Handling Your Hamster
| This can be quite unnerving for many people who are not accustomed to handling a small animal such as a hamster.
Taming your pet will be easier, however, if the animal is purchased at a young age. Older hamsters or hamsters who are not used to human contact will most definitely require a lot of patience and extra TLC...for these little guys, don't be surprised if he/she never gets as tame as you originally preferred. I will list my own method of taming/handling hamsters, and other methods are supplied below in the links section. 1. The first day the hamster is in your home, leave it alone, and allow it to become comfortable in it's new environment. 2. The second day the hamster is in your home, approach the cage, and speak softly to the hamster, allowing it to become accustomed to your voice. 3. The third day the hamster is in your home, place a treat in the palm of your hand, and place your hand palm-up inside the cage, and rest it on the bottom of the cage. The hamster may or may not walk into your hand and retrieve the treat...but either way, it is associating your hand with food. 4. Continue with step #3 until the hamster will readily walk into your hand. Don't be surprised if this takes a few days. Once it is comfortable doing this, take your other hand, and cup your hamster from the bottom with both hands. Don't remove from the cage. 5. The next day, pick the hamster up as described in step #4, and remove the hamster from the cage, making sure you are reasonably low to the ground...if a hamster jumps from your hands at a high level, it can leave him/her gravely injured. Place the hamster in his/her exercise ball, or continue to hold the hamster, stroking his/her back lightly with your finger, being careful to avoid the head. Once you are finished with the above activities, place the hamster back inside the cage, and give him/her a treat. At this point, your hamster should be pretty tame...but much like children, all hamsters learn at varying speeds. Don't be surprised if it takes a bit longer than expected...just be patient and loving in the process! NOTE: Wash your hands before handling a hamster. He/she may mistake you for a piece of food, and attempt to "taste-test" by nipping, which for the larger variety of hamsters, can be quite painful. If you are nipped, don't scold or jerk your hand suddenly from the cage...this will make your little hamster feel even more threatened than before. |
Hamster Handling Links |
| Copyright � 2001 by Holly Stinehart |