Figuring out if your hamster is actually tamed or not can be difficult at times because a lot of the behaviors that they show can mean multiple things.
Because each hamster is different, that means that some of them can become tamed faster or slower than others.
Which can also make it harder to know if they’re tamed as well. So I did a bit of research into some of the different ways that you can tell when your hamster is tamed to help out fellow hamster owners.
That way it’s easier to know if your hamster is starting to become domesticated and tamed.
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A Hamster That’s Tamed Can Be Comfortable Being Held
The first way that you can tell that your hamster is tamed is if they’re comfortable being held.
If your hamster is completely fine with you holding them then this is a really good sign that they’ve become domesticated.
While you’re holding them they won’t try to run away from you or bite you so that you’ll let them go.
Instead, they’ll crawl in and out of your hand and start to explore you while you hold them.
However, it’s not the same for all hamsters, because not all of them will want to be held.
So if your hamster doesn’t like being held, then that’s perfectly fine too. Just because your hamster doesn’t want to be held does not mean that they aren’t tamed. This is just a very high level of being tamed for a hamster.
Some Tamed Hamsters Will Like To Be Petted
When a hamster is tamed they’ll be more comfortable with being petted. They won’t squeak at you or try to run away from you while you’re petting them.
You also won’t see that many signs of stress as you are touching them as well.
So if your hamster sits still while you’re petting them, then this shows that they trust you enough to touch them.
However, this is another high level of being tamed for a hamster. So you also have to keep in mind that not all hamsters will want to be petted.
But if they do sit still as you’re touching them, then you have a very tamed hamster.
Tamed Hamsters Won’t Bite You
Hamsters are known to get scared very easily. Most of the time when they feel threatened they will start to lash out and bite.
But once your hamster is tamed they won’t bite or nip at you out of fear as much anymore.
This usually happens after they’ve gotten used to you and trust you a little bit more. So this can happen over time as long as you’re patient with them.
Some hamsters will still nip at you even when they’re not scared of you though. This can happen when they smell food on your hands.
So it helps to wash your hands so that they don’t smell any food on you and try to bite you.
But as time goes on some hamsters will stop biting you even if they smell food on your hands if they’re tamed properly.
Your Hamster Will No Longer Be Afraid Of You
A hamster that’s tamed won’t be afraid of you as much anymore. Hamsters can spend a lot of their time on high alert.
That way they can protect themselves from predators or from what they think are predators.
So if your hamster doesn’t run away and hide when you come around them then this is a good way to tell that they are tamed.
They also won’t sit there frozen and shaking when you come near them as well.
Instead of running away or freezing up, a hamster that’s tamed will usually run up to you when you walk by their cage.
Hamsters That Are Tamed Will Try To Interact With You
If you have a hamster that comes up to you when you’re near their cage, then this is a good way to tell that they like you and that they’re tamed.
The fact that they’re trying to interact with you can show that they’ve become very comfortable with your presence and domesticated.
A lot of the time a tamed hamster will try to initiate contact with you as well. That way they can play with you and have a little bit of fun.
Even if they don’t always come up to you when you walk by their cage, a hamster that’s tamed will just want to generally be in the same space as you and interact with you.
Your Hamster Won’t Be As Scared Of Their Environment
When a hamster has become tamed, they won’t be as scared of the environment that’s around them.
They’ll be used to their cage and most of the things that are in and out of it as well.
They will also have gotten used to all the noises that they usually hear, like the noises from the TV, music, or even your voice. The same goes for the movements that are around them like when you walk past their cage.
However, they still might get scared when other pets in your home, like cats and dogs, make noises or come close to them.
If that’s the case, that doesn’t mean that your hamster is not tamed, it just means that they’re afraid of the other bigger pets that have come around them.
Tamed Hamsters Will Take Food From Your Hand
Another way to tell that your hamster is tamed is when they start to happily take food from your hands.
This is a very good sign because it can mean that they trust you enough to come up to you and then take something from your hand and eat it.
For example, a hamster that’s tamed will run over to you if you have a treat in your hand.
That way they can get their little treat and either eat it there in front of you or store it away so that they can enjoy it at a later time.
So if your hamster trusts you enough to eat what you give them, then it’s a really good sign that they’ve become tamed.
Your Hamster Will Generally Trust You
A hamster that has become domesticated or tamed will generally start to trust you.
Hamsters are prey animals, so it can take a lot for them to trust anything or anyone, and that includes their owners as well.
It can take a while for a hamster to build trust, especially after you first adopt them, so you’ll have to have some patience with your little pet.
But as soon as you notice that they’re starting to trust you, that’s when you’ll know that your hamster is starting to become very tame.
They’ll trust you enough not to hurt or eat them and you’ll start to see that they won’t fear you as much anymore.
Even though sometimes it can be difficult to tell when your hamster is happy, a good way to know that they’re tamed and trust you is when they seem happier when you come around them.
Tamed Hamsters Feel Comfortable Exploring Their Cage While You’re Around
Hamsters are usually very curious animals, but it’s well known that they do get scared easily.
So if your hamster is comfortable enough to explore their cage when you’re around without getting scared, then that can mean that they’ve become tamed.
They’ll usually run around and play throughout the day and they won’t slow down or stop just because you’ve come near them.
This can be when they’re playing with their toys or even running around on their exercise wheel.
Either way, if your hamster is tamed they’ll feel perfectly fine doing their normal activities even with you being close to them.
Hamsters Show That They’re Tamed In Different Ways
When it comes to hamsters, they’ll show that they’re tamed in many different ways.
Remember, all hamsters are different with their own unique personalities. So that means that some hamsters can tolerate and like different things that other hamsters won’t.
How tame your hamster can be is up to you though, because there are different levels of being tame for them.
For example, a hamster that’s highly domesticated can be tamed to the point where they allow you to pick them up and pet them.
But hamsters can also be tamed so that they don’t get as scared when you come around them as well.
For a hamster, those two levels of being tamed are very different, but a hamster is still considered to be tamed either way.
Also, taming should never be forced on them. You have to let them get used to you and their environment at their own pace, that way it’ll make it easier to tell when your hamster is actually tame.