Biting Hamsters - Paw Talk

scotter201 · #1 11-05-2006, 08:09 PM

HELP! Ive had my hamster for 2 and a half weeks now bu she still bites! ALOT! By the way she bites, i think she thinks im food, but thats just what it looks like. I wash my hands for a long time b4 handling her but still, CHOMP CHOMP!

nvm i just tried to pet her again but she bit agrresivly plz someone help

It is definitely not her thinkin im food, theres somethin big thats makin her so scared in my presence

i desperately need advice

scotter201 · #2 11-06-2006, 09:15 PM

My hamster is a little better but i still need advice on how i can really earn Abby's (my hamster) trust

VanillaRat · #3 11-06-2006, 10:00 PM

Do you bother her in the daytime,during naps? Are there any other animals around,that may scare her?Have you properly started the taming process? It takes time to get them used to you!

scotter201 · #4 11-06-2006, 10:56 PM

I learned my lesson within the first 3 days not to disrupt her daytime naps.I now only try to interact with her in the evening,when she is out and about in her cage. I have a dog, but she chealsea (my dog) is clueless about Abby(my hamster). It is wierd, bcuz she will take food from my hand, but when i go near to pet her, she bites. I downloaded a 4 step taming proccess off google, but by the second week shes sposed to be used to my hand bein there, but when i try to have my hand lay in the cage, careful not to scare her, she goes up and bites

Skratikans · #5 11-07-2006, 12:55 PM

i ve been in that situation nothing to worry...when she eats you should not bother her bc she may take that as a sign that you want the treat back..let her know you more..maybe give her your hand to smell when no treats are around...but dont linger your hand too long she may bite that too

bumble_b18 · #6 11-07-2006, 03:29 PM

See, I've got a bit of a different problem. The runt of an 'orphaned' litter was, and still IS being handraised. He's given plenty of extra attention. Yet, he's starting to bite and become skitterish now. I'm really confused. All the other baby hamsters are super-friendly (one nibbled a few times, but never actually BIT anyone). The runt however, seems to be scared of me and anyone else, until he's out of his cage. Once he's out, he snuggles right up. Today, he actually bit someone. He's been on his own for a while now, because I was afraid of his littermates harming him. Now, I'm thinking of reintroducing him for a few weeks (they're only 3 weeks old) to the other boys. Is this a bad idea? I've let him play with them occasionally under supervision and they still treat him as one of their own. At the same time though, I wouldn't want anything to happen to him. He's still not quite as big as the others (though just as active now). WHY is he scared of people? How do I get him to be friendlier? I'm so confused as to why he runs away. He's been handfed since he was only a week and a half old. I've only ever handled him with extreme gentleness and I've always been cautious not to startle him. He runs away ANYWAYS and now he's starting to bite.

jennawing · #7 11-07-2006, 04:01 PM

Sounds like your hamster needs to be tamed. CLick o the FAQ link in my siggy.

bumble_b18 · #8 11-07-2006, 04:12 PM

Is that for me or scotter201? I just read it, but my baby ham's been handraised. he's only just starting this behavior. Maybe's it's to do with his development...all the otherw were a little jumpy about a week ago, maybe he's just catching up...

scotter201 · #9 11-07-2006, 05:41 PM

Since we seem to hav 2 problems goin on here, adress who ur talkin 2 when u give advice.

With my problem, she always sniffs me b4 i can pet her, but 9 times outta 10 she bites after she sniffs but its not that i smell like food cuz i always wash my hand

VWbarnbum · #10 11-07-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:


	HOW CAN I STOP MY HAMSTER BITING ME? Hamsters that bite or cannot be handled are not vicious; they are wild. They've probably been brought up in huge tanks by commercial breeders and never handled. Or possibly they are brain damaged from in-breeding from the same source. A good pet shop should not be selling animals that have not been handled in infancy. It is cruel to make them into pets and it is unfair on children. "An animal brought up in this way may never be tame," says Pamela Milward of the Southern Hamster Club. To pick up a hamster that bites, she suggests wearing cotton gardening gloves and using either a small fishing net (with a piece of cardboard to pop over the net when it's inside) or a household paper towel tube. Block off one end of this, and the hamster should rush inside for safety. Keep the gloves or equipment next to the cage. If you have lots of patience you could try training it to be handled. "Try a biggish piece of cooked chicken, sardine or lettuce, ' says Pamela Milward. "Hold it out to it and then while it is eating try to stroke it. If you are able to do this, the next stage is to hold it firmly round the middle to pick it up." Of course, if the hamster is brain-damaged from in-breeding, no amount of training will help. Sometimes a hamster bites because your hands smell of food. So see if washing your hands, before handling the hamster, will prevent this. If you are cleaning out the hamster and putting in new food, do this AFTER handling not before. Sometimes hamsters "taste" the owner¹s hand by giving a gentle bite that does not break the skin. "It is disconcerting but once you get used to this, it is not a worry," says Pamela Milward. If you decide to get a new hamster, ask the shopkeeper if you can handle the new animal. If they refuse ask to watch them handle it. If they refuse (or if the animal bites them) do not buy it. Syrian hamsters, the traditional kind, do sometimes bite. Russian emale hamsters are quite likely to bite. Chinese hamsters are less likely to bite.

Quote:


	Biting Hamster? - We recently received a lot of emails regarding hamsters that bite...hamsters from pet stores are generally not tame. Remember that it can take up to a month for your new hamster to become tame. Here are some tips to help your hamster acclimate to handling; -If your hamster bites, never drop or let go of the hamster...your hamster could get hurt and will quickly learn that if it bites, you will let go. -Do not use a glove or towel...this only masks your smell which you are trying to get you hamster used to. -Do leave your hand resting in the cage, not handling or touching your hamster, for 15 minutes several times per day for at least 2-3 days or until your hamster is comfortable and not nervous. -Add favorite treats to your hand and let your hamster come to you to get the treats...again do not try to handle your hamster. Do this for 2-3 days, several times per day. -When your hamster is used to your hand and is comfortable taking treats, try petting gently and work towards picking up. -This method should take approximately a week to two weeks. Patience is the key. The more you handle your hamster the more tame it will become.

Quote:


	Often pet shop animals are not used to being handled and take a bit of training. Things to avoid: disturbing the animal if asleep (give him/her time to wake up); hands that don't smell of food; trying to pick the hamster up from above, their main preditor, if they were wild, would be from the sky so this may be build in to them. Try to cup him/her by letting it walk on to your hand rather than grabbing. Things to try: If it still bites, you could try letting the hamster climb onto a gloved hand, so that any bites won't hurt and then letting it walk onto an ungloved hand. This will let it get used to your smell at it's own pace. Talk gently to it so that it gets used to your voice and associates you as being a friend. Be patient, these ideas usually pay off.

dont know if that helps in some way.

scotter201 · #11 11-07-2006, 07:15 PM

Thank u thank you so much

scotter201 · #12 11-07-2006, 08:29 PM

OMG Noooooo!!! I think i just deleted any trust i had earned from my hammy. I think she was goona bite or nibble or somethin she leaned forward and i pulled away and she fell 7 inches to the floor. Luckily, there was bedding there, but i think she is still mad at me cuz now she wont let me get near her anymore even though i was doin good this afternoon

jennawing · #13 11-07-2006, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumble_b18


	Is that for me or scotter201? I just read it, but my baby ham's been handraised. he's only just starting this behavior. Maybe's it's to do with his development...all the otherw were a little jumpy about a week ago, maybe he's just catching up...

How old? If you read any of the taming- you will see optimum taming age is 6-10 weeks of age. A baby hamster letting you handle it is not the same thing as being tamed. All hamsters freeze when they are frightened up to a certain age- then they start fighting back- ie biting, jumping, turning over on their backs and screeching at you. I would really recommend you to do the taming steps with all the babies- and any adults you have that do not willingly walk into you hand as well.

luvchi · #14 11-08-2006, 06:35 PM

You need to give your hamster time to get to know it's new environment. When I was trying to hand tame my hamster that I bought as a baby, I fed her hand treats and gave her little pets and she usually let me know when she got uncomfortable so I stopped and tried again a couple hours later. She hasn't bitten me in almost a year now and loves to come out and play on the computer desk. You need to be gentle and they usually let you know when they've had enough, so listen to them.

scotter201 · #15 11-08-2006, 11:06 PM

Ive been tryin some of the stuff Andrea found but Abby still bites. The only time i can pet her is while shes eatin or right after i give her a treat, but she will bite me when there r no treats and i am tryin 2 pet her