he is such a cute hamster and i wont take him back to the store just because he's biting. all i need is ifo on how to get him to stop biting.
2007-02-15 12:50:49 · 6 answers · asked by lyra 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
More and more pet store animals are beginning to demonstrate temperament problems due to the nature that commercial breeders are breeding them. Here's the scenario: the commercial breeder needs to send some more hamsters to their client, the pet store. He goes to the cage with hamster pups and starts to take them out. One hamsters bites him hard several times. The commercial breeder knows the pet store will complain if they receive this biting hamster so he doesn't send it. What does he do with the biting hamster? He could kill it or if it's a female, he'll use her to breed more hamsters. So he's actually selecting the meanest hamsters to breed from! Over several generations, the temperament of a line can completely shift. Other breeders and I are concerned that hamsters are beginning to get a bad reputation as biters. On top of all that, the hamsters are never handled. They get picked up once when taken from the mother and put in a community holding cage. They get picked up once more when being transferred from the holding cage to the shipping container. They get handled once more when coming out of the shipping container and into the pet store display and then one more time when you select that one to buy. It's no wonder they can act so terrified.
It's not a lost cause with your new friend because you bought it at the pet store, you may just have to work harder because of its genetically determined temperament. It may always be a bit persnickity but if you stop working with it altogether, it will get harder to handle when you need to change its cage.
You need to start holding it a couple times each day. If you can't get it out of the cage with your hands, then get it into a toilet paper roll and then dump it (carefully) into your hand. Begin walking it from hand to hand, one in front of the other. You can also make it an unending "staircase". If you keep it moving you probably won't get bit. Do this over your bed so that if it manages to jump off your hand you can catch it. Once you're comfortable handling your hamster in this fashion, begin to closing your fingers as it's walking from hand to hand so that it's now moving through an unending "tunnel". This will get the hamster accustomed to being held and touched on its back. These sessions only need to last five minutes but you need to do them at least twice a day, preferably more. If you're scared of doing this at first, then wear a pair of thick leather gloves to get it accustomed to the "exercise".
If you have a ball that you want it to roll around on the floor in, work with the hamster before putting it in the ball. You may think that it will be more tired and easier to work with after having some exercise but it will be more excited and actually harder to work with.
If you don't think you're ready for the above method, then there's another method you can try. Sit in an empty bathtub with the drain blocked so there's no escape and let your new friend climb all over you. This is an easy way for your new friend to get used to your scent and presence. Bring the cage into the bathroom before you start trying to get him out. To get it out of the cage use a toilet paper roll and get him to go inside (as described above). As soon as he's in the roll all the way, bring it into the tub and set it on the floor of the tub and wait for him to come out. Do this until he seems more comfortable with you and then begin the methods of hand-walking described above.
Your hamster may never be easy to handle and you will have to recognize it as it's individuality.
If this sounds like more work than you're willing to do, then take it back to the pet store and get another one. Be sure to hold the new one in the store before bringing it home to be sure it doesn't bite. Watch the employees as they get the hamster out too. If the employee is scared, then there's a reason. They know the temparments of the animals they sell. If they are scared, try another store.
I've never liked the recommendations to use treats to tame a hamster. Even if you wash your hands before holding the treat, as soon as you touch the treat with your fingers, they will smell like food again. A hamster that confuses your fingers for food will not bite hard but nibble. Nibbling doesn't break the skin, but I still don't like it.
-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com
2007-02-15 15:08:55 · answer #1 · answered by radiocricket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah. Just pick him up a lot. Mine kept on biting and it really hurt, but it's worth it. Hamsters are very cute and become very nice once they're used to you. Be nice to him too, since you want him to trust you.
2007-02-15 13:03:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you've had very finished solutions so i am going to easily say this, Get a multilevel cage. The more beneficial issues there are for the rat to do the smarter he or she will grow to be. On that similar be conscious toys are tremendous. inspect different sections of the puppy keep, inclusive of fowl and ferret toys. Mine like rawhide as an get mutually. there grow to be an fairly solid mag sequence I referred to at PetSmart. The rat one is basically suggested as Rats, i trust, and that is pink. there is an finished line of them talking about rats or guinea pigs or hamsters. It covers each and everything from the thanks to p.c.. a rat to the thanks to muddle prepare it, to the thanks to make or purchase a cage. : ) solid success! Rats are marvelous little creatures!
2016-12-04 05:51:42 · answer #3 · answered by winkles 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as I know there is no way to train a hamster.
2007-02-15 12:58:37 · answer #4 · answered by darlene100568 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
does he bit when you try to pick him up, or when you are already holding him? if he bits when you are trying to pick him up, hold a empty toilet tissue cardboard thing in the cage and wait for him to come in it and then hold it over your hand and you got him. If he bits when you're already holding him, maybe he don't like to be held.
2007-02-15 13:03:04 · answer #5 · answered by Kev 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just make sure you wash your hands before you pick him up, he smells whatever may be on your hands, food and stuff, and that is what he is nibbling at, he is not really trying to bite you!
2007-02-15 12:57:56 · answer #6 · answered by LuvLucy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the same happened when i got mine.wash your hands before u pick him up/feed him its the food. the more you pick him up, he will get to know ur smell until u dont have to wash ur hands anymore to pick him up. This was what mine was like. Chocolate is a b*stard tho, they love that! and prawn crackers
2007-02-15 13:00:12 · answer #7 · answered by chrisbowe82 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋