Come tell me your hamster taming success stories...

[hamhamtheham]

We are on day three of having a new little Syrian boy home with us. He is super timid, never makes an appearance if we're in the same room (he's in our very quiet office space away from the hustle and bustle of family life) and if I do go very quietly into the room and he happens to be out of his burrow he quickly darts away. I know he is still settling and taming takes a long time but I've never had a ham this shy before. Not sure how we can even get him used to us if we can't even sit in the same room as him without him being terrified 😢 Guess I'm after some positive stories from people who have had shy hams who they eventually won over. He will obviously be very well loved and looked after even if he's not the type to ever want any human interaction.

I don’t think that three days is that long really, but I’m not an expert in hamsters, although have had a Syrian one before. Maybe he’d be better off having his cage in a slightly less quiet part of the house? Good luck with him anyway, they really are the most exquisite creatures!

Thanks @LoveItalyyes it's very early days. I did wonder if the quiet room was too quiet! But thought a bedroom might be too noisy with kid raucous and I don't want him downstairs as we have dogs (dogs aren't allowed upstairs).

The ones I've previously owned have been fab little creatures so hopefully this little guy will settle.

If you do get to the stage of trying to handle him, or get him used to you, probably using nice food as a bribery, then someone at the school I used to work at would recommend the person trying to tame sitting in the bath, and then the hamster Can have some flexibility to run around, but can’t actually run away! Obviously the bath wouldn’t be full! It works slightly better with a child, because of size.

Oh I love taming hamsters. Lucky you.
We used to sit by the cage and chat and sing (!) so they got used to our voices.
Then very gradually progress to putting hand in cage - completely still with treat on. Same time each day so not big surprise.
Later on we could scoop him up in a box to take him out to play, then he would walk back into the box when he wanted to go home.
Day three is very early. It might take weeks. Little and often.

Move the cage somewhere busier - ours lives in the kitchen diner so is used to us/the kettle/the cat etc.
As far as taming goes, food is your friend. Our hamsters have had a varied and exciting diet - remember that they're omnivores when wild and love to eat worms etc. I don't catch worms but do let her have a small piece of roast chicken etc. She also gets mixed nuts and seeds with a piece of fruit of berry for breakfast (no almonds, they're poisonous). When you first start lifting hamster get a tube - they walk in the tube, you lift them out. I also sit in the bath with them to start with - so they can run all over and get used to your smell.
It doesn't take long, just be persistent - two weeks is usually long enough.
My hamster gets out of bed to see what's cooking every meal (and is rewarded for doing so) and likes to be carried around the house in the evening to inspect everything. She also watches telly from the back of the sofa in the evening (which really pisses the cat off).
Happy hamster owning, if you take the time they are super rewarding pets.

Also recommend jar training him. Get a big jar (like helmanns) and when hamster wees put the wee'd on bedding in the jar. Fairly soon they associate the jar with where to wee so you just empty, rinse and pop some sawdust in everyday. Keeps the cage much less stinky.

Thanks @TheBeaTgoeson1I read about the bath idea and pictured us having a lovely bubble bath and glass of wine together 🤣

@Smallinthesmoke I think my singing would definitely make things worse 🤣 thank you for all the great tips though. You're very right day three is so early for the little guy, thank you for your tips.

@TheMousePipeshe sounds so sweet and I really hope we get there one day! Thank you for your advice.

I’m such an idiot, @TheBeaTgoeson1 , I genuinely didn’t realise you meant an empty bath until you specified that!

You need something like this... but very small.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHolescan I get this at pets at home?