How Do I Get My Hamster Not To Fear Me?

MagnoliasMama · 06-23-2023, 07:23 AM

Hi Everyone!

I recently brought home a new hamster and I after almost a month of not handling her, I find that she's still scared of me. I don't expect her to be comfortable with me right away but I'm starting to worry I won't be able to get her used to me and to bond with me since she runs away shortly after she sees me.

She does take snacks from my hand when I offer them though, but it's after that that she goes back into her hide. Do you guys have any advice or words of encouragement that could help me get my hamster a little more comfortable with me? Thank you in advance!

Lexie_Gians · 07-03-2023, 01:04 AM

[QUOTE=MagnoliasMama;968566]Hi Everyone!

I totally get how you feel when it comes to nervous hamsters but the 1 thing you said that is the reason you're hamster does trust you is that you don't handle it. Its amazing that you gave him time by himself to acclimate to his environment but after about 2 weeks is when you want to start hand feeding and petting it while its eating. This is usually the time when you can start taking them out of the enclosure with a mug or your hands, which ever it prefers, and brining it to a playpen or do bathtub bonding. I highly suggest watching Victoria Raechel's video on "How to bond with your hamster".

velma · 07-06-2023, 12:09 PM

Hi Magnolias Mama. It may seem like a long time but she still is pretty new to you and may be young. All hamsters take different times to tame, and not all are tame by a set definition. It sounds like you're off to a good start if she's taking treats from you. I've found it helpful with mine to get dome of their favourite bits out of their food to try hand feeding them and it encourages them to stay out a bit longer (I feed one bit at a time but it means I an feed more than if I were giving treats). Or if she toddles off back to her nest after the first treat, rustle her bedding and hold a second one steady and let her come to you. Hopefully she'll sniff that out and with your hand nice and steady she'll feel brave enough to come to you. When she seems used to you, you could try scooping her up with hands and letting her walk over them - be sure not to hold her too far away from her bedding so if she jumps she won't have far to fall. Or you could try putting a blanket or towel down in an empty bath tub (with the plug in) and some toys and tubes tec in and using that a as a play pen. You can transport her in a pet carrier if you're worried about her jumping out of a mug. If she's a syrian you could get in the tub before you let her out so she can get used to climbing over you. But I wouldn't recommend this if she's a dwarf ham.

But I think the biggest thing is for you to be calm and confident - if you're jumpy then it will make her jumpy so I'd say a calm voice just chatting all the time you're near her cage, gentle movements in and around her cage, and when you do let her walk on your hands or you try and scoop her up, be as confident as you can so she feels secure.

I'm sure you'll get there and it already sounds like you're on the way to being friends.