How do I pick up my hamster?

[DragoloveHamsters]

How should i get my hamster to trust me more? I have a 4 month old syrian and i've only started trying to pick her up recently, how should I approach picking her up? Because I use a carrier to transfer her from the cage to the playpen down my stairs, but I wanna stop using the carrier to transfer her and just use my hands.😀

[Jeir]

With mine, as soon as they seem to have settled into their cage, I would start by giving treats. Once they become comfortable enough to take them from me and sit there eating, I would gently touch their backs, working up to stroking over their backs, and then around their sides. This gets them used to being touched, and to help associate it with a good thing (treats). Eventually I can put my hand around their waist and lift them up that way, gently flipping them over so their back is on the palm of my hand, then bring them in for a hug (whole process takes seconds).

You could also try scooping her up with both hands if you'd prefer it to be a bit more secure.