Hamsters are cute and affectionate pet animals often considered the best ones to be near kids.It is not common to see a hamster be aggressive, let alone bite. However, due to some circumstances and fear that the hamster feels, it might sometimes resort to biting.Hamsters only bite when they are scared. It is not the same when other animals bite as hamsters with their small teeth won’t do as much damage, but still, hamster biting should be discouraged. It is important to train your pet hamster not to bite and it might take some rules to follow that we will discuss later. Training the hamster with treats might be an option.Getting bitten by your pet hamster might pain a bit and it is not an experience that you want to be repeated. Hamsters are known for biting when they are scared or threatened, and this behavior comes from their natural instincts in the wild. Hamster species are considered prey animals and to protect themselves from being the food of other animals, they resorted to biting. Hamsters also do not see very well and they depend on the sense of smell to navigate around. So the hamster might easily mistake you for food and start biting you. So remember to always wash your hands before trying to pet your hamster or put your hands inside the cage. If you do this, the hamster will know your hands are not food for them to munch on.When you first get your pet hamster into your house, the animal might not be quite familiar with humans. So if you try to handle your new pet at the first instance, the animal will surely bite. Instead, get to know your pet first, make a connection, and then when the hamster is not afraid anymore, you can try making a physical connection with your beautiful pet in the cage. It is recommended to wear thick gloves while you are training your pet hamster. Once your hamster is trained, you can stop wearing the gloves as the risk of biting reduces then.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about hamster facts and do hamsters hibernate here on Kidadl?Why do hamsters bite their cage?There are many different reasons why a hamster, like many other animals, bites the cage.Usually, you will see a hamster biting its cage out of boredom, to grow the teeth better, to seek attention from the owners, or just good old chewing. To get rid of the boredom a hamster might feel, let the pet roam around with you. On the bed, walking on the floor, or just lying on your chest, all these measures will help you get the pet excited and forget all about chewing on the cage. Getting the hamster an exercise ball to play with is a good option. Let it play for some minutes, but avoid direct sunlight. Remember to remove any electrical appliances as the hamster might chew on the electrical cords lying around. You must have heard hamsters running on wheels, this can help the hamster stop biting as it will release the pent-up energy building inside the pet.A hamster will love some company as the species is considered a very social animal. Dwarf hamsters need to spend some time with their human owners and that would give them the confidence boost the pets deserve. Holding it out of the small cage or letting it walk on you will help the pet emotionally a lot. A hamster’s nature includes exploration and it will sniff you out. If you are able to build trust with your pet, it will surely come and sit on you.To stop your hamster from biting the cage walls, you can let the nocturnal animals sleep during the day. A hamster will be active during the night and needs sleep during the day. If you don’t let the hamster have that sleep, it is going to be cranky the whole day and might bite out of irritation.How do you train a hamster not to bite?A hamster will always come into new territory and it needs some time to adjust to the surroundings and the people it is going to live life with.It is better to leave the scared hamster to be with itself and explore the house a bit before you try to make contact with it. Even if the hamster is used to you, sudden movements might scare the little animal. So think what trauma the hamster will go through if you try this sudden movement before being acquainted. Letting the hamster first explore by smelling the environment would be better at first. The hamster will get used to the scents this way and feel safe. When some days pass by, you can then sit near the cage so that the hamster recognizes your smell and then you can talk to the pet to get acquainted. Hamster bites are common when they are new, but following these steps can prepare the pet better for the future.Once you are done getting acquainted with the hamster, slowly put your hands inside the cage when the pet is awake. Doing this when the pet is sleeping might surprise it and lead to bites anyway. When you first put your hand inside the cage, do not do any other movement. Just rest your hand inside the cage and let it stay there. Let the hamster come to your hand to smell it and not the other way around. To expedite the process, you can also provide the hamster with treats.Only when the hamster approaches the hand, you can touch it gently and then after a few tries, pick it up. Always hold the pet gently with your palms and never grab it. While doing these processes, you have probably discovered which treats the hamsters are fond of. Sunflower seeds, raisins, and apples are all good options to give the hampsters. Keep petting your pet and in a few days, the hamster will know you are not the enemy and stop biting.Do hamsters bite their owners?Hamsters are scared of people, so it takes time for the pet to get accustomed to the surroundings. If you are trying to handle your pet early on, hamsters might bite your fingers out of plain fear.Even if the hamster is comfortable with the owner, there might be some circumstances that bring out the biting nature of the animal. A hamster might bite if you try handling it just after getting it from the store, and a hamster might also bite if you disturb the pet while it is sleeping. The animal sleeps during the day, so remember to let the animal complete its sleep. Also, do not ever approach the animal from behind, as it might startle it and lead to bites. The best time to touch the animal is when it is ready to welcome you into its world.Why do hamsters bite their other hamster?There are different species of hamsters and all behave differently from each other.Sometimes new hamsters can be placed together in a cage, but some of the time, the animals turn on each other and become violent. Hamsters are territorial and do not like others invading their space. It is better to place each hamster in separate cages. You can also notice some bullying and fighting between your pets. They don’t share food or space, so keeping them apart is the best option. Check for injuries regularly if you house them together.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do hamsters bite, then why not take a look at 11 amazing facts on national daughters day revealed for kids or why are earwigs called earwigs facts pages?
Hamsters are cute and affectionate pet animals often considered the best ones to be near kids.
