Maple’s Taming Diary
Maple has now had a week of taming using my tried and tested method invented my Cotton which I have used to tame all my previous Syrians and it has worked wonderfully for even my most timid hamster, Toffee. Where I use part of my old metal playpen, which was for my dwarfs Honey and Caramel, which all my Syrians have been easily able to climb over and when the climb to the top I offer my hand – at the beginning the often decide not to brave my hand but after repetition they soon realised my hands can actually be quite fun. So here is a diary of events from Maple taming for each day:
Day 1 (Sunday 8th) – Maple’s taming began and she thoroughly enjoyed her time out in the playpen – she explored every inch and investigated every toys plus giving them a quick chew too! Although it did take 45 minutes to discover her silent runner though which she loved and spent the rest of her 1hr taming session in her wheel. She discovered the bars on the playpen and this was too much of a temptation to bar chew – this is why I now prefer cages without bars! Maple didn’t show any signs in wanting to be handled however she was perfectly happy for me to stroke her though – I just love the way satin hamsters feel.
Day 2 (Monday 9th) – Taming went really well today Maple made great progress and happily climbed into my hand over 10 times. Once she climbed into my hand I placed her back in the playpen and she didn’t seem at all phased with my hand slightly moving. Like Sunday she really enjoyed exploring the playpen.
Day 3 (Tuesday 10th) – More great progress to report from today, Maple happily climbed into my hands numerous times when she wasn’t so fixated on bar chewing. As she Maple continued to be so very relaxed in my hands I gradually increased the amount of time Maple spent in my hands and then she even felt comfortable to walk from hand to hand on her human hand treadmill!
Day 4 (Wednesday 11th) – Let the scent marking commence, this is the very first time I have seen Maple scent marking so the playpen and toys have been claimed by her. Maple made even more progress in her taming in regards to being held, stroked and walking the hand treadmill, that I decided to see how she felt about being picked up – we just the like the rest of the taming it went really well and she didn’t have any issues with it at all. I did also see towards the end of her taming session whether she would climb into my hand whilst in the playpen – she did have a little investigate with her teeth but I didn’t feel a thing obviously realised fingers can’t be eaten or chewed!
Day 5 (Thursday 12th) – Today taming was a little later than it has been on previous days but just like usual Maple is very excited to have some play time out of her cage and quickly woke up and climbed into her box. Well today she spent about 45 mins off her 1hr play session in my hands. As soon as I put her back into the playpen she would instantly run back to the bars and climb out to be handled again. So now she doesn’t do as much playing and exploring in her playpen but it lovely how confident she is with being handled and what great progress she had made in only 5 days!
Day 6 (Friday 13th) – Not an unlucky Friday the 13th for Maple and myself, as we had another great taming session with her deciding to spend the vast majority of her playtime in my hands – it so lovely how she want to spend time with me and I can feel such a special bond forming. As she comfortable with being picked up I allowed her to have a little roam on my floor which she did enjoy, although this made her want to come out of her playpen more – but it so cute seeing her cheeky face waiting for my hand so she can come out again. The more she want to come out results in me being able to take less photos albeit it not very easy any ways as she is so fast. I also weighed Maple and she is 150g, which is a very good weight by the size of her paws I think she got a lot more growing to do look like I will have another big girl, especially as 150g was Sherbet’s full grown weight make me remember how tiny Sherbet really was!
Day 7 (Saturday 14th) – Well today Pumpkin progresses further with her taming and I invited my mum to sit with us during her taming, as when I’m taming I like to also get my hamsters familiar with another person as this help her to have a positive association with someone other than me – she wasn’t at all phased by being held by my mum and still spent the most of her playtime in either my mum or my hands. Before going back into her cage Maple decided to have a run in her silent runner.
I am so pleased with the great progress Maple has made from seeing the way she behaved in p@h when she actively tried to bite anybodys hands which entered her cage. I knew deep down she was a sweet friendly girl as she just needed someone who understood and was patient with her. As she is comfortable with being handled I am now planning to set her DIY cage up as a playpen as this will help her to get familiar to her new cage before she moves in and she can also spend some additional time in the evening in it when she really hyper to expend some of her additional energy.
After every taming session Maple gets to try a new treat to help boost the positive association with being handle, as I mentioned in my previous post she hates mealworms and wasn’t overly keen on carrot chips but everything else was a big hit.
Now for the photos, here are some of the photos I have taken off Maple since she came home …
(The flash from my camera makes Maples eye bright red instead in person they are a dark deep red with a slight purple hint – the photo of her bar chewing shows her true eye colour best!)
Here are two adorable photos of Maple asleep in her cage,
Maple trying chicken and linseed for the very first time – these were both very big hits!
And finally a series of photos from her taming sessions when Maple wasn’t in my hand and sat still long enough for me to get decent photos …
Plus an additional photo of my recent purchases for Maple, I only had her for a few days when I bought all of this for her; Maple doesn’t know yet how lucky she is and will be spoilt with so many new toys and chew. Maple has also thoroughly enjoying P@H summer range toys – I had bought them for Pumpkin the day she sadly left for the bridge so she never got to enjoy them however it so wonderful seeing Maple getting enjoyment out of them and I know that what Pumpkin would have wanted!