Tame the hamster

[Shadow Cat]

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.