Taming Frustrations...Please help

Kiki_3173 · 02-03-2016, 04:08 PM

I got my Syrian baby boy, Butters, on the 2nd of January. He was about 5 weeks old when I got him. I've been going about taming slowly because he seems so afraid (freezes & vibrates even when I open his cage). He hasn't bitten or screamed, just freezes or goes & hides. I left him alone for 3 days, then moved on to feedig treats from from my fingers. I then moved on to feeding from my palm. This week is the first I've taken him out of the cage (using a cup) and tried bath tub taming. He was obviously a little scared, but came out of the cup and ran all over the tub & me (frantically). Even though he will still get in the cup each time I take him out, he will no longer take ANY treats from my hands...not even high stakes treats like a yogurt drop! I feel like I'm losing ground & that he's MORE afraid of me now than when I first got him. Whenever I try to give him a treat, he either continues to run on his wheel ignoring me, freezes, or runs & hides. Help....should I go back to square 1 & just talk to him by the cage? What should I do?

cypher · 02-03-2016, 11:24 PM

I'd just take a step back for now, talk to him in the cage, continue to let him climb in & out of the cup if he will without taking him out of the cage for a while so that becomes really familiar, the bath may just have been a bit too much too soon.
Once he gains some confidence again try taking him out, maybe make a smaller play area with some cardboard or something & lots of things to explore, not too much open space, & keep out of cage time really short to begin with.

Kiki_3173 · 02-04-2016, 03:07 AM

Thank you cypher! I just didn't want to continue to scare him and I was afraid of doing irreversible damage. I'm also frustrated with seeing all these people who have their hamster tame in a week or two. I've never had a hamster that tamed that easily & I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

cypher · 02-04-2016, 03:44 AM

It doesn't sound as though you're doing anything wrong to me, all hams take different amounts of time to tame & I do see plenty of other posts from people struggling with taming, if you think about it people are much more likely to post photos of their hams if they are tame so you don't get to see the whole story!
Just take your time & go at his pace, even when they do take a step back & lose confidence it's very rare for it to be lasting.
I forgot to say before when you do get him out again & put him in a play area or bath put some familiar things in there, toys & maybe even the wheel from his cage, if you can grab a handful of substrate & scatter that around too & he should be a lot more comfortable with his time out.

herbi7 · 02-04-2016, 10:59 AM

Cypher has said it all! Some hams take longer than others, yours sounds really timid if he freezes when you even open the cage door. Think the bath was a bit much for him. Mine hated the bath till she had been with me quite a few months and even then she would only come near my hands once she realised I was helping her get out!

Elliiy · 02-04-2016, 12:54 PM

i just want to put it out there that i really love the name butters, so cute. Besides that if you just take your time and what not everything will be ok and taming is all about patience

Pebbles82 · 02-04-2016, 02:22 PM

It is a lovely name! Charlie was like that when we got him. It took about 2 months to tame him, so yes patience is the key, and as Cypher says, maybe just leave him to do his own thing for a few days then do bathtub taming maybe once or twice a week. We did the bathtub taming once or twice a week and then we had a breakthrough when we were able to stroke his back (in the bathtub) without him leaping 3 feet in the air! After that things moved very quickly and we could pick him up. He got used to touch and trust and was tame as anything then

Kiki_3173 · 02-04-2016, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

It doesn't sound as though you're doing anything wrong to me, all hams take different amounts of time to tame & I do see plenty of other posts from people struggling with taming, if you think about it people are much more likely to post photos of their hams if they are tame so you don't get to see the whole story!
Just take your time & go at his pace, even when they do take a step back & lose confidence it's very rare for it to be lasting.
I forgot to say before when you do get him out again & put him in a play area or bath put some familiar things in there, toys & maybe even the wheel from his cage, if you can grab a handful of substrate & scatter that around too & he should be a lot more comfortable with his time out.

Ooooh...those are some great ideas cypher!!! Actually now that I think about it, my dwarf Ari did better with taming when I used a bin with toys & substrate in it. I think I'll try that, thanks!!!

Kiki_3173 · 02-04-2016, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herbi7

Cypher has said it all! Some hams take longer than others, yours sounds really timid if he freezes when you even open the cage door. Think the bath was a bit much for him. Mine hated the bath till she had been with me quite a few months and even then she would only come near my hands once she realised I was helping her get out!

Most of the hamsters I've had, have taken a few months to fully tame too, so I know I shouldn't be surprised. I agree...the bath was a bit much. Going to try a bin when he's ready.

Kiki_3173 · 02-04-2016, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliiy

i just want to put it out there that i really love the name butters, so cute. Besides that if you just take your time and what not everything will be ok and taming is all about patience

Thanks Elliiy!!! I'm biased, but I think he's got a cute name too!

Thank you for the support