This is what I did, other people may have other methods. You can put a towel down in a bathtub and make sure the plug is in (or just use a playpen if you have one) and then put a hideout in there. Then get the hamster out of the cage, I use a big tunnel (a cardboard tube from the inside of a roll of carpet) and put a treat in so the hamster climbs inside then just gently lift the tunnel out and take the hamster to the bath/playpen. Sit in the bath/playpen with them and give them treats to get used to your scent.
Also ruffle the bedding with your hands so your scent transfers onto the bedding. You can also talk gently to them while sitting near the cage and when putting a hand in to feed them if they're not yet comfortable to get in the tunnel to come out of the cage. Hope that helps!
I finally managed to get my female Syrian Peggy comfortable with being handled but it took a long time, 8 or 9 months, and I don't know how I would have managed it if she wasn't in a wire cage. She's always been friendly, but used the tremble when you handled her. She also hated out of cage time (she's still not mad about it, but I persevered and she seems to like it more, although 10 minutes max before she wants back in her cage)
Without being able to walk out of the cage in her own time she would never come out. If I tried to pick her up from her cage she would run into one of her houses scared. I also fed her through the front doors of the cage and talked to her as I did so. I don't know if it's because she's older now and has mellowed, but she's no longer as skittish and now will crawl on my hands for a little while without shaking or trying to jump away.
I had my previous hamster in a bin cage, but he was perfectly tame and happy to be picked up when I got him. I think it's easier to interact with them in a wire cage, even if it's just saying hello when I walk past the cage and they're awake.
Re: Tame the hamster
Re: Tame the hamster
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