How to Carry a Hamster

Beloved pets aren't born, they're made. Hamsters, for as much joy as they can bring, require a significant amount of time and patience before they can be handled regularly as pets. Luckily, a gentle hand and a little research can go a long way toward comforting even the most nervous hamster.

Instructions

1. Create a bond of trust between you and your new pet. When your hamster first arrives, let it stay in its carrying box until it is comfortable enough to exit on its own. Afterward, leave it alone for a few hours to settle down, and to acclimate to its new environment. Resist the urge to play with it at the first opportunity. Instead, spend at least a day simply watching it from a distance.

2. Go slowly. Talk to it in as soothing a voice as possible, and let him or her become familiar with your scent. When they have sufficiently calmed down, try offering it some favorite hamster delicacies (like sunflower seeds or dried raisins). After a day or two of eating from your hand, open your hand wide and invite it to walk into your palm. From this position, gently scoop up the hamster into your hand. Reaching this point may take a few weeks.

3. Let the hamster walk or run from one of your hands to the other. Continue speaking to your pet in a non-threatening tone, and reward it with treats. If it continues to panic, however, don't push it. Try again tomorrow. After it adjusts to your hands, curl your fingers gently around its body as it runs. Remember that hamsters are near-sighted--they can barely see a foot in front of their own noses--so try to only handle your hamster will sitting down.

4. Pick up your hamster with both hands. Scoop your hand underneath its belly, and gently curl your fingers underneath its body. Cup your other hand around its back and sides. Let the hamster's head poke out from your hands so that it can still see what's going on. Hold firmly, but not with a heavy hand. You want to hold on strongly enough to keep your hamster from bolting, but lightly enough so it can still breathe (especially between the forelegs, at the lungs).

5. Handle your hamster more and more during the day so that it becomes tame. A few bites will probably prove inevitable, as you familiarize yourself with your hamster's unique personality. You can wear gloves, but they should be light enough that they won't make the handling experience worse. At the same time, try carrying your hamster for longer and longer distances. And if possible, try to handle it at the same times each day so that it gets used to the routine.

Tips & Warnings

• You can pick up an especially untamed hamster by inviting it to crawl into a plastic cup. Tame or not, many hamsters will walk into the cup out of sheer curiosity.

• Do not try and pick up your hamster by the nape of its neck, as its mother would. This technique should only be practiced by experienced handlers.