Help with flying ninja hamster

[Little-Nova]

Hi everyone.
I recently re homed little nova and I'm making really good progress with her, she will now eat from my hand and will come out of her bed to greet me when I speak to her through her cage.

Now where I'm having trouble is this. As things were going so well with nova that when I saw a little Syrian in need of a new home I decided to take her in as I had recently brought a second hand hamster heaven really cheap.

She was brought as a present for a little girl who was terrified of her, so they no longer wanted her. She's around 12 weeks or so I'm told. She's still pretty small but in comparison to Charlie most Syrians are.

So this is where I need help, I've had Ivy for around 2 weeks now and I've made absolutely no progress with her. I've been trying to get her used to my voice and the smell of my hand but when I put my hand in the cage for her to approach and smell, she comes flying at me and bites. And it's not just a nip but severe bites with bruising, swelling and blood blisters. I think she may be traumatised from her previous owners.

So now I'm stuck as to where to go from here. I would try the bathtub method but to get her out of her cage I have a feeling I would have to chase her round her cage to get her into the ball to make the transfer and I don't want to scare her more.

Do I just keep putting my hand in and get bitten. I'm just really stuck with no clue what to do

Any advice out there

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'd suggest stopping putting your hand in the cage unless you need to (e.g for feeding) for now, just sit by the cage and talk to her. Let her get used to just the sound of your voice and you being nearby first, then in time she should realise you're not a threat and you can start taming off from a better place :)

[Little-Nova]

Thats what I was thinking but I wasn't sure if a more aggressive taming technique might have been needed.

I think I just wanted to run it past people as its been so long since I needed helo with taming. I've been really lucky in the past with hams coming to me pretty much already tame

Thank you

[slatted]

When I first got Arriety home she had really bad cage rage and would turn on me whenever I tried to interact with her in the cage. I then just left her be for a while, just talking to her and making sure she had her needs met.

She now comes to the cage door and begs to be let out and is a friendly tame hamster, though she does still prefer to come out under her own steam.

I know how frustrating it is wanting so much to interact more and getting such a negative response but sometimes it just needs you to back off and let them decide to come to you. Give her time, like you say you do not know what she experienced at the last home.

Good Luck :)

[kyrilliondaemon]

Good luck :)

[Gazmo]

good luck, maybe just try and pick her up in a cup or tube, maybe shes jjust cage aggressive like they said :) x good luck x