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Old 02-04-2014, 04:25 AM   #31
AlexWyattMommy
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

It hurts. But the initial tag is more scary of the unknown than the actual pain. It is the soreness afterwards that I didn't expect. Not horrible and I hate pain. Just something I didn't think about. I disturbed our hamster while she was sleeping and in the later stages of her not known to us pregnancy. It did not keep me from trying again to hold when she was awake.
My husband, the goof that he is, wanted to know what it felt like. She was already older with big girl teeth. He put the scent of food on him and waited. She nipped him good, but he said it was not anywhere near as bad he thought it would be. [she never nipped again or before that experiment after the babies were born]
Moral of the story, your fear is worse than the actual bite. These are not dogs. They will not hang on to you and repeated bite.
Thank you for not giving up on her.
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Old 02-04-2014, 07:57 AM   #32
KWsHamstery
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

Defensive hamster bites aren't as deep and brutal as you've been told. If she did bite because she was scared it may draw some blood, but definitely not to the bone. If she is scared and bites it will only be a nip, and if you smell good like something she likes she may like and then give you a tiny nibble, but usually won't break skin.
The only bad hamster bite I've ever seen was a video on youtube of a 10 year old kid trying to grab his hamster repeatedly even though it was jumping and squealing and running, and it bit the snot out of him!!!!
Serves him right!
So I just wouldn't worry about it, she is way more afraid of you than you are of her. If anything she would throw herself on her back defensively. So no worries!
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Old 02-04-2014, 08:10 AM   #33
celmoy
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

Most small prey species only really bite to make you flinch, just so that if something has grabbed them they can make it let go! They don't tend to try to (or are able to) maul or tear flesh like hunters do. I've had some pretty hard bites from young ferrets and it's no worse than a hard pinch, really! (and they have pointy little teeth )

Also when I was young a squirrel bit my finger once because I was holding peanuts out to it (I think it mistook my fingertip for a peanut) and it honestly hardly hurt at all and certainly didn't break skin! As long as you aren't trying to corner and and grab her, I don't think you need to worry.
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Old 02-04-2014, 08:34 AM   #34
Mama2six
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

They don't walk up and bite you. It doesn't take chunks out if you do get bitten, just teeth-width slices. Don't worry about if it will hurt. I have owned 35+ hamsters, many of them not tame when I bought them, and have only been bitten once, so it is very rare if you treat them right.

If she mistakes your finger for food, it will not hurt. It would just feel like she was trying to pick something up... this does happen sometimes, but don't be alarmed... I just move my finger to let them know it is a finger. These are the same teeth that mother hamsters use to carry babies back to the nest gently... and when they think your finger might be food they take it gently too...
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Old 02-04-2014, 10:31 AM   #35
Oatmeal_Cupcake
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

Thank you for all the replies. They have all helped me feel more confident I will try to not let my imagination get the best of me so I can keep working to gain her trust.

Last night I read to her and she ended up coming out! She went on her wheel, ate and explored while I read. So that made me really happy. I also make sure to talk to her every time I go by the cage so she knows that it's only me. She seems to be doing better.
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Old 02-06-2014, 03:13 AM   #36
Oatmeal_Cupcake
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

Update:

The hamster ball seemed to bring her out of her timid shell. Tonight was her second night in it. I placed her in her cage and she wanted to come back out of her cage. I placed my hand next to her and she just climbed on and up my arm. She didn't mind me holding her at all. I placed her back in her cage but she still wanted to come back out. So I gave her my had and she climbed on it again. I put her back in her ball and she is just rolling around the whole place.

I thing I'm coming to realize that she has been tame the whole time. She must have just been scared. But I guess that after a couple days of reading to her she got used to me. And after a day in the ball she got used to life outside the cage and realized there wasn't anything to be afraid of.

Anyways, thank you so much for all of the help and thank you for telling me not to take her back. I knew I fell in love with her at the shop for a reason. Thank you for not letting me give up on her. You guys are all the best.

I know there is a ten minute limit for the ball but what if she wants to be I there longer than that?
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Old 02-06-2014, 06:32 AM   #37
KWsHamstery
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Default Re: Need help with shy hamster :(

Oh my gosh, what a happy story! She sounds quite lovely. If after ten minutes you out her up, she wants back in the ball I would do 15 minutes in the ball, 5 in the cage. That way she can potty and eat in between. x
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