Why Do Hamsters Bite?

Hamsters are small rodents that look like large mice, only with a short stub of a tail. They are such popular pets that the majority of pet stores carry them regularly. They are popular in part because they have a reputation as being appropriate even for children. However, these animals can and do bite.

  1. Handling

    • According to Hammy's World, pet stores and dealers breed hamsters quickly to increase profit, but they don't always take the time to handle the animals properly. Additionally, owners sometimes lose interest in the hamster after the first few weeks, according to Dr. Ronald Hines, author of "Hamsters That Bite." This means that the hamster may not be used to being held or touched and will bite because of this.

    Startling

    • Hamsters are nocturnal creatures (i.e., they sleep at night). Of course, people are up during the day, and that's when they want to play with their hamsters. Hines and Hammy's World assert that hamsters sometimes bite in an instinctive reaction to being startled awake.

    Smell

    • According to Hines and Pet Web Site.com, hamsters have a very acute sense of smell. They smell not only the scent of food you've handled but also the scent of other hamsters. A hamster thus may bite because it is hungry and thinks your finger is good to eat based on the smell, or because it is territorial and wants to protect its area from the enemy (i.e., other hamsters).

    Biting vs. Gnawing

    • Rines asserts that hamsters like to gnaw---this is why they chew on the bars of their cages and rapidly shred items presented to them, such as old toilet paper tubes. Part of this is instinctive; hamsters gnaw because they have the compulsion to tear up materials for their nests. They also gnaw to naturally grind down their long teeth, which would hurt them if they grew too long. Regardless of which reason your hamster has for gnawing, this action shouldn't be confused with biting. Gnawing is a gentle but repetitive action. A bite is rapid, aggressive and happens only as many times as it takes to get the hamster out of whatever danger it perceives.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Rines, Pet Web Site.com and Hammy's World all assert that proper handling and training is the key to keeping a hamster from biting. They recommend that you start off slow by touching the hamster with just a pencil and then moving on to letting the hamster crawl into your hands. Your hamster will be more receptive to handling if you interact with it daily and offer little treats like seeds in your hand. Pick up the hamster only when it is facing you, and get an idea of its temperament by seeing how it reacts when a store employee tries to handle it.