Why does my hamster not liked being touched?

Question

It is 3 months old and I feed him a treat everyday so I'm pretty sure he knows my scent very well now. When I feed him and he's done eating I go to pet him. As soon as I do that he quickley moves away. Then I put my hand back in the cage and he sniffs it and sometimes licks it. I go to pet him again and he jumps back. PLEASE HELP!!!!

Answer 1

It's natural for animals to be skittish-- those that aren't don't survive!  And fact is, hamsters never relate well to people.  If you want a pet that does, I recommend a guinea pig.  They recognize thier owners, they can learn their name (AND what a refrigerator is for!), they don't bite (unlike hamsters... ) AND they purr!

Answer 2

He might just be skittish and should out grow his habit.

Answer 3

have you only just got him?

he's probably scared - try putting your hand on the floor instead of over his head as that could scare him lots

Answer 4

He is scared !

He probably ISN'T used to you yet.

Follow these instructions to try and get him used to being touched. It is a good idea first of all just to get it used to your hand before attempting to lift it out of its cage. Try gently stroking the hamster while it is in its cage and offering it pieces of food from your hand. It will soon realise that it has nothing to fear.

Next try placing your hand in the cage and letting the hamster investigate, and step onto your hand, whilst keeping your hand still.

Once it is happy that there is nothing to fear, take off the top of the cage if possible or open the door of the cage, and gently scoop the hamster up in both hands. Do not hold it too tightly or squeeze it as this may frighten it.

Don’t lift your hamster too high as if it jumps from your hands and falls it may injure itself. It is always best to handle your hamster whilst you are sitting down so that if it does jump it does not have far to fall and will simply land in your lap.

Once you have taken your hamster out of the cage, and are sitting, face the hamster towards you - they seem less inclined to jump if facing towards you. Let the hamster walk from one hand to the other. If your hamster does attempt to jump, let it and then simply pick it up again. It is better to do this than try and hold onto the hamster which may cause it to become frightened. Once it is happy to step from one hand to another, gently start to curve your fingers around it’s body so that it can begin to get the feel of being held.

Before long your hamster should be happy to walk from one hand to another with your fingers wrapped around its body and you can then start facing it away from you whilst you are sitting down and letting it walk again from one hand to another.

Some hamsters are more nervous than others and may take a little longer to become accustomed to being handled. Be patient and gentle and your hamster should become very tame and used to being touched.

Answer 5

I just got two panda hamsters. Maybe their scared or maybe they would want something like a bigger cage maybe more treats? I pet my hamsters and play with them a lot.  Hint: if its pregnant their very figity!My hamsters are the two best and I love them with all my heart!!! I LOVE HAMMYS!!!!

Answer 6

maybe he doesnt like being handled, my hampster doesnt like being touched either, or he has something wrong with him.

Answer 7

because he is a small pet and you are such a big person and you need to be more gentile and try petting him for a long time then star picking him up and if he don't like that then your pet is a gaywod

Answer 8

I have a syrian hamsters too, and I used to have the same problem and what i did was i woke him up and i fed him a few sunflower seeds and then i put the rest in my palm and put my hand in his cage and then he walked over on it. You should keep on doing it a few times before you actually raise him up though.

Answer 9

it probably needs getting used to your sent thats what happened to my bunny give it a day or two.