Taming without get bitten?

GreySyrian · 12-12-2015, 12:06 PM

Posting a new thread about taming my hamster. I got her last weekened so she's been settling in for about a week now. She was taking treats off me so I thought i'd progress by placing my hand in her cage but she nipped me (pretty sure it was just to see what I was as oppose to aggression) I pulled away my hand (which I now realise it would have been better to stay put) which I think made her unsure as she stopped taking treats.

I've now got her taking treats from me again happily. All the tutorials etc. I've seen would involve letting her have my hand again but if possible i'd like to avoid getting bitten again ... is there anyway around this? Or once she's bitten and i've stayed put will she not bite me again?

She was from a petshop as I couldn't find a breeder close so she's likely had limited handling.

Erestor · 12-12-2015, 12:23 PM

I used a set up in my tank which allowed my hamster to climb out onto me, rather than picking up, and this seemed to work really well for my previous hamster Spectacles, who was very timid and was not used to handling, although it will take time to get her used to this sort of set up.

It might not be due to being nervous, hamsters can be quite protective inside their homes, to what they see as a massive invasion, so it's natural that she might be a bit more aggressive inside than out.

One thing you could try if you are really struggling, is wearing a thick pair of clean gloves. This works in two ways, firstly if she is chewing you to see if you are food, she will realise that the glove is not a tasty treat, and if it is to scared you off it won't work because it doesn't hurt. This is only for you to see if she is interested in coming onto your hand, if she is scared enough to bite (rather than because she thinks you are food) it would be best to slow it down and let her get used to you more gradually. You might want to concider not giving her treats by hand if you think it is food related, as she might be associating the movement if the hand going in with time to eat!

Hope this helps

Pebbles82 · 12-12-2015, 05:37 PM

She is maybe scared of 'the hand' coming into her territory. I think taming works best out of the cage where they are less territorial. We tamed Charlie in the bathtub. I'd put a tube in his cage with the other end in his ball. He'd walk into the tube, then into the ball. I could then pop the lid on the ball and let him have a little run for a few minutes, then carry him up to the bathroom in the ball and take the lid off the ball when he was in the bathtub. The first couple of times in the bathtub (make sure it's dry and the plug is in) we just let him run around and had a few toys in there. The next few times our little boy got in first, so Charlie ran all over him and got used to him. A couple of sessions later we were able to stroke him on the back. At first he jerked his head round as if to bite, so we stopped, then did it again, and he was ok with it. Then we moved on to cupping a hand under him, lifting him a couple of centimetres and letting him walk off without trying to hold him. After that things moved quickly - he had got used to touch and felt safe with it and we could pick him up and he was nice and docile.

If you do get in the bath, have someone else there in case he runs up your arm and tries to jump out!

I'm sure he'll be fine out of the cage. Even now, Charlie doesn't like a hand in his cage!

GreySyrian · 12-13-2015, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

She is maybe scared of 'the hand' coming into her territory. I think taming works best out of the cage where they are less territorial. We tamed Charlie in the bathtub. I'd put a tube in his cage with the other end in his ball. He'd walk into the tube, then into the ball. I could then pop the lid on the ball and let him have a little run for a few minutes, then carry him up to the bathroom in the ball and take the lid off the ball when he was in the bathtub. The first couple of times in the bathtub (make sure it's dry and the plug is in) we just let him run around and had a few toys in there. The next few times our little boy got in first, so Charlie ran all over him and got used to him. A couple of sessions later we were able to stroke him on the back. At first he jerked his head round as if to bite, so we stopped, then did it again, and he was ok with it. Then we moved on to cupping a hand under him, lifting him a couple of centimetres and letting him walk off without trying to hold him. After that things moved quickly - he had got used to touch and felt safe with it and we could pick him up and he was nice and docile.

If you do get in the bath, have someone else there in case he runs up your arm and tries to jump out!

I'm sure he'll be fine out of the cage. Even now, Charlie doesn't like a hand in his cage!

I have tried her out of the cage but she still seems like she'd bite me... I can stroke her when she's distracted and she takes treats but sometimes she tries to reach up to my hand ignoring the treat and that's were I get nervous. I'll try the tub and see how that goes!

Bertiebobbins · 12-13-2015, 09:11 AM

They bite when they're scared or nervous, so she's probably scared or nervous! Which is understandable given how long you have had her. I know the "settling in" time is always given as wait a few days, but realistically they don't actually settle in for a few weeks. All she needs is time. If you think she might bite you don't out your fingers in her face lol! (My small child learned that lesson the hard way....). I usually offer something for them to climb into to come out of their cage, nibble will get in his special bowl and sit there until you lift the bowl out, Glowy has always been happy to trundle straight onto my hand through the cage door tho. I never grab them with my hand to get them out, so they have a choice. it's their cage, not mine, and I wouldn't want someone sticking their giant hand in my house either! For taming, I just let them trundle on my lap first to practise being picked up, then they would have a bit of time in the spare cage or in their ball, then when I was sure I could pick them up and catch them they got the run of the hamster proof hallway, and now Nibble is allowed pretty much everywhere that's hamster proof and Glowy has the run of the front room for play times. Nibble is a lot more laid back and easy to get a hold of if he gets in mischief, Glowy is smaller, faster and naughtier so his freedom is restricted to one room i know the limits of and he can't hide anywhere inaccessible. We've had Glowy about 8 weeks and even though he was easy to tame I honestly never thought I'd be able to let him free range because he is like trying to catch a bar of wet soap lol! Don't stress and give it time.

Pebbles82 · 12-13-2015, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreySyrian

I have tried her out of the cage but she still seems like she'd bite me... I can stroke her when she's distracted and she takes treats but sometimes she tries to reach up to my hand ignoring the treat and that's were I get nervous. I'll try the tub and see how that goes!

I wouldn't try to handle her at all yet - use a tube and ball to move her around and the bathtub. Then when she's used to being out of the cage and in the bathtub with some toys, after a few times, you could try to stroke her - but maybe not yet.

GreySyrian · 12-13-2015, 10:08 AM

She's getting quiet good with her travel case now, I've moved her a couple of times into her 'play box' (a storage tub with toys etc.) and whenever I put the travel case in her cage she hops straight in.

I'll take all of your advice on board and give her more time to settle, thank you for all your help!

flowerfairy · 12-13-2015, 03:37 PM

I know that with rescue dogs who are really afraid they stroke them with paint brushes initially until they are relaxed at the touch then progress to hands. Perhaps, once she has settled and got used to her bath exercise you could use some kind of small soft brush for initial strokies.

Pebbles82 · 12-14-2015, 06:02 AM

That sounds like a nice idea Flowerfairy! (And at arm's length lol).

Honey Pot · 12-14-2015, 06:30 AM

Following this thread - we have a new little chap too! Love the paintbrush idea

We were going to try our first bath yesterday, but Frodo wanted to sleep in! Have been tissue scenting and feeding through bars. Should I keep tissue scenting just to myself, or should I have the kids do it too (not sure if hammy can manage multiple scents!) x