Basil

[suga]

That's good news - I'm sure your both enjoying hammy and human time together now.

[Gust0o]

I wonder if 16 months is the longest to tame a syrian ever?

I reckon Basil is sat in his cage, wondering if 16 months is the longest time to tame an owner ever!

I liked your "mind over Basil" comment - that's entirely how I go about taming, and I think it will stand you in very good stead in the future. All those worries, they're in your head!

I think this is an excellent excuse for pics

[Yaffle]

I think reading this post will spur me on to try with my Honey again. She's a really pretty girl but she's just so feisty and I'm ashamed to admit it, but after quite a few nasty bites I'm actually quite scared of her, ridiculous I know
I did try handling her last week and she was fine for a minute or two then she gave me one of the worst bites I've ever had, blood everywhere
She's a pet shop ham I've had her about 5-6 months now, I know it would really benefit her to have some cuddle time so I will try again.
As a side issue, does anyone think that some hamsters are beyond taming, or is that just what wimps like me tell ourselves?!

[Spuds Mum]

I honestly believe that there arent many that cannot be tamed eventually, but also that confidence is key. Do you know Noo has taken on some hamsters to tame I think when they have been very difficult (mind you would you want to subject your Honey to Noo's taming techniques???? ) only joking - a Yaffle, Spuds Mum and Nooboo in joke after Noo spent time at a previous show manhandling my lovely Tabasco.

I was wondering about this Claire after the nibbles you got at Topcliffe - do you maybe use a handcream that would be enticing to hams? Might be an idea to always use the bacterial gel before if you smell 'good enough to eat'!

With our more difficult to tame girls (its always girls for us!) we usually keep them in a tub, which makes it easier to scoop them up, and to put your hand in for them to get used to smells etc. without a house, so they have to get used to direct and indirect contact and cant easily hide away from us when we are talking to them etc.

If you are still very nervous about handling Honey, then you could always bring her to Brockholes and we will take her back for some taming? Not having a history with her we wont have the same level of apprehension when approaching her Im sure, then we could bring her back to the next show.

But I think you should keep at it yourself if you can, the sense of achievement when you both make friends once and for all will be huge, as Gill proved on this thread!

[Mollz]

Well done Gill, you must be over the moon. I hope you and Basil share many lovely play times now - and ones that you can both enjoy.
Claire: I do hope Honey begins to tame a bit more. At least this story does show that you should never give in. Good luck!

[Yaffle]

you might have a point there about my hands tasting nice because little Topaz had a nibble a couple of times at Topcliffe as did Mojito but they never once went for Arti, I'll have to remember to wash them before I handle new hams. Mojito has settled down nicely now by the way.

[Gust0o]

Al has a strawberry handcream, which induces licking and the odd nibble - could be the same?

I try and dunk my hands in their sawdust before handling - at the worst, I smell like their bed!

[Spuds Mum]

No not at the worst - at the worst you smell like their loo!

But I think I am a little bit right with you smelling edible Claire, Topaz hasn't made the slightest move to nibble at anyone else!

I ran out of my usual bodywash a couple of weeks ago, and so used one of the girls. It was a chocolate bodywash (darn waste of good chocolate in my eyes) but the hamsters were sniffing me like crazy after! they must have thought Easter had come even earlier for them!

[Bourne Valley Hams]

I firmly beleive that hamsters can sense fear! If you are scared that you will get bitten then it is more likely to happen.
Easier said than done but you need to be confident and firm. We get in a lot of rescues with 'problems', and sometimes have hamsters come on rehabilitation holidays, and the only ones we have really failed with have been Campbells! All Syrians have been tameable eventually. I do, however, have a secret weapon - Mark's leather-like builders hands!! He generally can't feel it if they try and bite anyway!

[Gust0o]

I firmly beleive that hamsters can sense fear! If you are scared that you will get bitten then it is more likely to happen.

Am in total agreement!

If you're lacking in confidence, or afraid of the animal, this will show in your actions - from my own experience nervous handling of the animal will only serve to make it more nervous.

That's why I joked about Basil doing the taming!