She's a biter

[tbunnysmom]

Errr, why is she doing this? We have an Asian dwarf hamster (or atleast that's what my brother called her) She bit me twice today. The first time I was putting my hand in to scoop her up and she bit down hard enough to draw blood. The second time she was in my hand and she nibbled on my bracelet (which was fine) but then she went up to my fingers and was starting to nibble so I put her back in the cage.

It is frustrating b/c I was hoping to keep her. I got her on loan from my brother to see if maybe we'd want to keep her. So I don't know how old she is. I held her several times at his place this weekend and she didn't bite, though tried nibbling once. I got her a bunch of new stuff today so I could make her a bigger cage, but now I'm not sure I want to keep her.

[Cavykid14]

This problem happened to me a lot as well with my dwarf hamster, you just need to start hand feeding it because it thinks your trying to cage it in your palm. If ever it does bite you just flick it on the nose, not hard but enough so that your pet gets the message.

[daftscotslass]

Don't be silly, if you flick it it will just learn that you are the predator coming to kill it, and probably attack you even more. In my mind, that's bordering on abuse. They CANNOT associate deed with punishment.

You can tempt it with some food (maybe a bit of plain chicken?) and it will get used to your hand. You can perhaps tempt it ONTO your hand with some food, too. The way to a hamster's heart is definitely through their mouth. Wear some gloves and she will also get more used to you handling her, and biting won't have any effect.

However, you might have to accept that some dwarves just don't enjoy being handled. Get her lots of toys for her cage, they are wonderful to watch even if you can't handle them all the time.

[Cavykid14]

Abuse... Sheesh I only said a little flick, not like a beating or nothing.

[daftscotslass]

A flick to an animal that small would equate to a slap across the face of a human being. Would you enjoy that? As I said above, there is no point, it will have no effect but to scare the hamster away from you. They are not intelligent enough to relate the deed of biting to the punishment of a flick on the face.

Bribery with food is the way forward.

[Plummie]

I agree with daftscotlass.. I would never advise flicking the nose of such a tiny creature. It would only put you further back on progress than where you started.

When I adopted my two dwarves from the humane society, they nipped and did not want to be held. So I backed off and started slowly by offering treats (sunflower seeds are a favorite, just don't give too many). The way to a hamster's heart is definitely through it's tummy. Now my girls look forward to my hand coming in the cage because they associate it with something GOOD. After your hammie starts to become more comfortable with handling, be sure to keep it up. If dwarf hamsters aren't handled for a couple weeks, they can become wild again. They don't remain "tame" in the same way a syrian hamster would.

[Cavykid14]

My hamster is smart enough to know right from wrong, He bit me once when I first got him, i tapped him on the nose and he hasn't done it since. Of cource I give him treats to make him like me even more and now when my hand goes in that cage he jumps on it.

[RubyPiggie2]

Originally Posted by Cavykid14

My hamster is smart enough to know right from wrong, He bit me once when I first got him, i tapped him on the nose and he hasn't done it since. Of cource I give him treats to make him like me even more and now when my hand goes in that cage he jumps on it.

He's bloody scared of you, that's why he dosen't bite you anymore! He's probably more of a "back down" kind of animal too and won't defend himself near as much as some others will.

I absolutely hate it when people hit animals, let it be a flick on the nose of a hamster or a hit to a dog. Dogs and much smaller than us (at least some are) and when people consider a small slap on a dog nothing, it's much more than that if we hit a human as hard as the dog feels.

[daftscotslass]

Originally Posted by RubyPiggie2

He's bloody scared of you, that's why he dosen't bite you anymore! He's probably more of a "back down" kind of animal too and won't defend himself near as much as some others will.

I absolutely hate it when people hit animals, let it be a flick on the nose of a hamster or a hit to a dog. Dogs and much smaller than us (at least some are) and when people consider a small slap on a dog nothing, it's much more than that if we hit a human as hard as the dog feels.

I completely agree, Ruby. I'm sorry, Cavykid14, your hamster is not intelligent enough to know right from wrong. They just don't have the ability to associate doing something wrong with a punishment. They can learn where their food bowl is, where their water bottle is and possibly what time feeding time is at if you stick to a routine. I'm willing to bet you would have had the same effect if you had done nothing - most hamsters get used to their owners with no intervention apart from hand feeding and handling.

[The Magic Taco]

Hey, RubyPiggie2, it says you're from Missouri, but I have never heard an American person say bloody!

On the radio, they said that people who abuse animals from an early age, end up being criminals and murderers.

[Sabriel]

I tend to write bloody more then I say it. I use it in place of other less graceful words. It does tend to be used less in North America. But Harry Potter and other British books seem to have increased the words popularity.

I don't think small animals have the capactiy to associate a tap with thier behavior. My pigs seem to undersatnd displeasure when I vocalize it (ie. "Bad Sakura!" or "Don't do that Sakura." or "No nibbles!". I think pain would actually make it worse. They would miss the verbal command.

If pain did work Lina would have figured out by now that when Sakura nips her for taking up the litter box when Sakura has to go potty it means "Get out of the way" not "Sit there and cry". I just put in more litter boxes. No more tears.

[stitsy&codyPig]

Every time I have a hamster it would end up bitting me. About 3 years ago I adopted 2 hamsters. They were so nice and so sweet. Then about 1 week later one died then the other one got so mean and would stand on her back legs and hiss any time I went near the cage. It was kind of sad because she missed the other one but then she died like 7 monthes later.

[Percy's Mom]

Hamsters are predators in much the same way that guinea pigs are prey animals, and many just do NOT want to be handled. Feed them, give them fresh water, give them treats (I believe they eat meat in the wild, so maybe a little piece of chicken if you have it in the house), and if they still want to bite either leave them be or get a pair of gardening gloves to pick them up with. For goodness sake don't hit them or try to pick them up from behind. How would you feel if something 10,000+ times your size reached into your house and lifted you off the ground when you weren't ready for it?

[Da_3_mad_pigs]

I have a dwarf hamster and for the first couple of days I got him he wouldnt bite me but afeter that for about a week that I got him he was biting me, I found tat really stange, so I called up the vets to see if they new what was happening and they said that for the first week or so that you get she/he he will nibble/bite you to see the smell and scent of you, and the vet also saidthat if he/she does bit you then you should blow on his/her nose slightly, not flick it on the nose.

[oologahyoko]

Dwarf hamsters aren't usually a pick me up and cuddle me hamster. I mean there are exceptions. Try carrying around a handkerchief *how ever you spell it* every day. Don't wash it or anything. After about a week put it in the cage with your hamster. That will get it use to your smell.
When it tries to bite you flatten out your hand as best as you can. It'll make it harder for it to get a really good bite on you.

[lilchris_28]

Ok, here's what you need to do. I have six hamsters, four of which are dwarfs. All of them with the exception of Dobby use to bite me. Now they all run to the sides of their cages when I walk in the room wanting to be held for a little while. This is how I trained them not to.

Wash your hands before doing anything to get any foreign smells or food residue or whatever off. Then reach into the cage and rub some of the bedding on your hand, don't forget to do the back of your hand too. Yes, I know this is gross, but it will get the hamster's smell on your hand. I always got brave and used the bedding they use the bathroom in, but I suppose any bedding will be better than none. Then make your hand into a fist with your thumb tucked inside so the hamster can't bite it. Place your fisted hand into the cage with the knuckles touching the bedding and your hand and arm vertical, not bent. Then just sit there and let your hamster come to you. He/she may still do this little boxing number, but as long as it doesn't bite, it's okay. If it does bite, blow in it's face. When it gets to the point it stops biting, wait a day and the next day do it again. If it hasn't regressed, lay your hand flat and let it walk on your hand. When it's okay with this, wait a day, try again, as long as it hasn't regressed, you can try to pick it up. If it regresses, go back to the previous steps and try again. ALWAYS pick a small animal up from underneath. Most predators attack from above, so if you try to pick it up from the top, it will most likely bite you b/c it thinks you're going to eat it. NEVER flick it. It will make it worse. Just blow on it's face if it bites you. Don't sit it back in it's cage when it bites b/c you're most likely giving it the thing it wants, and it will learn how to manipulate you. It's best normally to let it walk on your hand and then pick it up. Occassionally they'll be territorial and once you get them out they're fine so you can also get a cup or something and scoop it out. Sit the cage on the floor with yourself when you try to hold it in case it jumps... Don't want an injury. Hope this helps... Keep up informed of your baby's progress. P.S. Wash your hands afterwards...Duh...