Taming - Page 3

Christine Yule · 05-13-2007, 11:54 AM

Hi Lola's Mommy,

It sounds like the taming is coming on beautifully!

You just need to continue to play with her exactly the way you are. She sounds like she is really enjoying playing with you.

Most hamsters will always stray when they are playing outside their cage. Some of mine never stop trying to jump off the bed or chair and I have to watch them every second when they are out playing. I only have one single hamster that never, ever tries to run away when he is free playing on the sofa with me. I can watch T.V. all night and he will just play and snuggle and snooze with me. But, that is extremely rare for a hamster!

I would say, keep up playing with her and let her run on your bed, since your "smell" will be all over it, and in a couple of weeks you should notice she is very calm most of the time she is out playing. When she doesn't get startled by quick movements or noises then she is feeling quite safe and you can let her run around in her ball. Just make sure she is only in there for about 20 minutes since a hamster can get dehydrated quickly from all that exercise!

Let us know how things are progressing.

Hamstermama

lola's mommy · 05-30-2007, 06:47 PM

hello everyone! it's been a while since i posted 'cause i was busy w/ work. just wanted to keep you updated on my little one's taming... all's pretty well; i think she really likes the taming 'cause now she gets to run around. i put her on my bed and have to have 20 eyes on her since she likes getting to the bed edges to try and jump down. when she does that, i stop her and put her back in the middle of the bed and she goes back and tries to reach the edge. after a couple of times, i then hold her against my chest and stroke her to calm her or put her back on her bin. after a couple of minutes i take her out again and begin the process. sometimes i sit on the bed and put her on my lap, but, again, she wants to get down on the bed and walk around it. should i give her more "lap time" or is it ok for her to be on the bed walking around? thanks!

souffle · 05-31-2007, 08:34 AM

What ever you want is good. She has done so well and so have you. Keep a good amout of hand time though so she still feels your hands on her and stroking her.

Christine Yule · 05-31-2007, 10:28 AM

It sounds like your little one is full of energy and needs to have some stuff to keep her mind busy. I think that is why she may be trying to jump off the bed. I think she should still keep her close when she is playing.

If I put one of my hamsters on the bed when it is made, it runs straight to the edge and tries to jump off. I find it is better to let him/her run under the covers and under the blankets when the bed is messy, like before I go to bed. I usually read in bed before I go to sleep and so I make tunnels and tents so the hamster has "new" places to explore, which includes crawling up my PJ's pant legs etc. I find it keeps them interested and don't try to jump off the bed so much. All though, you always have to watch them and it is quite difficult to concentrate while I am trying to read!

Hamstermama

Red · 06-03-2010, 11:49 AM

I'm glad the taming went so well for you! Stumbled across this topic and it saved me from starting my own and asking for taming tips - which I have found in this thread!

We recently got a Chinese hamster called Pearl; she was a rescue hamster so not sure how old she is or what her past was like. All we know is that she was left outside the centre in a box, and is quite shy.

We left her to settle for a few days, then began talking to her and offering treats held out towards her. We're going to progress to treats on palm next, and see how she reacts...

Thanks again for the useful thread!

Blue Dragon · 06-04-2010, 03:03 AM

My brother got bitten quite badly by one of our rats we had as pets when we were just young kids. It scared him in the way that he's quite nervous of small furries coming near his hands, to sniff them or clean them etc. He does still love my li'l furries though and always takes an interest in them. With new members of the family I always start by picking them up for him and having them just sit on his knee for a minuet. It means he doesn't have to touch or put his hands near their faces. Then we move up from there where he'll be able to stroke them and then be able to pick them up himself.
If your nervous about your furry that way then maybe a simmilar aproach would help? If someone could help you to gain your confidence so that in the end you can carry on taming them yourself?

Although I've had nervous hammies in the past I've always been able to tame them to a point. Bickie was a rescue that had been handled by his back legs and dangled and swinged about, so he was very weary of things behind him. But I fixed that by always having a sweetie when touching him behind. When he spun round to see he learnt that it was a nice sweetie, not a nasty thing. He was always a bit nervous of being touched on his back feets, but after a while he was perfectly tame otherwise.
It can take time, it's taking time with me and my li'l RD's, but I'm sure you'll get there in the end!