hi, I acquired a hamster a couple of weeks ago and whatever I try he/she always tries to bite me, I have tried feeding through the cage, tried getting it out so it can come to me in its own time, but nothing seems to work, can anyone help
Posted:
Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:27 pm
clareabella TopDog
Joined: May 21, 2007 Posts: 2330 Age: 23 No.Of Pets: 10+ Pet Types: Dog,cat,chinchillas,degus,mice,zebra mouse
When i was taming my chinchillas i always used to wear gloves, that way if they did bite it wouldn't hurt. They soon came round in the end. I get the odd gentle nibble now and again but that's generaly when they have just woke up. ____________
Posted:
Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:42 pm
Koolkat TopDog
Joined: Aug 13, 2007 Posts: 609 Age: 19 No.Of Pets: 10+ Pet Types: 1 dog,3 cats, 6 rabbits, 3 Hamsters, 2 guinnie pigs, 2 african land snails (and a imaginary Dashound)
Give her/him time thats what i did. And now Luna Belle is soo sweet
She could be still trying to adapt to her new life ____________ ~~Love Chr!$t!n£, J£t, $a$ha, B!nky, Blad£, B!zzar£,B!$cu!t, Z!g, Zag, Luna B£ll£ && $wirl~~
I had a biter for a hamster at first too...and I had a VERY skittish mouse! So I learned a fair bit about taming rodents, and it's been very effective with mine! Hopefully some of this helps...
Don't try to hand it play with it etc. right now. Give it a few days without you interfering with it's space to get used to the new territory.
Before trying to touch it and pick it up etc...talk softly to it, often. Have it in the same room as you so that it can hear you talking (talking to it while on the computer, making dinner, whatever) or even singing along to your radio...just letting it hear your voice.
Putting the cage on a nighttable beside your bed while you sleep can also be very helpful if it's a very skittish or feisty animal. This way, it can smell you when you really smell like you, and not like your tasty shampoos or deoderants and perfumes. It also shows it that you're not ALWAYS big and fast moving and looming over it as a threat. Shows it you can be slow and low to the ground as well.
Putting an article of clothing that you wear to sleep in or something like that close to the cage can help them get used to your scent, also.
Then when it seems a little more curious about you and more relaxed - putting finger to the cage for them to smell, but being prepared for a possible bite so you can move, was my next step. If they seem about to bite, then move your hand - if not, you can leave your hand there or even think about putting your hand in. MAKE SURE YOUR HAND DOES NOT SMELL LIKE FOOD, or they will bite regardless.
Putting your hand in with a peice of food on your hand (like, treat food...yogurt drops, a small cracker, peice of fruit/veggie...something not in their normal food dish) and just sitting still until it comes over is good too. At first it'll just take the food and run off to eat it...but eventually it'll stay and eat it near your hand, and then sit right IN your hand to eat it! Make sure you keep your hand still, though, as sudden movements can reverse the taming process so far.
Hope that helps! There are absolutely other techniques and things that work, but that's just what I've found to be most helpful. Good luck!!!
Posted:
Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:18 pm
Natoni Puppy
Joined: Jan 23, 2006 Posts: 15 Age: 39 No.Of Pets: 8 Pet Types: chameleon,corn snake,tortoise, guinea pig, hamster, 2 snails, fish
Hamsters have poor eyesight, so I wouldn't recommend sticking fingers through the bars as they'll just bit it, you are better to hand feed them by offering them food so as they learn to associate you with good things. Sunflower seeds are always popular, but watch hammy doesn't get too many.
Then as Asho said, you can put food in the palm of your hand until it gets to the stage that they eat on your hand. Once there you can try lifting you hand off the cage floor, but let them jump off if they want. Eventually you should be able to lift them out of the cage all together, but young adults are always jumpy so always handle over a bed, floor or cage.
The worst thing people always seem to do is either start chasing the poor ham around the cage before grabbing it, scare it by lifting off its bed whilst its sleeping and then trying to prevent the poor thing from jumping off their hands, all of which = HARD BITE! When at the stage of lifting the hamster over the cage floor, let them jump off, as to prevent that means they think they are captured and will freak them out. They'll soon learn being rasied up off the floor is harmless and you can cup your hands around them.
It can take a few weeks or months before they are truely tamed, depending on the individual, but its important, especially if its a dwarf to handle everyday if possible. Once a syrian is tamed, its generally fine for life, but dwarves need regular handling to keep them tame.
Also, with dwarves some you'll find are cage territorial and can only be handled outside the cage so you have to use a mug or something to handle them outside the cage.
A great bonding exercise is sitting in a dry bathtub and letting hammie run all over you.
Good luck!
Posted:
Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:30 am
poppydog83 TopDog
Joined: Feb 07, 2007 Posts: 682 Age: 24 No.Of Pets: 7 Pet Types: 3 dogs,1 hamster and 3 rats
I was very suprised how quickly linford (my syrian) became tame. I did the whole food in hand thing etc...and it worked great,cant remember how long it took,but it wasnt long at all. And he is gorgeous,i love my dogs but linford is my little baby. I dont know why,but i have always prefered to have syrians when ive had hammies. I prefer the bigger hammies.
Fingers crossed,but he has never bitten me yet
Posted:
Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:19 pm
an1mal_l0ver Puppy
Joined: Jun 01, 2007 Posts: 29 Age: 21 No.Of Pets: 7 Pet Types: Dog, 3 guinea-pigs, rabbit, 2 rats
I used to keep the smallest breed of hamster, the Roborovski, and they didn't try to bite me at all, they're not a biting breed. If you have a Russian Dwarf then that'll be why you're being bitten, that breed are prone to it. There were times where mine would escape from their cage during the night (we fixed that after we figured out how they got out ) and I'd have to chase them and catch them and yes they would bite me then, also if I was trying to get them out to clean their cage, they'd go for me then because I'd be rushing and startling them.
Time is the best thing to give your little one.
Posted:
Sat Feb 09, 2008 1:25 am
LittleCreatures Newbie
Joined: Feb 14, 2008 Posts: 1 Age: 14 No.Of Pets: 4 Pet Types: Hamsters
ur little hamster needs more attension than anything else
you need a exercise ball you can get them from any pet shop
and let your hammie go in it and let your hammie crawl onto your hand then put her/him back in it keep doing this for at least a week try feeding treats too
Posted:
Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:02 pm
Poser_Doll HouseTrained
Joined: Jan 18, 2007 Posts: 70 Age: 15 No.Of Pets: 10+ Pet Types: Tortoise, Ferret, Dog, Cat, and hamster
Karma: 0 Thank
Location: Coventry, England Medals: None
What type of hamster?
if its a dwarf hamster (mostly russians) they arent exactly pets to handle.
from what ive studied anyway, ive own 4 of them and each dont like being handled.
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