Any Tips for Taming?

Hammie Heart

Hammie Heart

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When I first got him, I didn't interact with him for a week. Then I started talking to him while he was running on his wheel. After that, I gave him different foods every night. Then I was putting my hand in and offering seeds. He's nibbled a couple times. Lately, I have been having him go into a homemade snuggle sack and getting lifted slightly. A few days ago, I tried bathtub bonding. He nibbled, and only stayed on pressed against the walls. What should I do next to progress?

(Any tips are appreciated) 💗

-Hammie Heart

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It sounds like you're doing really well! I would continue with the bathtub taming maybe every second or third day and just general familiarisation in between. Do you have a playpen? When he's in the bathtub you can stroke him on the back until he gets used to touch without jumping. If he jumps leave it until another time and try again.
 
Maz said:
It sounds like you're doing really well! I would continue with the bathtub taming maybe every second or third day and just general familiarisation in between. Do you have a playpen? When he's in the bathtub you can stroke him on the back until he gets used to touch without jumping. If he jumps leave it until another time and try again.
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Every time I try stroking him, he jumps and hides in his burrows, and I feel so sad for him. I could probably work on a playpen, though what would be the best material to make it out of?
 
Hammie Heart said:
Every time I try stroking him, he jumps and hides in his burrows, and I feel so sad for him. I could probably work on a playpen, though what would be the best material to make it out of?
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Ok if he's still jumpy about being stroked, maybe try just having some food on the palm of your hand with your hand fairly flat on the bottom of the bathtub, palm up and let him eat from your hand. After a few times he may become braver and actually step onto and sit on your hand when he's eating. Once he's used to that you could try a little stroke or letting him walk from hand to hand. He just needs to learn confidence and trust with your hands :-)
 
I've tried that, and he bit my finger tips, as if saying "Go away." And, I do. Thanks for the advice though. :)
 
Hammie Heart said:
I've tried that, and he bit my finger tips, as if saying "Go away." And, I do. Thanks for the advice though. :)
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You could start by wearing gloves doing that :-) I had to do that with my current Syrian. Once he got used to sitting on my gloved hand eating and got over the nibbling of fingers and hand, I started to do the same without a glove and he was ok after that.
 
Chinese hamsters can be very timid & some are slow to tame so the key is just patience.

I wouldn’t put a Chinese hamster in the bath for taming I think they would probably find that quite scary really.
I would slow right down & maybe not try to take him out of his cage for a little while yet.
Spend lots of time just being around the cage talking to him to start with, let him get really familiar with you being around him.
Getting them used to hands can take some time, some are quicker than others, try putting your hand flat in the cage, close to the door if it’s a cage. not a tank but well away from any burrow holes, keep it still & flat with a treat on & if he won’t come to you at first just wait a while then remove your hand & leave the treat there for him.
I wouldn’t wear gloves with a Chinese, they rarely bite at all & only if quite scared so gloves wouldn’t help him get used to you & might make him even more nervous.
Doing that should help him realise your hand means good things & isn’t a threat.
I wouldn’t try to move forward with taming until he’s a bit more comfortable with your hand.
When he is do try a playpen with lots of toys, hideouts & a wheel but not too much open space in there. To begin with just sit & talk to him & let him run around, keep sessions short & gradually try to begin interacting with him.

Do you have a photo of your cage set up? The. set up can make a big difference to how secure & confident they feel so it’s possible there could be some changes you could make that might help.
 
Victoria Raechel has a really good video taming a Chinese hamster:

Hopefully the link will work. She follows the same strategy that elusive suggested, letting Waddles get used to her hand before trying him in the playpen. Also she approaches him from the side and lets him come to her rather than approaching from above.
It sounds like he’s very comfortable with you if he’s happy being on his wheel while you’re there talking to him, it sounds like he just needs to get used to your hand so hopefully that will happen soon 🙂🤞
 
I was forgetting it was a Chinese and yes the bathtub may be a bit overwhelming as they can be nervous easily at first. I mentioned gloves due to the nibbling/biting that may be making you cautious and sometimes it helps with owner confidence at first, but the tips above sound good - especially to take it slowly. Hamsters do vary in personality as well and what works for one may not work for another, so you'll just need to gauge what is helping and what isn't. But taking it slowly is usually the key. I haven't had a Chinese hamster so can't comment on how best to do playpen taming.
 
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