[EnerHam]

I've owned 10 hamsters and I've found there isn't a single taming technique that works for every hamster out there.

For example, I usually leave them to get used to their new home for around 4 days to a week with little interaction above adding food, changing water and speaking to them, but that's not always the case/possible. I went to add a little fresh food to Aurora's cage on the second day I owned her and she marched right up to me and walked onto my hand like she'd been with me for months. The weird part: in her six months of life before me she'd only been handled for cage clean outs.

I also had a special needs ham for a time, Speedy, and couldn't leave him for longer than four hours at a time, so there was no time for him to settle in. Luckily Speedy seemed to inherit his mum's (Aurora) friendliness and never appeared stressed with all the attention from day 1.

A few years ago I owned an extremely nervous Chinese hamster, Keith, who never really got tame. I did get him from a pet shop and I have no idea what his circumstances were before I got him, but no amount of offering food, hand-in-the-cage or just standing in the room his cage was in got him used to people. Eventually I managed to get him to a point where he didn't bite the moment my hands came near him and I could pick him up, but sadly he was more of a look-don't-touch kind of guy and never really trusted me.

But those are all extremes of one form or another. My usual taming tactics start with offering food from the tips of my fingers and then gradually moving the food towards the palm of my hand (or creating a trail of food from the tips to my palm) and then lifting them and inch above the ground to start. I gradually increase the distance from the bottom of the cage/the amount of time I hold them for (both of which are dependent on the confidence of the hamster) until I can lift them out of the cage without feeling as though they will jump at any given moment. After that, I play the hand-to-hand game for a bit, and gradually extend the amount of time they're out of the cage for until they're totally comfortable being handled. I find doing the taming sessions at the same time of day helps, too.

While all that is going on I speak often to get them used to my voice, and sometimes scrunch tissues in the palm of my hand and then put them in the cage so the hamster gets used to my scent--though I tend to save this for the ones who won't come near me at all.

Above all, I'd say just judge it on the temperament of the hamster. The friendlier they are to start with, the easier it'll be. Some just need a little time and love to be coaxed out of their shells, while others may never get totally used to people.

Wow, wall of text! Okay, just one more thing...

My worst taming horror story came from the second hamster I owned. I think I was twelve at the time, and still not particularly well versed on the needs of hamsters in general (think small cages, bad food mix choice). The lady who sold Henry to me showed us her taming technique: trapping the hamster between your hands to 'get them used to your scent'. I didn't think this was a good idea and refused to try it, but my dad said that 'we had to get him tame' and gave it a go. Cue four bitten fingers and a stressed out hamster. Luckily, I finally realised that the computer-thingy sitting on my desk could be used to find out hamster info, and Henry and my other ham at the time, Humphrey, got better treatment. A woman from the same pet shop told me syrians could be kept together in groups a couple of years later. No wonder that place got shut down. Henry was no worse for wear, and actually turned out to be the sweetest hamster I've ever owned. He lived for two years and eight months.