Hamster Taming Diary

[Catja]

Originally Posted by jayne

Suga - do you find when you go to handle lil bear your hands get all sweaty? Mine do and i think this puts me off even more as Max will sense it and bite

I don't know about Suga, but mine always do when I am handling a new hamster especially for the first few times but it does stop - trust me!

[jayne]

Originally Posted by Catja

I don't know about Suga, but mine always do when I am handling a new hamster especially for the first few times but it does stop - trust me!

Thanks Catja, that makes me feel better and i will give it a go tomorrow night

[suga]

Hi guys - I go to my bed at around 8pm so sorry I missed your replies.

My hands sweat so much (especially in the gloves - I know "loose the gloves"), you'd think I'd just done a work out at the gym LOL. Yesterday evening was a bit better and hopefully tonight will be better still . I've set myself a goal of having the gloves of by the weekend......

Jayne - that's great that you can let max walk around on you - that really does scare me - what if the little one gets up your jumper sleeve etc? Sends shivers down my spine at just the thought.... brrr

Catja - I'd not thought of the antiseptic thing - but it is a good idea and I do have some or something similiar in the house somewhere.....- do you think lilbear would be able to smell it through the gloves - so its familiar when the gloves come off???

Progress guys all round - how exciting

[jayne]

Originally Posted by suga

Jayne - that's great that you can let max walk around on you - that really does scare me - what if the little one gets up your jumper sleeve etc? Sends shivers down my spine at just the thought.... brrr

He hasnt managed to get up my sleeve.... yet!! He does however, always try and escape down my side and on to the couch which is why i normally end up off and on the floor

Night two-

Ok, i know i said we would try the scooping thing but.....
I took the top off his cage tonight so i could get better access to him. Other than trying to escape he was fine. Before he managed to climb out i picked him up, around the middle again, and placed him on my knee. He had a good run around and let me smooth him for a few minutes. I then gave him a yogurt drop which he very quickly devoured whilst on my knee



So, after he finished his drop i placed him in his playpen where i was going to try scooping him several times. Although he had other ideas...he decided to squish himself down the side of the cage so i couldnt get to him



So i thought, hey photo opportunity while he is still and having a clean







Anyway, after all that he got pretty fed up i think and started to 'chatter' his teeth so i put him back home and we will hopefully get the handling done as soon as hes out the cage tomorrow

How did you get on tonight suga?

[suga]

Good morning

Jayne that Max is way too cute and he sits on your knee . Sounds like you are getting on much better - waiting to here how the scoop goes now. He's looks fab in his flicks - LilBear won't stay still long enought for photo's.

Night 3 - She definintely understands that the basket means out and in. She was sat by her door and I put the basket next to it and she got straight in She's one smart hamster! I put her back into her big box and she had a bit of a wander round and then we had a session of being picked up and put back down (with the gloves on) and she was running from gloved hand to gloved hand. After doing that for a while I decided try with only one glove on. The gloved hand being the one that would be kinda picking her up. She seemed to be okay with that and although sniffed my hand didn't show me her teeth and she did some hand to hand there as well.

Yep you got it right - i then put the gloves back on and did it all over again and then tried it with the other hand with no glove and the other gloved - oh you know what I mean.... she was fine with that. Its the scoop bit that worries me still. With the gloves on she's no bother and even with one glove on its not to scarey - the thought of no gloves is still a worry....... still she has seen naked hands - just not at the same time yet.

Oh and she kept walking up my sleeve - on the outside no the inside of my jumper - so imagine me practically trying to get in the box so she can't escape - not a pretty sight.

OH was fairly impressed - says I need to be specific about what I am doing with her and do it - not dither. Me dither - as if

[jayne]

Suga, sounds like you are doing well. Is tonight going to be the night were the gloves are off? Even if you start with both on, then take one off,let her run hand to hand then take the other off I am sure she will be fine, form the sounds of it she is used to your hands, gloves or no gloves, go for it!!

Thanks for the comment about Max too

[suga]

Jayne maybe tonight the gloves will be off - I don't know though still nervous.... will let you know tomorrow?

Are you going for the scoop?

[Gust0o]

I remember a post on here, where someone was asking for advice on sexing hamsters... well, if anyone is unsure, I think they should be refered to young Max here

He's absolutely gorgeous! I'll trade you silly Bob!

[jayne]

Originally Posted by suga

Jayne maybe tonight the gloves will be off - I don't know though still nervous.... will let you know tomorrow?

Are you going for the scoop?

Night 3 -

No, didnt go for the scoop tonight
I got him out in his playpen again, let him run around for a while and let him smell my fist again, felt his nose sniff it up and down, was quite funny I then got him out onto my knee and picked him up to sit him on the back of my hand then walk off when he was ready onto my knee again. Repeated this several times with each hand. He seemd ok with that, but i think it was more me feeling the nerves than him. I felt really weird and i was just so scared he was going to bite. I put him on the back of my hand as it is flatter and more difficult to bite but i was still a bit scared
Hopefully all going well tomorrow night, we will try getting him on the palm of my hand, if they're not too sweaty that is :P

Originally Posted by Gust0o

I remember a post on here, where someone was asking for advice on sexing hamsters... well, if anyone is unsure, I think they should be refered to young Max here

Yes, you cant miss it!

[souffle]

You are both doing fantastically well and Max you pics are adorable. I do not think it will be long before both are super tame and enjoying life to the full walking and playing all over you guys. Great work. You two will be the taming consultants