How can I get my hamster to be more familiar with me so that I can hold it?

Question

Owner of a teddy bear hamster.

Answer 1

hi

Answer 2

Taming your hamster:

For a hamster to be a tame and good pet, it must be socialized. This means frequent, gentle and respectful handling that helps the hamster become comfortable with people. The younger the hamster, the easier he is to tame. Also, syrian hamsters tend to tame a little faster. With all hamsters, patience is the key. If your hamster looks scared or if he bites during the taming process, you need to slow down. Go back to the previous step or even two steps back. Your hammie should approach you in a relaxed manner several times (usually a period of over 2 to 3 days) before moving on to the next step.

1. Start by feeding him treats thru the bars of the cage. Let him smell your hand.

2. Feed him treats through the opening of his cage. Place treats between your index and thumb.

3. Feed him treats through the opening of his cage. This time, place the treat in the palm of your hand.

4. After he runs in his zoom-zoom ball, place your hand inside the ball, palm up. Encourage him to walk onto your hand. This step may take some time. Limit your first play sessions to 5 minutes. It may take a few sessions before he comes out of his ball and onto your hand.

Alternate steps 3 and 4, and he will eventually come out onto your hand.

5. Make sure you are sitting on the floor when you first handle your hamster. Always have his cage or ball nearby. Let him sniff and explore your hand and lap. Hamsters like to go from one hand the other hand that's placed slightly lower. They like to go onto your shoulders, but wait on this until you've handled him for a couple weeks.

The average taming takes between 2 weeks to a month or more. Remember that biting is a reflex. Your hamster will bite when scared. Let your hamster climb on your hand instead of trying to catch him. Wash your hands before and after handling your hamster. He may try to nibble if you smell like food. In my opinion, wearing gloves can make taming more difficult and slows the process. Though, you being nervous is not going to calm your hamster. If you are only comfortable handling him that way, do so, but as long as you're not rushing and you follow these steps, you should be fine. When you're hamster does bite, calmly put him back into his cage. Never scold your hamster. He will not learn that way, he'll just get more scared and bite more!

When first picking up your hamster, don't lift him high above the floor or walk with him in your hands. Until he's comfortable with you, he will jump. Experienced hamster owners will learn to feel their hamster on their hand and know what moves he will make.

Answer 3

well, wat i would do is i would be patient, put my hand down somewhere in the cage and wait for it to come on my hand, just leave ur hand there and wait, sooner or leater it will come on

Answer 4

I have attached my guide to taming hamsters. Hope it helps you in making your hamster your friend for life.

Taming your hamster can be a long process, don't expect your hamster to suddenly like be handled over night. It can take weeks or even months depending on the hamster. Here the the steps to handling a hamster -

STEP 1 - Once the hammy seems comfortable in his new cage, start talking to him softly and hang around his cage enough for him to get used to your voice and smell. After this time feed your hamster some treats from your hand so he get used to seeing your hand. This might take a few days to happen but be patient. If you feel that the hamster still bites you, you can use gloves initially.

PRECAUTION - always interact with the hamster only when he is active. If you touch him or disturb him when he is sleeping, he can get angry and bite viciously.

STEP 2 - Once your hamster seems confident with taking treats out of your hand you can try to start handling your hamster. Before you handle your hamster make sure you have washed your hands well. Hamsters have a strong sense of smell. If they smell something on your hand they may mistake it for food and decide to bite!

Get a cup or something similar and place it into the hamster's cage. He should come to investigate and crawl inside. Take the hamster and cup out of the cage and let him walk out onto your hand. While you do this make sure you're sat down or sat close to the floor incase your hamster decides to jump. Let him walk from hand to hand. Be careful you don't grab or wrap your hands around your hamster until he is fully tame as this may scare him and he will jump out of your hand.

STEP 3 - Once your hamster is more confident with you, you can start to pick up your hamster straight from it's cage. Just make sure your hamster is aware that you are there, if not you may suddenly scare the hamster and it may turn around and bite you.

Best way to hold hamsters is to make them climb into one hand and cupping the other hand softly over the body so that his head pokes out from the gap between your two hands. Remember, do not apply any pressure on his body, he will get scared and snap at you.

Answer 5

first, you can lay your hand gentle in front of your hamster. if he/she bares it's teeth and looks defensive, take your hand out of it's cage. but if they don't do that, then keep your hand in there. let it sniff and examine your hand, then try curling your hand around it. if you feel comfortable holding your hamster, you can try lifting it. if you don't feel comfortable, uncurl your hand and let your hamster crawl off of it. try again the same thing the next day.