Advice with hamster taming much appreciated!

[Socks' Mum]

Socks would clean his fur fastidiously if I touched him. If I tried to stroke him he would swat at my hand and do a big flump which made me jump. He would also jump straight up into the air to avoid being held for too long. I assumed he wasn't keen on contact. But when he wanted out of his cage at 3am to go to the playpen, he would jump off his cage wheel and hurry over to the cage door. If the hamster tube / taxi was too slow, he would start trying to climb up my arm. No concern about contact then . They seem much more comfortable in very low light, so he loved 3am. But it was hard on my sleep to wake up in the middle of the night

 

[Socks' Mum]

I got up at 6am feeling a bit sleep deprived 🫩 I could drink tea in those days so that helped

 

[Yorkie]

I don’t know how should I pick him up? Scoop him up gently? he’s so tiny
I can lift his bottom up if he faffs around climbing in the taxi and only half climbs in because he’s busy sniffing
I am worried to do it wrong

Aww bless,well what I do,if they allow me to stroke them I just put my hand around to see if they will accept this and if they do,I just pick them up off wherever they are and then put them back down. I increase how long I lift them for them,little by little . This is inside the enclosure . I know they say to not take from above ,as in put your hand over them,but all have soon realised I am not a threat . Robin is one of my best examples ,if I pick her up,she goes all relaxed in my hand cus she knows I am not a threat. Yours will learn this,they are so.clever,once he will let.you lift him,put him straight into a playpen . He will associate this then with free roam. And like on good treats . Robin even asks to.come back out when she is ready,if she isn't ready ,she won't relax to let me pick her up,when she is ready ,she raises herself a little so that I can get my hand around her. I put her to my chest then,and then straight back to her enclosure . You won't hurt him by oicking him up

 

[Yorkie]

Also,all mine have always learnt that getting up in the day gets them good treats ,I have never disturbed them. My previous one,Penny ,would even be waiting for me on the side when I came home from work

 

[Yorkie]

Socks would clean his fur fastidiously if I touched him. If I tried to stroke him he would swat at my hand and do a big flump which made me jump. He would also jump straight up into the air to avoid being held for too long. I assumed he wasn't keen on contact. But when he wanted out of his cage at 3am to go to the playpen, he would jump off his cage wheel and hurry over to the cage door. If the hamster tube / taxi was too slow, he would start trying to climb up my arm. No concern about contact then . They seem much more comfortable in very low light, so he loved 3am. But it was hard on my sleep to wake up in the middle of the night

My Penny was like that "how dare you touch my fur" lol But she gave in in the end and would even go to visitors for a cuddle.

 

[Yorkie]

I am used to big animals, horses dogs cats ect…
I worked at the vets and once an old budgie died when I got him out of the cage the vet said it had nothing to do with me getting him out, he was old and poorly. But it left me with a bit of a trauma with tiny animals

You are very welcome,and I get your nervousness ,but your set up is Def ideal for this taming process. Your playpen is close by and you can quickly move him between the cage and the playpen due to this. It's a great idea to keep picking him up and back down within the playpen ,your confidence will grow.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Oh that must have been hard. Can’t you drink tea any more? I love a cup of Yorkshire tea, cost my fortune to buy it on Amazon

My heart races because of the caffeine. I've had tests and it's not dangerous but it's best to avoid caffeine. Decaff isn't the same as proper tea

 

[Socks' Mum]

Also,all mine have always learnt that getting up in the day gets them good treats ,I have never disturbed them. My previous one,Penny ,would even be waiting for me on the side when I came home from work

So sweet

 

[Socks' Mum]

My Penny was like that "how dare you touch my fur" lol But she gave in in the end and would even go to visitors for a cuddle.

Lovely

 

[Socks' Mum]

Thank you so much for your help I will try that out
I will have to try it in the playpen as he comes to the door in the cage, he is so impatient he will climb onto my hand if I don’t have his basket but jump straight onto the cushion under his door. That’s the problem, he knows he can just jump out of the cage without being in danger of hurting himself. But I stroke him
In the playpen and I will try it there. They are so clever aren’t they I have added a foto, as you can see he’s taken over a large amount of my kitchen

View attachment 13817

Nibbles has a super home

 

[Socks' Mum]

That sounds interesting, I must try some. I used to love strong coffee But you get used to being without it.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Thank you aunty

It's a pleasure Nibbles Hugs from Auntie and the piggies

 

[Socks' Mum]

I enticed her with high value treats and little by little I started to touch her. Then I would pick her up within the enclosure and put her back down,increasing the holding each day. Then after a couple of weeks she let me pick her to go to the playpen and soon learned that me putting her to my chest meant either sofa or playpen,all accompanied by treats of course. She will happily splat on my chest now whilst I scratch between her ears. I do have to let her finish her jobs of foraging in the playpen though lol She will go back to empty her pouches and then come out to do the splat. You have to go at their pace though,for a long time the persuasion took forever ,but now she is a mammy's girl. In fact,she came out for her splat this morning

It's wonderful what a good relationship you can develop with hamsters. They are so intelligent

 

[Yorkie]

I did it I scooped him in my hands, he started grooming. Then I gently put him back down. He looked around as if to say: what was that faff for? I am still here! So I let him free roam for a treat.

Yes,you see,he wasn't scared of you!! Pick him up for longer next time,if he doesn't wiggle,bring him close to your chest whilst you are still on the floor,if he stays there all chill,put him back in the playpen and again,hold him for longer next time. He will know you are not a threat

 

[Yorkie]

I will try that thank you so much for helping me and giving me courage.

Anytime,I think you are more scared of hurting him than he is scared of you