taming gone wrong? D'X

[whitewhitegun]

Please help me i’m so frustrated and feel so helpness…and sorry of my poor english..

I just got a male syrian hamster for 1.5 weeks now. he is 9 weeks old.

I have been handling him everyday since day 3. In the first few days he would take treats from me in the cage and sometimes eat on my hand. and he seems ok with me picking him up too.

However, problem begin since i took him come out of the cage. He was so excited and hyper. He always wanted to get to the ground and run all over the room. When i pick him back up he keep moving and wanting to go back to the ground. I tried putting him on my bed but he always goes towards the edge and try to jump off… And sometimes when im chasing him when he escape i think i have scared him … Its feel so sad and tiring for both of us i’m now not very comfortable having him free range running..(i don't have a bathtub)

i tried putting him in a ball last night and let he run all over the room, he seems to have loads of fun, but he seems to have endless energy, he runs for like 2 hours ( with break of course) and still want to play more...

when i put him back in the cage he really want to come out again, and he would bite the cage for 30 mins non-stop. (the cage is 168 square inch with 3 level, so about 500 square inch in total)

now whenever i walk near the cage he would climb up to the door waiting for me to get him out…even if i hand him treat he has no interested (both in cage and outside cage)… i could not really pet him because he is always on the move, and whenever he is out of the cage he is too busy exploring and digging a way out (in the corners of the room), he would never come close to me…even if i put my hand next to him he would choose to climb down on the other side…..
how should i continue the taming process actually?
should i still let him out? or is it better to start taming all over again?
and how should a fully tamed hamster behave actually?
Are these signs that he is stressed or wanted to escape?

i feel a bit heart broken sometimes thinking that he doesn't like me. I have seen hamster calmly sit on owner’s hand and even if they move they move slowly…

sorry to have so many questions, he is my first hamster and my first pet, I am happy to have him but i am also very worry that i didn't do a good job. PLEASE HELP ;___;

[cypher]

Your hamster sounds quite normal to me, just very young & full of energy!
In the long run you might be better off with a bigger cage all on one level, you could probably put more toys & things to keep him occupied in a cage like that.
Make sure he has a big enough wheel so he can use it comfortably, most syrians need something between 10 to 12 inch wheels.
Give him as many toys as you can so he lots to do in the cage, even plain toilet roll tubes to chew or hide treats in will keep him busy & use up some of that energy!
Outside the cage could you make or buy some kind of playpen? With that you could let him out for longer without worrying about him escaping & it may be easier to pick him up again without having to chase or scare him.
I don't have experience with syrians, only dwarfs so maybe someone else will have more ideas but I hope that helps a bit all the same.

[BilboOlaf]

Cypher's advice is spot on. You need to try to make a playpen, as large as you can and preferably so you can sit in it with him. Then he can run all over you!

I found that my ham Bilbo is very active and frisky when he is fully awake at about 10pm, so I now wake him at 8:30pm and he eats, washes and then comes onto my lap for handling and a cuddle while he is still a bit sleepy. He then goes in his ball when he is fully awake and wants to run non stop!

I think you are doing the right things, maybe you just need to alter the actual 'taming' to when he is awake but not at full throttle.

[Willow Wisp]

He sounds pretty normal to me too and I totally agree with everything Cypher says :)
I have 2 female Syrians and both would rather be running around playing, digging and climbing and generally causing havoc than sitting quietly with me LOL and who could blame them :) Life is for living and I enjoy seeing them have fun :)
Young Syrians can play fast and furious, as they get older they slow down, or at least that's what I'm told, it doesn't seem to be happening in my house yet though.
I think a lot also depends on personality too, I know some members here say their hamsters are quiet and chilled and happy to sit having a cuddle :) Not my two, I've tried letting them run on the sofa, the bed, the dining table, they just want to jump off. In the bath they stress and spend the whole time trying to climb out. You see they all have their own individual personalities and we need to learn what ours likes to do :) Some just prefer to explore and see the world around them :)
As with most animals time and patience wins the day, take things slowly and at his pace :) Letting him run around in his ball may help burn off some of that excess energy :) and maybe get a playpen for him, in there you can interact with him more without the fear of losing him, you will be more relaxed knowing he's safe :) and he will learn to trust you :)
Good luck

[Chi]

I too agree with what Cypher said, as for the playpen part you can make one out of a cardboard box, they's tutorials on youtube for this, its cheap and easy to do, better then you trying to run after them all over your room after playtime :) you can also sit inside the playpen with them to help with taming.
Remember hamsters are brilliant escape artists and will try anything to escape from their cage, this kind of behaviour is normal so I would worry about it just make sure your cage is escape proof!
It can take weeks or even months to fully tame a hamster, I've had my syrian for 5 months and he still jumps from my hands! but keep at it and you may have a loving hammy :-)

[whitewhitegun]

thank you everyone!!!:D:D:D
I have posted simular thread in another hamster forum but didnt get any informative reply...you guys are so nice!!

its good to hear that these behavior is normal. Makes me feel a lot better!
I will try the playpen method soon!:D:D:D

[astrohamster18]

Okay, nothing seems wrong. Right now he is very restless, full of energy, and curious. I suggest you get for him a playpen (moderately sized) and put some toys, treats, and activities in there, and let him roam. Put your hand in front of him every once in a while, let him sniff you, and then pet him with your pointer finger very slowly, and calmly. Also, another thing to do is close the door to your bedroom, and sit down criss-cross in the middle, and then put a treat in front of you. This way he might associate you with safety if you do it patiently, and he won't avoid him as much. But don't get down on yourself. They are very ornery and excited when they are little, and it might take many weeks to get him to settle down. But be patient, and talk to him softly every night, like he's your little baby (he is), and sing to him, and let him sleep on your arms, etc. He will be tame sooner or later!

[Hammiesandchips57]

your hamster seems pretty normal, just hyper, i think you should get a bigger cage, or try a large tank, and for your taming issues, try something called bathtub bonding or a playpen