I got a female teddy bear hamster about a week ago and the lady at the pet store told me to leave her alone for 2 days, and i did but when the 2 days were up i went to touch her and i followed the instructions the lady told me to do but she still tries to bite me or if i got to pet her she will roll over and make like a sqeaking noise and yes i do wash my hands and i follewed the insructiond on how to proporly pick them up... help???
2006-12-18 14:16:21 · 7 answers · asked by misskrisrox 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I wouldn't suggest picking her up in the first week, as you are a stranger to her, and she has to learn to trust you, first. Start simple. Hand feed her a treat or two, daily. Put your hand inside the cage, but don't touch her. Let her come and inspect you, get used to your smell and realize that you aren't going to cause her harm.
Then move on to petting her. Once she's ok with that, put your hands over her, like you would, to pick her up, but don't actually pick her up. Let her get used to the way that feels, and that she's not getting hurt.
It'll take a while, but you'll eventually work up to picking her up.
2006-12-18 14:19:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
First off, its important to realise that you tow are not going to become best friends immediatly. It takes time and trust, just like with humans.
She has to get used to your sent. You are still a stranger to her. Try just sticking your arm into the cadge for a few minutes each day, without picking her up. This will help her become familiar with you and what you smell like. Its important to let her come to you. Keep doing this and after a few days, put the palm of your hand upright so that, if she wanted to, she could come and sit on your hand. Put a little lettuce or carrot on the palm of your hand to encourage her to come over. Once she starts to take the lettuce or carrot, and doesn't immediately run away from you, try and pet her, but still DON"T PICK HER UP YET. Once she stays by your hand to eat and lets you pet her for a fairly long time while she eats. You can try to pick her up, but DON'T take her out of the cadge if its possible. Give her enough room(don't squish her) and keep your hands close to the bottom of the cadge so that she will be less threatened and frightened. Gently let her down after a few minutes or if she chooses to get off, let her. It is important not to push it. If she is showing signs that she is not comfortable with being held, you have to respect that, otherwise you will never be able to gain her trust. She will not trust you if you constantly force her to do things she doesn't want to do.
I really do hope this helps. Hamsters can be so much fun!
2006-12-18 14:47:16 · answer #2 · answered by LITTLE GREEN GOD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 2 days was just to allow the hamster to adjust to her new surroundings without having more stress from being handled. The best way to handle this is get a pair of heavy gloves on and pick her up, If she tries to bite you at first, so be it, eventually, with enough handling you will be able to remove a glove when she is calm and she will no longer fear you, then gloves won't be necessary. Good luck, they really are adorable.
2006-12-18 14:20:49 · answer #3 · answered by Lori E 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like the hamster hasn't been socialized much. All you can really do is continue to try to handle her until she gets used to human contact. Use rubber gloves( the kind used to wash dishes) to protect from bites. They can bite through the rubber, but not deep enough to break the skin. She has to be handled daily, preferably several times a day for this to work. It is in my experience that females tend to bite more than males, and teddy bear hamsters tend to be more aggressive than the smooth haired ones. Also females who are pregnant can be very aggressive and it is not uncommon for females bought at the pet store to be pregnant when they are purchased. Hamsters acheive sexual maturity when they are about six weeks old and have very short gestational periods. Since hamsters at the pet store are usually kept in communal cages with both males and females it is very easy for them to get pregnant. Hamsters really need to be kept separate from each other but in a pet store this would be impossible because of space and it would be costly to house them separately. I hope this helps. ................................I wouldn't use leather gloves. I did this with one of mine and he broke his teeth.
2006-12-18 14:32:18 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hamsters are much like children so they need to be treated as such.
I suggest sternly looking at her and saying "Now I'm going to count to ten...One...Two....Three"....et cetera.
The hamster will probably just look at you, like a child would, so when you arrive to "ten" you have to show her that you mean business.
Begin counting again, only this time preface it with "I really mean it this time! One....Two....Three.....".et cetera. This may or may not yield the desired result.
If not you need to say, "I'm only going to do this one more time" and begin the count again.
If after reaching "Ten" again with no improvement, you need to step things up a notch.
Say, "Ok then, you're on a time-out! You will sit in the cage, not moving for 10 minutes!" After 24 seconds the hamster will begin to move at which time you should start the count to ten again.
Let me know how this works.
2006-12-18 15:27:48 · answer #5 · answered by warn_terr 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Buy some cheap leather work gloves hold her and pet her with those on until she stops trying to bite. Might take a while till she knows your not gonna hurt her.
2006-12-18 14:20:38 · answer #6 · answered by jennie r 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
put some butter on your habds they love butter so it will come to you for sure
2006-12-18 14:19:04 · answer #7 · answered by elm 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋