syrian fancy bear hamster wont let me hold him

Question
Hi,
I don't know what to do. My hamster named Oreo seems like he likes me because he will come up to the front of the cage when I come up to it. Sometimes he lets me pet him and other times ill be petting him and all of a sudden he runs away. I'm also nervous because I tried to scoop him upand  he jumped to the other side of his cage. Another day I went in a small room and closed the door he came out of his cage and went to me. But he nibbled on my toe.  I have had him for a week I was patient the first few days and letting him get used to me. I don't know if he will ev
er let me hold him. My local pets store only has a two week return policy so I dont know if I should return him
Thank you

Answer
Hi Maggie

Thanks for your question.

Definitely don't give up on your hamster this quickly - most Syrian hamsters tame well.

First of all it is important to remember that these are very small creatures and our world is huge to them. Their eyesight is very poor and they rely heavily on their hearing and sense of smell - therefore any sudden noise or movement will spook them.  Also, in the wild they are attacked by loads of animals and birds, so if you go to grab a hamster, they must think that perhaps a bird is attacking them.

Try talking to him every time you see him out of his nest.  Also, give him a treat whenever he is out of his nest so that he associates you with nice things.

The best way I have found to tame a hamster is to take the cage apart (remove the top from the bottom if you can), then I rub some of their bedding onto my hands.  This is because their sense of smell is so good, it is better for them to smell something familiar, rather than food (they might mistake fingers for food), or perfume/soap smell which can make them sneeze.

By taking the cage apart you can scoop the hamster up without having to try and pick it up through a small doorway.  Don't try picking Oreo up if he is asleep in his nest.  If you want to get him out, gently tap the side of the cage first and call his name.  Once he has come out of his nest you can then pick him up.  

Place a hand each side of him and quickly 'scoop' him up.  Immediately place him on your clothing.  Some hamsters don't like walking on skin but they seem fine if they are on clothing.  I usually sit down to do this and let the hamster wander over me.  If Oreo starts wandering off, gently place a hand under him and bring him back.  Don't hold him tightly or he will panic.  Talk to him all the time.  After a few minutes, put him back in his cage.

Hamsters are very nosey creatures and chances are, once you return him to his cage he will want to come straight out again.  If you have a side door to the cage you might even be able to tempt him out of that.  If he wants to come out again, it is a good idea to get him out - the more he comes out the more confident he will feel with you.  Also, if you are nervous around him and the way you handle him he will feel nervous too.

Do you have an exercise ball for him?  If not, it might be worth buying one of these.  Tape over all the joins though as they do have a habit of opening if they bang into furniture.  Once you've been handling him for a few minutes put him in the ball and let him run around.  I usually supervise mine as they do have a habit of getting stuck under or behind furniture.  After about 15 minutes get him out of the ball.  Don't put your hand in the ball as he really will go crazy - instead either let him walk out onto your clothing or directly into his house.

It really is a case of persevering with him. Some hamsters tame within a few days, others take a few weeks or even a month.  It really depends on their temperament, what their mum was like - if she was calm or jumpy, and how much handling they get as babies.  Often hamsters reared at breeding farms get no handling at all, therefore the first time they interact with humans is when they have been rehomed.

Also, when handling hamsters I never give them my fingers to smell - I know we do this for dogs, but they are different.  If you stick a finger in a hamster's cage, or let them sniff you then you are likely to get nibbled.  

I hope you get on OK with him and see some improvement over the next week.

Regards
Sheila