How to Tame a Hamster

Hamsters are fun to look, and almost every child wants one. However, time and time again the parents buy the child one, only to realize that taming a hamster is far more difficult then it looks. The situation is far too common. Your hamster looks cute, but bites and runs away when you try to hold him. There are ways of preventing what I call "hamster disappointment."

First that you must consider is the age of the hamster. Younger hamsters are a little easier to train, however their size might make it a little more difficult to hold. Male hamsters are more friendly then females. Just like with any female, they also have their moody times. Female hamsters do not want to be handled if they are pregnant. A good age to look for is between 8 and 12 months old. At this age, they are still very young, but are not as fragile as a tiny baby.

The cage in which you plan to house your hamster is also an important factor to consider. Larger cages with tons of tunnels, and play toys look neat, and are enjoyable to your hamster. However, these cages can make holding your hamster very difficult. If your shaking him out of tunnels, and chasing him in and out of hiding spots, then he is going to either be scared, or excited once you catch him. The best cage to use is one with wire sides, that resembles a bird cage. You can place a wheel, a toilet paper roll, and a small toy for sleeping in these cages. Wire cages also allows you to give your hamster treats face to face, by hand, without being bitten. One thing that you must remember is that your hamster is very smart. In order to tame him, you must stay in control, and not give in to the cuteness.

HAMSTER TRAINING 101

To train your hamster you must resist the urge to take him out of his cage for the first two days of training. Start by giving your hamster the cheapest hamster food you can find at the pet store. Next, give your hamster a treat through the wire of the cage. Use treats such as slices of apples, grapes, crackers, and even a tiny piece of cheese now and then. Your only going to give them one piece the size of your thumb nail at a time. However, you need to repeat this step several times a day. Never drop the treat in the cage, instead wait for him to take it from you. You are going to do this for 2 or 3 days until your hamster comes to the sides without second thought looking for his treat.

Once he is used to getting his treats by hand, you are going to start putting your hand in the cage. Hold the treats between the tip of your thumb and pointer fingers when feeding him. If you place the food in your palm you might get a nibble. When the hamster is comfortable with taking treats from you, begin petting him on his head a back as he eats. At first he will run, but he will get used to it. Do this step several times a day, until your hamster lets you pet him while eating his treat.

Now it's time to hold your hamster. You can use a store bought playpen that allow you to set on the floor with him, without the fear of escape. These playpens usually cost $15.00 and up. You can also use your bathtub if you do not have a playpen. Please make sure that there is no water in the bathtub. Carefully pick your hamster up and place him in the empty bathtub or playpen. You can get in with him as well. Let him come to you, and explore you. Have some treats on hand, so that he knows there is an award for being friendly. You will need to do this step no less the one a day for 10 to 15 minutes. Remember the more you handle him, the more friendly he is going to be.

TIP: Keep a small squirt bottle of water on hand. The small purse size travel pump spray bottles work great. When your hamster bites, give him a mist of water in the face, and no treat for at least 4 hours. When you hamster is being friendly give him treats to eat, and for his cage. You can use toilet paper rolls, crumbled up paper ball, chew sticks as treats for his cage.

I have trained a total of 16 hamsters, some in which I was told were impossible to train. If you work at it, you can train your hamster to be a very friendly member of your family. Do not give up! Hamsters are just like any other animal, even if they are rodents. Once the training is over, you'll love hamsters forever.