What's the next step for a newbie Syrian boi

[cshat1982]

I've had my little man a week now. I left him alone for a few days and then started hand feeding him.

Tonight I put my hand inside the cage and he thoroughly enjoyed climbing all over it for a while (I kept my other hand blocking the door as I've learnt he can leap far and fast).

I'm not sure what the next step is in taming him. I had a female a year back but she was pretty chill right away not like this little man he's quite skittish still if startled.

Do I just carry on the inside the cage hand crawling. He wants to get on my hand and come out but I'm scared he'll just leap out my hand once I bring him out.

Any advice welcome. He's 11 weeks and I've had him at home for 10 days.

[Ria P]

Baby hamsters can be fast and wriggly but they usually grow out of it as they get older and used to their human friends.

If he wants to come out, i'd take him out in a "hamster taxi" like a jug so he can't jump off but cover it while he's in transit.
I'd let him out in a playpen, bathtub or safe area with a blanket and some hides and toys down, ideally with you sitting in it as well so he gets used to you.

Let him have a good sniff around and he may climb around on your lap or legs which is a fun way to make contact. Some treats like sunflower seeds scattered around for him to find will make things unteresting for him as well.
Soon as he gets restless or starts to hide i'd put him back in his cage.

[cshat1982]

Hey Thanks,

I do have a kind of playpen set up from my last hamster who never used it, its I guess a very large surface box around 6-7" high around the sides with several toys inside it.

Would be nice to get him into that. Only issue is hes rarely active before around midnight right now. I don't really wanna wake him before hes ready, but do wanna get him out.

[Pebbles82]

I posted a long reply to this yesterday but it’s nit there so maybe I didn’t press send! Anyway - what Ria said . I use a tube or a hamster ball as a taxi. A hamster ball is ideal if it will actually fit through a cage door as they tend to walk in and you can just pop the lid in. Be careful not to drop it when you carry him to the safe taming area. I tend to use a tube and put my hands over each end when lifting then out but you need something right next to the cage to put the tube down in as it’s risky carrying them any further in the tube like that. They could get panicky and can push really hard against your hand and make you jump.

It’s fine to wake them earlier. But gently. Ie have a set time for putting out food and changing water and do a bit of cage clanging while you’re at it. Then put a smelly treat in the tube (eg cucumber) snd put it just in front of his house - that should tempt him into the tube.

Maybe a high sided storage bin or cardboard box next to the cage to put the tube in. Needs to be at least 30cm high or they can get out.

He may still be a bit skitty so I’d only get him out every 2 or 3 days - to give him time off to get used to habits in his cage. Unless he shows signs of wanting to come out by coming to the bars. It is better not to put your hand in the cage too much as that’s their territory- better if they come to you or show signs of wanting to come out. Meanwhile keep talking to him so he’s familiar with your voice, presence and scent.

Even when fully hand tame they still need a taxi out of the cage as can easily suddenly wriggle free and fall.