Vicious Hamster :(

HarryLucy · 08-03-2012, 09:53 AM

Okay, so I guess I should start from the beginning... 2 years ago, we bought 4 male dwarf hamsters from the same litter. However, after about 6 months we found out that one of them was female when she had a litter of 7 babies. We gave 6 away to separate good homes of people we knew and trusted, and kept 1 for ourselves, who we named 'Fish'. However, Fish is the only surviving hamster from the litter, we can only put this down to the fact that they were a litter of inbreeds, meaning it is possible they had birth defects or something.

Fish was great at being handled from the first time we held him - which is why we chose to keep him. We handled him regularly and treated him well, but at about one year old my sister was just holding him as normal when he screamed and viciously bit her, drawing blood. We put him back in his cage, and tried to hold him again the next day but he bit us again. After about a week, we gave up. About 6 months ago, we tried holding him again, starting with gloves and hoping to work gradually until we could hold him bare handed, but he just kept squeaking and biting at the glove.

My theory is that he is in some sort of pain, so that holding him causes him distress, but he is fine when in his cage so that doesn't make complete sense. The only other thing about him that seems abnormal is kind of hard to explain and may just be normal for roborovski dwarves as I havent had one in a hile so can't really compare. When he walks around he... 'waddles' thats the only way I can describe it. He wobbles from left to right as he walks, maybe im just being paranoid but it doesnt look very normal. Also, his rear end seems very tucked in, rather than sticking straight out backwards as my syrian's does, his tail points downwards and his bum seems curled in I dont know, maybe its normal :S just tell me what you think!!

Also, whether you think its too late for me to be able to train him not to bite, and how to train him if its not to late!!!

LoveMyHams · 08-03-2012, 10:02 AM

The waddle is normal, but the tail pointing down is not. Do you have a picture? Maybe the poor thing has arthritis in his back or something.

StarlightSerenity · 08-03-2012, 10:02 AM

The sudden behaviour change worries me - has he been to a vet?

Arraminta · 08-03-2012, 10:06 AM

Hello,

I think if you are concerned about him being in pain it may be worth a trip to the vets just to put your mind at rest! is he hunching as he moves? If he were mine I would take him to the vet and rule out physical problems first.
It could be something simple or it could be that something he didn't like happened the first time and he's just biting to stop you picking him up.. I know when Cinnamon bit (she doesn't now) me leaving her alone after she bit me just reinforced in her that if she bit me I would put her down!! It's not easy to not put something down when it sinks it's teeth in Lols..
Personally I would try going back right to the beginning... hand feed him, food in hand without picking him up and so on....
I'm sure once you know he's ok then it will just be a case of taming him again ... 6 months is a long time not to be handled.

Sending positive hammy vibes

Arraminta x

HarryLucy · 08-03-2012, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the quick replies guys, sorry i took so long, but its hard to get a decent picture when your hamster runs so fast ;D glad to hear the waddling thing is normal. He hasnt been to a vet, so you guys can look at this picture and then tell me if you think its worth the trouble or if its just normal

and ill try Arraminta's advice and see if it was just something my sister did that made him really nervous around humans. I put three pictures up just so you can see, tell me what you think, but his tail just points downwards, and his bum doesnt really stick out any further than his back legs... and he kind of does hunch as he moves i guess, i dont know.. hes moving in the pictures so you can see for yourself lol ;D tell me what you think

xx

Arraminta · 08-03-2012, 11:38 AM

Hmmm to my eye (and I could be wrong as I have Syrians and not Robos) but he looks like he is hunched at the back end with his tail down!!! Perhaps someone with Robos will find this easier to answer but if my Syrian was walking like that I would be inclined to visit the vets to rule out illness first..
Then at least you would know its a case of re taming him which you managed once before :0)

Keep us updated

Arraminta x

HarryLucy · 08-03-2012, 11:43 AM

Yeah! Thats what i thought as i only have a syrian to compare him to... i think ill start a thread on the robo page but ill keep you posted here!!!

xx

Arraminta · 08-03-2012, 11:44 AM

Everything crossed and big hammy hugs

Arraminta x

HarryLucy · 08-03-2012, 11:52 AM

thanks xxxx

Kirsty1987 · 08-03-2012, 11:55 AM

"Goes and has a look at totoro's tail to see how its positioned" its hard to tell i have a syrian and a robo my syrians tail is stuck up and my robo's tail faces down and there back kind of curves in so they do look very different from behind. The sudden aggression could be down to it being in pain but the only way to be sure is to take him to the vets.