Syrian Hamsters

ive had tonnes of hamsters!! the best thing to do is to wear leather gloves and gently put your flat hand onto the bottom of the cage, let him sniff and run over you. dont offer food as it may bite by accident. just take things slowly then he will learn to trust you.

sometimes it doesnt work, i had an evil rabbit once but i loved him. i would lift the rabid creature out of his hutch wearing leather gauntlets up to my elbows?

good luck

cexx

Thanks chuckie egg, Im not sure that it was an accident - it actually launched itself at my finger ? I'll be off to buy a pair of leather gloves tomorrow then. thanks

failing that I have a pair of thick gardening gloves ?

I think I might complain though - I had no idea their teeth were so sharp!!

We have a long haired syrian - Neu Nars

It does not take lomg to get them tame.

Try rubbing your hand in the bedding before picking them up.

gosh yes! i have had one hang off the end of my finger before now! despite them beig called childrens pets i think they are quite difficult to handle. sounds like your one is frightened. i hope things get better.

They do that ? evil things.

We had a £120 vet bill from Neu Nars.

He became a skinned hamster courtesy of my Mum's dog mistaking it for it's fluffy ball. Like how you removed skin from a chicken.

Very lucky to be alive, but had an op & survived.

And did his hair grow back? poor thing

The first time I put my hand the cage it flipped on its back and made the most blood curling squealing noise. I suppose its improvement from that. I'll give the glove thing ago. Thanks

Legless, mildred - you do not fill me with confidence ?

it's nearly back to full coverage - shaved from head to middle back. Stitches are just about gone now.

Very strange giving him Anti B's.

Do you have to inject?

oral syringe

Hamsters aren't evil they're just misunderstood ?

If you have even a hint of food on your hands it will smell it and bite you thinking it's food. Hamsters have v v v poor eyesight.

I had several as a kid (they kept dying on me!) and as long as you handle them regularly, starting off slowly then they'll practically let you do anything to them.

One of mine used to wake up for a teaspoon of ready brek on a winter morning?

We have a new one that we got weekend before last and he's 10 weeks. For the first 48 hours I left him alone, then for the next few days I would just put my hand him to show that it wasn't scary. He would come and sniff but I never let my hand get too close in case he mistook it for food! As has been said they have bad eyesight and go by smell so any food on your hands then he'll try to eat it! After a few days he'd let me stroke him and I found he loved the peanuts so I would give him one or two by hand and then remove my hand. Then finally I managed to pick him up without squealing!

I only get him out once a day at the moment and have let the children stroke him once. Trouble is the children get loud and he's still a bit nervous. Slow but sure is good!