i just got another hamster shortly after my booboo passed away.

booboo · 12-13-2010, 05:56 PM

i posted here not long ago about the death of my beloved little hamster (rest in peace, booboo. your life was cut way too short. :(), booboo. he tragically died in an accident, and i still miss him to this day.

since i loved owning a hamster so much, i decided to adopt another baby hamster who happens to be the brother of my deceased hamster, but from a newer litter! booboo (my first hamster) was super friendly and outgoing from the day i got him. my current hamster... not so much. i've had him for about four or five days, and i'm having a really hard time taming him. i know every hamster's personality is different, but this little guy seems terrified of me.

whenever he's awake, i sit in front of his cage and gently talk to him for long periods of time. he'll come out here and there, but seems very hesitant of me. he's constantly in his hut. he won't even take food from me, let alone let me touch him without freaking out. picking him up is nearly impossible. he always tries to burrow himself inside of his bedding to get away from me.

it's really frustrating, because i don't want to give him wet tail by stressing him out too much, but of course i want to bond with him. what should i do? i really want to be friends with my new hammy!

booboo · 12-13-2010, 05:58 PM

...and i just finished spending some time with him, which ended up with him hiding in his hut and refusing to come out because i tried to pick him up too many times. :/

DeweyTheHammy · 12-13-2010, 06:04 PM

Sit in the bathtub with him and let him crawl all over you. and put some food in your hand and see if he'll take it from you? That's all I can really say, most my hamsters have been pretty much tame since I got them :\

booboo · 12-13-2010, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeweyTheHammy

Sit in the bathtub with him and let him crawl all over you. and put some food in your hand and see if he'll take it from you? That's all I can really say, most my hamsters have been pretty much tame since I got them :\

thanks, i'm gonna go do that right now and see how it goes.

booboo · 12-13-2010, 06:06 PM

and yeah, my first ever hamster was so friendly from the start that i wasn't expecting this one to be so... scared. oh well, he's a project to work on!

kiki & the bear · 12-14-2010, 04:54 PM

My last hamster Bear and my very first hamster Snow White were the only hamsters out of the 7 I've owned that were tame/easy-going from the beginning. It took me some time to tame my hamster Cocoa - probably a couple months. She was very frightened and for every time that I tried to pick her when she wasn't ready for that stage yet, it just made things worse. The bathtub idea is great as it allows the hammy to approach you. Also you might want to try just putting your hand in for a few minutes at a time every day for your hamster to come and smell or lick. Eventually they come to realise you mean no harm and they may start walking onto your hand. Then you can try picking up. I think every little character is different so these are just a few things that worked for me during taming.
All the best and just remember some take a little longer to adjust than others.

Ki x

Debbie · 12-16-2010, 05:50 AM

I lost a beautiful Syrian called Izzy a few months ago and decided to get some Robos a few weeks later. Unfortunately the first 2 died within 4 days and the last one Bertie about 6 weeks later. We think they had a genetic disorder as it was all so sudden but I was so upset after losing Bertie as I thought he would make it. I hadn't intended to but the very next day we went into our local pet shop and I fell in love with a gorgeous long haired Syrian and couldn't resist bringing her home. I've never thought of her - or any hamsters - as being replacements for the ones I've lost but it does help with the sadness to have another little furry friend to care for and not have to look at an empty cage.
Daisy has been here nearly 2 weeks and sounds a bit like your hamster, very shy, hides in her house, gets very upset if you touch her, backs off if she sniffs my finger etc though she has taken food from me. I have not had a hamster that's been so shy before (except Izzy but she had a bad start in life) and I can understand what you mean about it being frustrating, but I guess at the end of the day we have to take things at their pace, even if it takes a while! I shall be trying the bath method and hopefully it will help!

Good luck!!