[Gpdd] BEHAVIOUR - re: hamster biting

[a.mills at portset.net]

Hello

Sorry to hear that you are having problems with your hamster.  However, all is not lost.  The main reason a hamster will bite is because they are scared.  What you need to do is to make your hamster feel confident with you.  The first rule with hamsters is never pick up a sleeping hamster from its bed.  You are asking to be bitten.  They hate being woken up suddenly and it is best to wake them first before even attempting to handle them.  I will tell you how I tame my hamsters.  I have used this method with several and it has always worked.  Rather than picking them up directly with your hand, what you need to do is pick them up in something.  I use one of those little breeding fish tanks that you can float in the main tank but you could use any type of shallow container.  Take the hamster into a room where there is nowhere for it to hide and sit on a low seat.  For the first few days, just talk to it and let it come onto your lap and explore.  If it does jump off your lap, !
just let it and then pick it up again in the tank.  As it becomes more confident, start stroking it.  If you are afraid to touch it with your hand,you can use your sleeve to start with.  Once you are doing this regularly and the hamster is becoming more confident, you will soon find that you will be able to handle it without any problems.  This process can take anything from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the hamster's personality.  If your hamster is biting out of nervousness as I suspect, I think it may take a little while to gain its confidence but I am sure it will work.