I can't handle my hamster. Help!

[amethystpeach]

Hi!
This is my first post so I hope it is in the right place and that everything makes sense :)
I bought my female Syrian hamster home at the start of December from a reputable breeder. She lives in a 100x50 tank with a mesh lid and has plenty of toys and a 28cm wheel. She is very curious and always comes out to see me whenever she's awake.
However, I'm having problems with handling/taming her. I can stroke her and feed her food/treats from my hands but as soon as I move my hands to pick her up she jumps or tries to bite me. She had been handled at around 3/4 weeks by the breeder and she never showed any signs of aggression. I've tried many different methods of taming (like the bathtub method and using a small box) but she's still very skittish and jumpy and tries to bite me if I attempt to handle her. This has made me anxious about handling her so I have also used gloves to give myself more confidence when trying to handle her but I still get the same outcome.
I'm worried I'm doing something wrong. Am I taking things too fast as she's still only a baby (3 months)? Or should I just leave her alone if she doesn't want to be handled?

Thank you for reading :)

[Jazzlovessyrians]

Hiya, I'm not as experienced as some other members of this forum so someone else may have more advice. But maybe she just isn't a big fan of being picked up. How are you picking her up, are you cupping your hands and letting her climb into them before lifting? Hammies aren't a big fan of being grabbed from above them.
She may just need more time to get used to you, you seem to be trying all the right things, just allow her to climb on your hands before you pick her up and make sure she gets plenty of treats when she does let you pick her up. Also make sure to ruffle her bedding so your scent is on her bedding to get used to it more. My hammie also particularly liked a certain hoodie I wore when I was first taming her although I'm not sure if it was just a coincidence, you could try wearing a particular top/jumper every time you handle her so she gets used to the feeling and see if it happens to work. As I said, though, that may have just been a complete coincidence with my hammie. Good luck and don't give up!

[Ria P]

When taming i let my hamsters walk into a jug or hamster ball (used for transport only) and then place them on my lap while sitting in a hamster safe area. For the first few, short sessions i just let them sniff around then move on to light touch while they're occupied eating and gradually move on to putting my hand around their body and eventually pick up put down exercises. It takes a while for them to get comfortable with getting picked up.
Their reward is freedom or the chance to freeroam for a while which they love.
I find that Syrians i tend to pick up from above and dwarfs i scoop up in my hands.
I did have one hamster who did not tolerate getting picked up which i accepted.
I currently have a hamster who does not want physical human contact or out of cage time which i also accept because that's just the way they are.

[amethystpeach]

Thank you so much for these tips! I've tried both scooping and picking her up from above but she's clearly not ready yet to be handled like that- I will see how it goes as time goes on :)

[hamster_lover995]

I think that you should slowly bring your hand into the cage but don't put it directly at her or try to pick her up. You can use treats but you should wait until she comes your rather than you just grabbing her so eventually when she is sitting in the middle of your palm you can lift her up a little and pick her up. Of course, the process will take a while so don't try to do this all in 1 day.

[JaneP]

Hi. I’ll be really interested to read the advice of others here about his too! We’ve had our Syrian (out first hamster) for about four weeks. She’s just a baby too and is around 12 weeks old. She’ll let me stroke her in her cage and when I put my hands in to do her daily clean she’s quite happy with that. However, same issue as you... when I’ve put my hand flat in there with a treat for her, she comes to my hand, gives my finger an initial investigative bite but then bites again really hard. I know I need to keep persevering, but it’s disheartening when she draws blood every time! I don’t think she’s biting because she’s frightened, but because she’s being inquisitive, as when we put her in her exercise ball she’s tried to bite everything she encounters through the gaps. I’d love to be able to pick her up, but at this rate I can’t ever see it happening!

[Ria P]

Hi. I’ll be really interested to read the advice of others here about his too! We’ve had our Syrian (out first hamster) for about four weeks. She’s just a baby too and is around 12 weeks old. She’ll let me stroke her in her cage and when I put my hands in to do her daily clean she’s quite happy with that. However, same issue as you... when I’ve put my hand flat in there with a treat for her, she comes to my hand, gives my finger an initial investigative bite but then bites again really hard. I know I need to keep persevering, but it’s disheartening when she draws blood every time! I don’t think she’s biting because she’s frightened, but because she’s being inquisitive, as when we put her in her exercise ball she’s tried to bite everything she encounters through the gaps. I’d love to be able to pick her up, but at this rate I can’t ever see it happening!

Please don't put her in an exercise ball! That must be a very scary and distressing experience for your hamster. Balls are only good as a means of transport from cage to a playpen or play area. I think she is territorial and may feel threatened by a hand lying flat and in wait for her. I'd try out of cage taming sessions but keeping them short at first.

[JaneP]

Please don't put her in an exercise ball! That must be a very scary and distressing experience for your hamster. Balls are only good as a means of transport from cage to a playpen or play area. I think she is territorial and may feel threatened by a hand lying flat and in wait for her. I'd try out of cage taming sessions but keeping them short at first.

Thanks for this. I’ve been researching playpens on Amazon but they get such mixed reviews, with people saying their hamster chewed through and escaped. Do you have any recommendations on a suitable type of playpen we could use to put her in to start handling her?

[amethystpeach]

I think that you should slowly bring your hand into the cage but don't put it directly at her or try to pick her up. You can use treats but you should wait until she comes your rather than you just grabbing her so eventually when she is sitting in the middle of your palm you can lift her up a little and pick her up. Of course, the process will take a while so don't try to do this all in 1 day.

Thank you for this! I will be patient and give her time :)

[amethystpeach]

Thanks for this. I’ve been researching playpens on Amazon but they get such mixed reviews, with people saying their hamster chewed through and escaped. Do you have any recommendations on a suitable type of playpen we could use to put her in to start handling her?

I use two types of playpens (and I am lucky enough to be able to free roam). One is a child's ball pool type thing. It is fabric so isn't great for chewers or climbers but I put towels down which seem to help. The other one has 8 panels that slide together and is better for escape artists! I always watch over my hamsters when they are out of their cages to avoid then escaping or hurting themselves anyways.
Good luck with your hamster taming!! We will just have to be patient :)

[Ria P]

I use two types of playpens (and I am lucky enough to be able to free roam). One is a child's ball pool type thing. It is fabric so isn't great for chewers or climbers but I put towels down which seem to help. The other one has 8 panels that slide together and is better for escape artists! I always watch over my hamsters when they are out of their cages to avoid then escaping or hurting themselves anyways.
Good luck with your hamster taming!! We will just have to be patient :)

I use my hall as a play area which works very well. I close all the doors and have a slide in board to section off the stairs. I put a blanket and toys incl a spare wheel down then let a hamster at a time run around. This also works well for taming because i can put a hamster on my lap to do taming exercises but don't have to worry in case they jump off.
A bath tub with a blanket down could also work. I think that for a hamster to have a human climbing frame is a good way to get to know each other.

Time really makes a big difference i think. The more often we handle and interact with our hamsters the tamer they become. Just being there and sitting in their play area where they can smell, sense and see us really helps. I usually have a bit of toast or cereal while i sit on the floor in the evening and a hamster has been known to run off with a cheerio or been seen sitting on my lap munching a crumb of toast. Making friends the easy way.

All my hamsters are tame but not all want human company and some prefer their own which is something i respect.
All these lockdowns have enabled me to spend a lot more time with the hamsters though and the results are quite startling.
One of the dwarfs runs up my legs and climbs on my hands now when she wants back in her cage then sits completely still while i carry her. This very dwarf used to nibble and nip my hands and try to jump off them.
The two Syrian boys have started to answer to their names and come when called which is also a new thing.

Time and patience will pay off in the end.