Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000
It's what they do - climb the sides to try to escape any playpen. Can you pick him up and handle him? If not, this is the time to get him used to touch when he's climbing the sides. Just stroke him on the back once with one finger. If he leaps or jerks around, wait a bit and then do it again. Eventually he will ignore it and carry on trying to climb and be used to one finger stroking him on the back. From there you move onto letting them walk over your hand. Hand flat on the floor palm up and him just get used to walking over it. After a few times of that, lift your hand slightly as he walks over it but let him still walk off. On another session lift your hand a bit higher - maybe 3 inches or so but still let him walk off. After that you should be able to let him walk hand to hand and hold him and he should be hand tame.
Different times can make a difference to. It depends on the hamster but I find they are highly active around 6 to 8pm and wanting to run off. But from about 8 to 10pm they can be quite dopey and even just go to sleep out of the cage. Then from 10pm onwards they are highly active again. So work out the best time of night with him!
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Thanks, this is very helpful. He will walk onto my hand for a treat and will let me stroke him while he's distracted with food etc - at other times he jumps or tries to twist round towards my hand (I'm guessing because he thinks I have a treat for him!). I will work on getting him used to touch in the playpen as you suggest
