle of my hand. We got to the stage that she was happy to sit on my hand while eating some seeds and I could lift her up.

However, one evening she bit my finger hard whilst sat in my hands and I have lost all confidence! I tried gloves but she hated them so I would like to go back to holding her with my bare hands. I know the fear is in my head and irrational as I probably smelt of food the time she bit me, even though I washed my hands, but I can't help it! I'm feeding her from a pincer grip but can't let her walk on my hand. I'm just worried my hands will smell like food and she'll do it again!

I'm very worried that I'll never be able to hold her after so long of wanting a hamster. Any tips/ideas would be greatly appreciated!
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Old 04-01-2018, 09:08 AM   #2
SKB_Hamsters
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Default Re: Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

Hello and Welcome to Hamster Central.

Pepper is absolutely beautiful.

I'm sorry to hear that Pepper bit you whilst taming and it has knocked your confidence. The same thing happened to me when I had my first Syrian and like you I was scared to let her go near my hands.

I stopped feeding my hamster with food whilst taming that way I knew that my hands wouldn't smell like food. Doing the tissue trick is also helpful in building a positive association with your scent - all you need to do is place some unscented tissues up your sleeves for a while and tear them up and place them into Pepper's cage. Most hamsters will take the tissues to their nest therefore will start to associate your scent with comfort.

I would recommend either using a playpen or a dry towel line bath tub - transport her there in a box and let her run around. Once she is comfortable in there you can sit in there with her (make sure you are sitting down before placing her in the bathtub). Let Pepper at first climb over you and when you feel comfortable offer a hand.

The only other advise I can offer is try to remain positive and don't be scared that she might bite as hamsters can sense your nervous energy and therefore make them feel uneasy too.

I hope taming goes well.
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Old 04-01-2018, 01:30 PM   #3
minijeva
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Default Re: Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

when i was taming my hamster she wanted to play with me since day one i left her for a day as i knew she was new and hadn't settled yet. i gave her e seed the next day and she took it. after a cople of days i put the seed in my hand and she bit me which nocked my confidence. keep going she will probaly bite again but if your confident and trust her she will trust you. pepper looks really cute keep going with taming and let her do her thing.
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Old 04-22-2018, 03:22 PM   #4
Jeanbird7
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Default Re: Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

Pepper sure is pretty.
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Old 04-22-2018, 05:09 PM   #5
dreamtree1234
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Default Re: Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

Welcome to HC and congrats on giving Pepper a loving home with you. She is absolutely adorable and I love her coloring. I'm sorry that you lost your confidence due to the bite, but don't lose heart. With time and patience, Pepper will learn that your hand is not something to nibble. Just take things slowly, use the tissue trick, and restart the taming process without feeding her at the same time so she won't associate your hands with food until she no longer bites or nibbles at your hand. I wouldn't use gloves unless she continually bites hard to draw blood as this will not allow her to get familiar with your scent. If she does bite or nibble, try your very best not to do any jerky or sudden movements as that may scare Pepper into fearing your hand. Since she didn't bite previously, she will probably resort to not biting again soon. Just keep confident and trust in your bond. That will give her courage and allow her to have the bond that you share grow over time. Good luck with the taming process and have fun.
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Old 04-29-2018, 12:07 PM   #6
Jules1958
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Default Re: Meet Pepper! Looking for handling advice.

Hi, I have had similar problems with the biting thing. I have found washing my hands with original fairy liquid and then rubbing them with substrate has been a winning combination and I haven't been bitten since! Just make sure you have a good hand cream to use afterwards as washing up liquid is very unkind on the skin, but it beats being bitten.
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