Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my long-hiar syranin hamster is biting.. my friend has like two from the same store that i got mine at and they dont bit [yeah i know personality] ive had mine for about a week and when i put my hand in its cage so it can sniff me and get use to my sent, it comes over and bites me.. i thought they just bite when they are afraid or if you wake them up in the afternoon.. my hamster doesNOT act like its afriad,,it just walks up to me and then sniffs for like 1 SECOND and then bites me.. ive tryed hand feeding it too [with gloves] but wont it think your hand is food too? cuz your suppose to wash your hands before you put your hand in so i doesnt smell like food, but then if you hand feed it, your hand will smell like food..

PLEASE HELP AND ADVICE ON TAMING MY HAMSTER..
oh and if i try to pick it up, [while taming it] with a cup and then hold it, will the hamster bite me when it is on my hand? cuz i heard they dont, but i dont know if i want to risk it.. i put gloves on when i try to pet it, but i like flinches and bite when i try to pet it too..would holding it be the same>?

Hi,

Although it may seem hes not afraid, young hamsters natural reaction to fear or what he/ she considers a threat, is to be aggressive. (Defending itself)

I think with patience and repeated attemps of handling and holding he will learn to trust. I know your a bit scared of being bite, but I think the gloves probably frieghten him more.

Heres a site that talks about taming, everything from waking them abruptly, to just getting them to trust. I sure hope it helps.

Good luck with your new buddy, hope he will soon learn NOT to bite you ! Let us know how the training goes,
Hamster Handling

-----
----
Eve / PHEve

ive been using a glove and he doesnt seem to know the difference..i think a glove is A LOT better because ive been hand feeding it [sorta] lately and even if he does bite me [because my hands smell like food because of the hamster food on my hands] i wont feel it and wont have the temptation of pulling back quickly [reflexes] and scaring the hamster...i read that if it starts to bite you blow on it gently and it will stop.. so ive done that and it doesnt seem to bite as much.. i i can pet it a little, but only when it is on my hand..if its just sitting in the corner or sumthing, then it flinches and trys to bite me [no it is not sleeping]