Taming issues

[CitrusHigh]

Hey guys! It's been awhile since I brought Little Latte home and she has been the best little hamster! She was one of the older hamsters at the store so she was already used to being hand fed and pet. In fact, she was already jumping into my hand by the first week. She loves to be pet and held and given treats.


My only problem is that she can't be taken out of her cage. The moment I place her in a play bin, she freaks out! She won't let me hold her, she'll run extremely fast in attempts to break away, and overall it's an ordeal. If i try to pick her up to put her back in the cage, she will try to jump. I feel really bad that I can't let her explore or have her anywhere outside the cage. Is there any way to calm her during these times? I've tried treats and toys but she just ignores them.

Thank you!

[CPalmer]

Hi

I haven't much advice to offer, have you tried using a ball to transfer her? so you can control her exit until she is safely lowered into her cage. You could try the bathtub taming I've read on here. Plug the plug lol, and any holes she could scramble into, then sit in the bath with her. she can run over you, and equally get away from you, without getting into any trouble.

Also you may just have a lovely friendly hammy, who just will always be a cage ham.

Good luck, and I'm sure some others will be along with more ideas x

[RubyDG]

You could try putting the cage with the doors open on the ground and constructing a small cardboard playpen around it. Having her cage in reach may make her less freaked out from suddenly being in a strange environment. If it works you could slowly make the space bigger until eventually you try her without the cage in it. Another option is 'jacket time', I started with this when I first got my hamster who was particularly tame from the beginning. I had a zip-up hoodie and tucked the bottom up and then let him run around and explore the inside of the jacket - carefully and making sure I was seated and he couldn't fall out or run away and always used the same jacket - he still loves to do this even though his play time is now free range. It's an enclosed space and smells like you so it may make her feel less stressed out. I don't know if these will work, every hamster is different, but I think they're worth a try.

[Pinkpandavt]

No way!! My little Nagisa does the same thing! She will want to come out so badly of her cage so she will crawl up my arms but then when I put her into her playpen she runs all over the place marking her territory but after she has time to run around i will go over to pick her up and she will jump off my hand as if she can fly...thank goodness I have never been super high off the ground with her. she only jumps like a crazy hamster when she is being put back not when she is being taken out...so i have to get a bowl to put her in to put her back in her cage. Also, she gets super aggressive when she is out of the cage she tries to bite me when i try to pick her up to put her back in her cage. But it is only when she is being put back not taken out....I do not know what to do. I am going to try the bath tub thing this weekend! All in all though she is usually quite sweet and loves being stroked and loves to crawl on my arms. lol Good luck with your ham!