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Old 07-21-2021, 12:49 PM  
Ria P
House of Hamsters
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
Smile Re: Oreo is proving difficult. Please help. x

I have a timid foster dwarf at the moment and i don't think that she's been handled because she's as fast as a Robo.
I have to get her out of her cage to check that she's healthy, establish whether she bites or not and to get an idea of her personality because i need this information to be able to put her up for adoption. I do that in the evening when she's likely to be awake but hiding in the substrate.

So, i put a strong smelling treat like a couple of mealworms in a mug and listen to locate her. Hamsters have a habit of sleeping in one or two places. Then i rustle the substrate calling her name and eventually she pokes her nose out so i rustle a bit more and place the mug in front of her and she walks in to get the treat. While she does that i tip up the mug and place her in the playpen or i put her on my lap if i need to check her over. I put a towel on my lap first because its easier to get hold of a small hamster in a towel should they decide to leg it.
If a hamster screeches at me when i rustle the substrate then i'll back off and try again later because in this case they're obviously not in the mood and its no good trying to work with an angry hamster.

I use this method for taming as well because i tame outside their cages.
It's important to keep a certain treat back for this purpose and use it for that purpose only otherwise they won't be tempted.

I'd give Oreo another couple of days or so and then start with taming. Not every evening but maybe every other evening. You could use a large cardboard box as a playpen and make sure you put a wheel or saucer in it with a tube or hide or whatever you want to put in. A wheel is a good stress buster they need until they get used to humans and out of cage time.

I think that he just needs to learn that you don't bite.
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