2007-01-27 10:40:07 · 8 answers · asked by Dabuke<3 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
This is a tough one to answer. There's a few other things involved that you may have to overcome. I'll assume you bought the hamster at a pet store. Unfortunately, since it's a pet store hamster it probably came from a commercial breeder. Commercial breeders produce as many hamsters as they can, as fast as they can, in as many "fancy" colors that they can. They do not select animals based on health or temperament, the breeding animals aren't around long enough to determine if there's health problems and they aren't handled to know if there's temperament problems. I have seen some down right vicious hamsters landing in the pet stores.
I own over 100 Syrian hamsters at any one time and have had so over the last few years. I've had hundreds of litters and thousands of pups. I do not use any gloves and have only been bitten four times. That's it, four times. I'm no hamster whisperer, I just have animals selected for their temperament. I get new hamsters from other breeders that also selectively breed. Some of my hamsters get very little interaction from me. Some are just taken out of their cage into a "holding cage" for five minutes while their's is being cleaned. Even these hamsters are calm and gentle and they're only being held briefly once a week. This is the difference between selective breeding and not. I have begun selling animals to a distributor and with my first shipment to them, just everyday people noticed a big difference between my animals and the animals they typically receive. They couldn't believe that not a single one of the hundred pups I shipped them tried to bite. Their clients also noticed the difference. What a nice compliment to me.
So, back to your situation. Not to suggest that it's a lost cause with your new friend because you bought her at the pet store, you may just have to work harder with this one because of her genetically determined temperament. She may always be a bit persnickity but if you stop working with her altogether, she will get harder to handle when you need to change her cage.
You need to start holding her a couple times each day. If you can't get her out of the cage, then get her into a toilet paper roll and then dump her into your hand. Begin walking her from hand to hand, one in front of the other. You can also make it an unending "staircase". If you keep her moving you probably won't get bit. Do this over your bed so that if she manages to jump off your hand you can catch her. Once you're comfortable handling her in this fashion, begin to closing your fingers as she's walking from hand to hand so that she's now moving through an unending "tunnel". This will get her accustomed to being held and touched on her back. These sessions only need to last five minutes but you need to do them at least twice a day, preferably more. If you're scared of doing this at first, then wear a pair of leather gloves to get her accustomed to the "exercise".
If you have an exercise ball that you want to run around on the floor with, do this before putting her in the ball. You may think that she'll be more tired and easier to work with after having some exercise but she'll be more excited and actually harder to work with.
She may never be as easy to handle as other people's hamsters and you will just have to recognize it as her individuality.
-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com...
2007-01-28 23:04:39 · answer #1 · answered by radiocricket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With having experience with around 40 Dwarfs over the last year, we've had this problem too and still do at times. Get a toilet paper roll or a bowl with a treat (preferred by us) and train the hamster to climb in it. These guys are very Territorial and you may have even had it "box" at you when trying to remove it from the cage. It's only natural for this to happen. Work with it until the hamster is comfortable with you. Also try using cotton work gloves to remove from the cage, it's easier on the hands if it bites. Sometimes you may thing their biting when they are actually tasting the salt on your hands and it may feel like nipping. We still use these ways to pick up certain hamster from their cages and it's been over a year. It's their home and we are invading it. Just give it time and be prepared for many bites.
2007-01-27 11:22:18 · answer #2 · answered by wolfinator25840 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
U need to hand train them, wear gloves at first if ur umcomfortable, hold them close to your body to make em feel secure. Keep it up a few times a day and biting and being fidgety is outa the question. If u are impatient, you picked the wrong pet to raise. Good luck to you though :) Hamsters are funny lil' creatues. I've had one too many in my younger years.
2007-01-27 10:45:15 · answer #3 · answered by Joe Capo 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get a toilet paper tube. in curiosity, ur hamster should climb in ift up the hamster-filled tube and dump the cute lil guy into ur hand. it may not work the first time, but eventually, ur hamster will be comfortble in ur hand.
2007-01-27 10:46:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dont lick it up anywhere but the waist and make sure it knows its you. try putting food in your hand so it knows it can trust you. I had a hamster but it was fine with me
2007-01-27 12:08:06 · answer #5 · answered by andrey2790 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Make sure you approach it slowly. Let it sniff your hand so it gets familiar with your scent then slowly start picking it up and make sure you keep petting it as you do.
2007-01-27 10:44:55 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well it being a dwarf you can put a pairof heels on it and itll be alittle taller an unafraid
2007-01-27 10:47:39 · answer #7 · answered by tom c 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
you just have to keep doing it!
2007-01-27 10:44:40 · answer #8 · answered by kat_luvr2003 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋