One week on and this morning Pete spent all of 15 minutes exploring I gave him an almond flake through the cage bars which he took no fear so while his back was turned eating that I placed my hand in the cage kept very still while talking to him he came up to my hand showed me his tiny teeth and growled at me sort of a grating noise I think I was more nervous of him he didn't seem scared so I left my hand very still he walked away then 2 seconds later he came back and growled at me again I think he was telling me get out of my house I still didn't move then he sniffed my hand he went round his cage again then came back and gave my fingers a thorough investigationand kind of a gentle nibble then he got bored and went back to bed. He really didn't seem afraid he wasn't skittish he kind of sauntered around but I didn't attempt to touch him I thought that may be a step too far. Opinions on whether I read him correctly and did I do the right thing leaving my hand in his cage it felt like a bit of a stand off.
Little Pete one week on
- Thread starter Jain
- Start date
R
RainbowBrite
I think it is too early to put your hand in his cage. A lot of hamsters find that intrusive and it helps to build a bond with them if you want to attempt that.
Little Pete does not know you yet and will stil be adjusting to his new home.
I understand how much you want to bond with him but patience will really help.
Have you read this article on taming?
www.thehamsterforum.com
Little Pete does not know you yet and will stil be adjusting to his new home.
I understand how much you want to bond with him but patience will really help.
Have you read this article on taming?
How to tame a hamster
Hand taming a hamster can make life with your hamster very rewarding. Suddenly they will sit on you to be stroked or even go to sleep on you, and will be very easy to handle. It can take a bit of time and patience initially.
www.thehamsterforum.com
E
elusive
That sounds like good progress to me. He probably was a bit scared going by the way you describe his behaviour but not too much, he’s bound to be nervous to begin with.
I don’t have a set time schedule for doing things with new hams, I just let them guide me, if they seem nervous then slow down or back off a bit but otherwise I think sometimes you can just end up waiting too long.
I wouldn’t keep putting your hand in too frequently to begin with, just go slow & let him get used to it, maybe try laying a treat on your hand, mine have never liked almonds particularly but a pine nut, sunflower or pumpkin seed is usually quite irresistable.
I don’t have a set time schedule for doing things with new hams, I just let them guide me, if they seem nervous then slow down or back off a bit but otherwise I think sometimes you can just end up waiting too long.
I wouldn’t keep putting your hand in too frequently to begin with, just go slow & let him get used to it, maybe try laying a treat on your hand, mine have never liked almonds particularly but a pine nut, sunflower or pumpkin seed is usually quite irresistable.
Thank you I was unsure about the time scale as he was hand tame before he "moved " from his breeder to me he was handled daily and I thought this may have some bearing on the time scale. The last thing I want is to frighten him that would be 1 step forward and 2 steps back so will take on board what you are saying
Thank you it dosent hurt to listen to more experienced hamster keepers
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You've had great progress in a week 
It must be lovely seeing a bit more of him and in another week's time again, he will be more confident. I usually reckon it's two weeks before they fully feel at home in a cage and are more confident and settled in it and know where everything is. Is he using his wheel ok?
It must be lovely seeing a bit more of him and in another week's time again, he will be more confident. I usually reckon it's two weeks before they fully feel at home in a cage and are more confident and settled in it and know where everything is. Is he using his wheel ok?
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Just go with your instincts depending on how he reacts
Oh yes he's definitely using his wheel every night it's got a slight squeek which I hear when I get up to go to the loo in the wee small hours no pun intendedYou've had great progress in a week
it always goes quiet though if I open the door.
I was told a small piece occasionally is good for hamsters so let's see if Pete graces us with an appearance or will he leave it for his late supper l wonder 
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RainbowBrite
He will love that im sure.
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He will love that for sure Best to only a tiny piece - that way he's likely to eat it straight away rather than hoard it. They like all kinds of meat if it's plain cooked - our first hamster got spoiled like that - we used to get things like pheasant and grouse given and he always had a bit of that too
Best to only a tiny piece - that way he's likely to eat it straight away rather than hoard it. They like all kinds of meat if it's plain cooked - our first hamster got spoiled like that - we used to get things like pheasant and grouse given and he always had a bit of that too Good point about hoarding meat I did have a concern about that but he took it from my fingers and sat squirrel style eating it right next to me cage bars between us you could see he loved it, as for size it was less than size of a sunflower seed he then stood up paws on bars asking for more so cute but he'd had his rationHe will love that for sure
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RainbowBrite
You must be so happy he took it from you and then ate it in front of you too. How cute!
From around day 6 of him arriving I was estatic because he was coming to the front of his cage taking food from me and putting in a couple of daytime excursions around his domain then day 7 a brief appearance now day 9 and I haven't seen him at all yesterday not a peek out of him and yet nothing around him has been changed no different sounds or movements I know he's OK because his toilet has been used his food has disappeared and I've heard his wheel at 4 a.m this morning. I am rather deflated going to ring his breeder later today and ask how he managed to get him so tame before he came to me his teenage daughter had him in her hands quite happily when we collected him and got him out of his cage every day for the week leading up to us bringing him home complicated little critters aren't they I'm wondering if just maybe by leaving him be to settle afraid of frightening him I've allowed him to regress.
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Hi Jain - I moved your post to Pete's thread so people can reply to your situation - it can get complicated trying to reply to two different situations on someone else's thread
Even tame hamsters can have a day or two where they want to stay in and wash their hair! It does usually take 10 days to two weeks for a hamster to settle into a completely new cage and feel confident (It's the new cage environment and change that can set the taming back). Some will settle in quicker than others once they have scent marked everything and "claimed" it).
It's a really frustrating time needing a bit of patience. But I would always give it at least 10 days to 2 weeks before attempting to get them out of the cage - unless the hamster will happily walk into a tube or is showing signs of wanting to come out, because trying to get them out too soon can set them back as well and scare them a bit. Breeders often do have them hand tame initially but the hamster has had a major change of person and environment from the place they were born where they were handled from birth and everything was familiar. They have also been separated from siblings for the first time usually.
If you have a look at some of Beryl's threads, she has a number of dwarf hamsters. Some want to be out all the time and some don't want to come out very often. Some are daytime hamsters and some are evening only hamsters . I've also had a hamster from a breeder before and had a similar experience and they said - just get him out anyway and keep handling him. That just really scared him and set things back again and I regretted it. Having said that, they are always better tamed out of the cage than in it, so tempting them out in a tube with a smelly treat in, to go in a playpen area for taming is a good idea. But if they don't want to come in the tube .........
Even tame hamsters can have a day or two where they want to stay in and wash their hair! It does usually take 10 days to two weeks for a hamster to settle into a completely new cage and feel confident (It's the new cage environment and change that can set the taming back). Some will settle in quicker than others once they have scent marked everything and "claimed" it).
It's a really frustrating time needing a bit of patience. But I would always give it at least 10 days to 2 weeks before attempting to get them out of the cage - unless the hamster will happily walk into a tube or is showing signs of wanting to come out, because trying to get them out too soon can set them back as well and scare them a bit. Breeders often do have them hand tame initially but the hamster has had a major change of person and environment from the place they were born where they were handled from birth and everything was familiar. They have also been separated from siblings for the first time usually.
If you have a look at some of Beryl's threads, she has a number of dwarf hamsters. Some want to be out all the time and some don't want to come out very often. Some are daytime hamsters and some are evening only hamsters
. I've also had a hamster from a breeder before and had a similar experience and they said - just get him out anyway and keep handling him. That just really scared him and set things back again and I regretted it. Having said that, they are always better tamed out of the cage than in it, so tempting them out in a tube with a smelly treat in, to go in a playpen area for taming is a good idea. But if they don't want to come in the tube .........
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It is 9 days now ...........so maybe try tempting him out in a tube for some out of cage time and handling. If you put some cucumber in the far end of a tube the smell might tempt him out and into the tube. I then put both hands over either end of the tube to lift it out so they can't suddenly fall if they try and walk out. You could try picking him up in the cage but he might not like it. The cage is now his personal territory!
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elusive
It can be very frustrating but this really is quite normal behaviour.
I’ve had quite a few hams that have been similar seeming to take a step back in taming & confidence but with a little more time & patience they do gain more confidence, it just takes time.
I think that as he will have been with the breeder & her daughter from birth he will have been familiar enough with them to make taming a lot easier, it does seem to be that they can be quite easily tamed if handled from an appropriate but young age then suddenly all that familiarity is gone, new home, new smells, new voices, so much to get used to & that takes time.
I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, just keep being patient with him & you will get there.
I’ve had quite a few hams that have been similar seeming to take a step back in taming & confidence but with a little more time & patience they do gain more confidence, it just takes time.
I think that as he will have been with the breeder & her daughter from birth he will have been familiar enough with them to make taming a lot easier, it does seem to be that they can be quite easily tamed if handled from an appropriate but young age then suddenly all that familiarity is gone, new home, new smells, new voices, so much to get used to & that takes time.
I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, just keep being patient with him & you will get there.