New hamster, lots of nipping and plugging tube

Question
Hi Karen,
Melanie here (the one with "Mr. Fluffy" who died a week ago.
I have another question for you.  We brought home another hamster last Friday, his name is "Scooter."  He is a "honey bear" hamster.  He is cute as can be, lets us pet him when he is busy eating, drinking or chewing on one thing or another but, I've been trying to "socialize" him by letting my hand hang in the cage and holding seeds for him to take which he eagerly does.  The problem I am having is this, he will not let me pet him if he sees my hand coming directly toward him because he thinks I have food in it now.  Even if I wash my hand, he still attempts to "nip" gently at them.  I've let him crawl out of his wheel onto my lap (lap has a towel on it) and then i can pet him but he is so active and honestly, in my opinion, nervous wanting to explore everything, that I have only scooped him up once and very quickly to avoid being nipped at again.  What do I do if everytime I try to reach into his cage, or let him crawl onto my lap and pet him, he tries to nip me?  I'm getting upset because our dear "Mr. Fluffy" wasn't like this at all, in fact he was very cautious at first, rolling over when we tried to pet him, but never bit us and eventually allowed us to pick him up all the time and love on him.  This hamster seems very bold, fearless, and quick to nip since he thinks we have food. (Or so I am thinking.)  I am confused since this is just my second hamster and, since he will let us pet him if hes eating or drinking, and will come out onto a towel if it is in my lap, I think he does have promise of being socialized but I am concerned with his nipping.  Also, he plugs his tube up at night now. (with his bedding and shavings).  Our other one did that too for a couple of weeks then stopped doing it.  This one has not started to plug his tube.  Is this some sort of protective instinct in these animals?  My daughter has had some strange sounds in her room lately that have startled him:  the vacuum cleaner, music, and a bag of hamster goodies that crinkled when she opened them. These noises all scared him to the point where he would quickly run into the nearest tube and stay there until he thought the coast was clear.  Now, he's plugging up his tube at night.  We do empty it in the morning but as soon as he's up, it's plugged again.

Sorry for such a long email but I'm a wreck trying to be a good hamster mommy and my first one was a bit different. :-)

Melanie

Answer
Hello again Melanie,

    It seems that he is still a little scared and not sure of his new surroundings. Every hamster is different, as with any pet.
    The taming process may take longer with him. The important thing is not to force him. If he does not want to come to your hand or be picked up, then let him be for the time being and try again later. But don't give up. The taming process is on the hamsters terms only.
    Since you are washing your hands before putting it in his cage, I feel the nipping is coming from his instinct to protect himself. This should pass once he has gained your trust.
     As for the tube blocking, this is normal behavior for hamsters. The cages with tubes are fun for hamsters and they love them, but, in my opinion, are not really safe. I say this only because they like to block up the tubes with there bedding and the tubes do not have air holes in them. My Daughter had a hamster in a cage with the tubes and sometime during the night she blocked herself in the tube with bedding and suffocated. Needless to say, after that, we now use 10 gallon aquariums with a mesh lid.
    Here are the steps to taming a hamster if you would like to try them.
    For the first 3 days leave your hamster alone. This is so he can get used to his new home and surroundings.
    Days 4-6, Stand or sit by your hamsters cage and talk to him in a soft voice. This is so he can get used to your voice and your scent.
    Day 7, While talking to your hamster, put your hand in the cage. Let him sniff and walk on it. Do not try to pet him at this point. Do this several times throughout the evening while he is awake.
    Day 8, While talking to your hamster, put your hand in again, let him sniff and walk on it and this time try petting him with your finger/s. If he accepts this, then you may try to pick him up.
    These steps may need to be repeated, it just depends on your hamster.
    When holding your hamster, you should always cup one hand over him until he gets used to you. This will make him feel more secure and there is less of a chance that he will try to jump.
    If you try the taming steps, I would suggest moving his cage into a more quiet room, just for the time being.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing and best of luck! Remember, Don't give up, he will come around.