My brother used to have a hamster when he was a kid. I remember they were cudly little things and maybe in its 3 years of life, he got bit once or twice. I also had one for a few months. Now we decided to have one as a pet for our girls 13 years old and 2 y-o. We brought it home and it is very aggressive. In the first hour, it has already bitten my husband twice. My 2 y-o is terrified from the screaching sounds it makes. I am no longer comfortable to handle it.
We are thinking of taking it back to exchange it for another with a much softer character. I have never seen or heard a hamster do this as much as I know it needs time to get used to us. After a day it shows aggressivenes, it gets very nervous and stands up on its legs immediately to defend itself. I don't want my daughter around it because I don't want her bit.
Is this actually normal? Maybe we should go for a ferret, but those are pretty expensive. Has anyone seen a hamster that screaches and bites this much?
Answers:
It might not have been properly handled when younger, and isn't used to humans. Where did you get the hamster?
There's also a possibility that it's sick, so I'd keep an eye on it to make sure it's behaving normally when in the cage.
Hamsters are more likely than other rodents to develop behavioral problems, but it's strange for one to behave abnormally on the first day, let alone that aggressively.
If you do decide to get another hamster, be sure to handle it first to make sure it reacts normally and doesn't bite.
Believe me, my brother had a hamster that did the exact thing over and over again. It hated to be handled and it certainly didn't have a cuddly personality. Not in the three years it lived had it changed it's behavior. I've been bitten numerous times by it and it broke the skin on some occasions. My hamster on the other hand, never bit once in it's three and a half years of life. It stayed quiet and content from the first day to the last.
Your hamster you have now is pretty aggresive by how you describe it. If you and your kids are up to the challenge, you could attempt to calm it down and slowly make it recongnize your family.
If it really freaks everyone out and it doesn't stop it's behavior, I would suggest a change. Good luck.
well all hamsters will bite i would suggest wearing glove and holding it everyday.if it bites it will just bite glove and if handled correctly will stop biting.i don't know about screaching though.ferrets are good pets but as you said very expensive.they also like the hamster sleep a lot and they have a musky smell.they also will nip.
Hi! My friend had a hamster that bit anyone who tried to touch it. It sounds like yours is way worse than hers was but here's what worked for her: her mum had to take it out of its cage to clean it out, feed it and so on, but every time she did she wore gloves. This got the hamster used to being heldand put her in no danger and after a while it didn't bite her. It bit everyone else though, so if you try this make sure everyone does! Also, when it's calmed down a bit try putting some food in your hand and waiting for it to take it. This will probably take a LONG time but it works in the end. (it did for me, anyway.) Did you buy the hamster as a baby or an adult? I ask because if it was an adult it's possible it was bought as live food for a snake or something, escaped and then was sold as a pet. It's horrible but it happens a lot with rats (which is what I keep) and other rodents. They're very territorial too so make sure he knows he has a place where he feels safe, like a plastic house or something. Then he knows that's his area where you won't go, and he won't get so crazy when you enter the cage.
hamsters do not like being handled, they merely tolerate it. some are more gentle than others but in general they aren't very social. if u want a cuddly pet try a rabbit, rat, gerbil, or guinea pig. read up on them before making a decision on any new pet. most need to live in pairs to be happy and most need a lot more care than people realize. no ferret-- they chew everything %26 can be nippy too.
is yours a syrian or dwarf? often dwarf are cage aggressive %26 sometimes syrian too. this just means they bite only in the cage. your first mistake was trying to handle him as soon as u got home. they need time to relax in their new home %26 shouldnt be bothered the first 24 hrs. they stress VERY easily %26 stress often leads to wettail.
this one needs time to adjust. talk to him daily and feed him bits of food by hand so he learns your smell %26 voice. one way to get him out is with a hamster ball. just hold it up to the cage door %26 he will jump in.(if he chews bars that means he wants out %26 should be put in the ball) u can then go sit on the couch %26 let him on your lap. for the 2 yr old--the tub would be a safer place. empty of course.
dont wake him to hold him or he will bite. wait until evening when he's up.
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