Struggling to tame a Syrian!

[Jack110]

Hi,

I've got a Syrian hamster (female) - called Cappucino.

We got her from pets at home, and were told she was about 9 weeks.

The guy said we couldn't handle her before as they tend to bite (which is fair enough) but he couldnt pick her up and when I put my hands in she happily ran across both of them then back into her cage and he managed to coax her into the awful little boxes they sell them in.

Anyways - she was originally in a standard plastic cage with a wired roof which we could open up and she would be okay with standing on her back legs to take food off of us. But would go crazy if we put our hand flat on the bottom or anything for her to run on to.

We always found her constantly scratching at the sides and trying to force her water bottle out as if trying to escape - so we decided to get her a Rotastak Space Command (didn't read the reviews first :( ) To see if it would give her something to be entertained by.

But when trying to change cage she escaped and we couldn't get near her at all. She had been out in her ball and everything but she still won't come near us unless we just dangle food above her - then she'll just nip it out our hands and go.

It's been like this for a few weeks now so any advice would be great.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Force her to walk over your hands to leave the ball sometimes. At first she'll leap over them but in time she'll realise they're not so scary after all. Then you can start moving them while she's on them and getting her used to walking over them e.t.c.

It'll take a while but it was part of what we did to tame Fwirl and she's gone from a biter who hated hands to a tame, confident girl :)

[Lynternette]

That's what I would do when I was taming Dusty. I would make a little bridge with my hand between his ball and cage. I've found with Popcorn that he's very friendly when he's out of his cage but hates you to put your hand in. I pick him up in a plastic tub which makes him less stressed. He has a wheel and bits and bobs to play with when he comes out. Give him a spare house or a box with a hole in so he can rest in there if he gets scared or tired.

[Jack110]

The only thing is, as soon as she gets on my hand, she'll jump and do a runner rather than go into her cage.

She's a little escape artist.

[AJ Hamster]

To get my hamster used to me like that i used to just put food in the middle of my hands (usually a bit of veg or his normal food) so that he has to at least put his front legs on my hands so he learns my hands not going to collapse or eat him, usually the hammies soon sit on my hand munching away.
Only word of 'warning' with it is if there's food else where on your hand they may nip (won't hurt, it'll just be a shock) so i usually use his food scoop to put the food on my hand so he smells me too.

I'm about to start doing it with my latest edition to be honest

[kyrilliondaemon]

If she'll go elsewhere in a hurry then you'll have to get her somewhere enclosed before opening the ball. Like having it just inside the cage or in the bath or a large box or somewhere.