About Tame Pet Hamsters That Bite

Hamsters are prey animals, so if they are frightened, they may mistake a human for a predator and will bite to defend themselves. According to "Training Your Pet Hamster" (Gerry Bucsis &Barbara Somerville, 2002) even a tamed hamster will bite people they know well under certain conditions. But hamsters also bite when they are ill.

  1. Sleep Disturbance

    • Hamsters will bite if woken from a sound sleep. This is instinctive survival behavior, so never disturb a sleeping hamster.

    Handling

    • If a tame hamster goes through one period of rough or clumsy handling by a person, they will be wary of being touched. They need to be tamed all over again.

    Stress

    • Sudden loud noises, having the cage knocked over or being in season can make a hamster stressed. If a hamster is grinding its teeth at you, lying on its back and hissing or opening the mouth wide to show the teeth, it does not to be disturbed.

    Smell

    • According to Hamster Hideout, hamsters have poor vision and rely mostly on smell. If a person has not washed his hands after eating, his fingers will smell like food and the hamster will want a taste.

    Health Problems

    • If a hamster is wide awake, has never been roughly handled and suddenly bites, it could be sick and any handling could be painful. Take the hamster to the vet.