Syrian Biting Two Months On

[Tracy551162]

Hello, I've been getting tips from this amazing website for a month or two now and this is my first post to see if anyone can help me. I bought my Syrian hamster girl, Fuzzles, two months ago now from Pets at Home (I know, not a great idea from what I gather from this forum). They said she was about 3 months old, and I think she has grown a bit since.

Anyway, we got her home and we followed the taming tips on this website, so after a day and a half undisturbed I began handling her for half an hour morning and evening, picking her up as much as possible. If she was up and about she would come straight over to me and climb out of the cage straight into the ball. I'd let her climb out of the ball on to my hand and walk her from hand to hand using the tunnel method. All good and slowly I got my confidence. After a week I got my son to sit opposite and let her walk onto my son's hand but she bit my son. My son had his hands still, on his lap and didn't move them when she first walked on.

So I continued to do the taming, handling her every day for half an hour and many days for two separate half hours. We didn't feed her from our hands anymore, and filled her food when she was asleep so she wouldn't associate us with food. I gained a lot of confidence picking her up and putting her down lots on my lap. She always tried to gnaw my sleeve and ring which I tried to deter her from doing with a blow on the nose and a 'no'. At this time I also tried her in the bath with me but she would just gnaw my clothes and nipped me through my jeans and jumper by accident a couple of times. She would go round behind me and I could feel gnawing on my clothes behind me and so I stopped the bath thing as I felt really uncomfortable with her behind me because of the accidental nipping through my clothes and also for fear of squashing her. We then started putting her in an enclosure where she could run around. She did a lot of carpet gnawing, going at it like a thing possessed the second she was loose. We blew on her nose and said no when she did this. We put lots of obstacles and spare tubes in the enclosure which she played round, but she always ended up either gnawing the carpet (which subsided a bit after a few outings), but she also frantically bit the bars of the enclosure. At this time I had got really confident at picking her up and she hadn't nipped me since I first started the taming, but whenever she was in her enclosure and I tried to pick her up whilst she was walking she'd bite me (despite me letting her smell me first, then stroking her and gently picking her up. The last few nights I've handled her on my lap picking her up and putting her down and she has bitten me, and she has nipped my son a lot but he troopers on and doesn't hold it against her.

So now, two months on, she is still handled every day, and also let out in the enclosure and/or hamster ball every day but she still bites. My sons won't handle her but still like looking at her. She frantically bites the cage bars which she has done from the start but it's frantic, again like she's possessed. She scrapes her teeth all the way along the bars repeatedly. At one point she was lying on her back and going absolutely mad doing this, clinging on with her feet. Nothing at this point will distract her from doing this (though I haven't tried food). Having just got rid of a scab on her nose she now has a huge bald patch as a result of the rubbing whilst scraping the bars. She also seems to sleep a lot, even at night. She still comes out of the cage eagerly and seems sad to go back in as she comes straight to the door and climbs up it once I've put her back.

Also at the start she did all her wees in one corner, and then started doing her wees and poos all in one place, but now she does all her poos in her nest and she does all her wees in one of the tubes leading to her nest so she is always a bit wet from going in and out of her nest through the tube, so I have to clean the tube out every 2-3 days. Seems odd that she's made her toilet on hard plastic rather than on the wood shavings.

I am surprised that people say hamsters are great pets for children too. Perhaps for teenagers, but biting aside, I can't think of a worse pet for a young child. They are much too fast and delicate for a child under 12 or so at least.

So here's my dilemma and I feel like a bit of a failure. I don't know what to do with her. I can't handle her more than once, sometimes twice a day as I work during the week. She bites a lot, and my sons are scared of her and only just about dare to stroke her when she's on my hand. We are getting nothing out of having her now and it has all become a bit of a chore. I feel awful for saying that as she is very cute and I long to hold her casually and have her wander around my hands and lap and have her loose in our room but she bites so much that I just can't do this. I don't know how to get her to stop this biting. I would love to keep her if she didn't bite, but as it stands now I am going to have to give her away. This is not me washing my hands of her, but I feel sorry for her as I don't think she's very happy given her behaviour. If anyone can give me any more tips on how to stop the biting and frantic cage and carpet gnawing, then please do let me know. She's in a Savic Hamster Heaven Metro cage i case that's important.

Sorry for being so verbose on this post, but I thought the more info I could give the better chance of someone being able to give me some tips.

Many thanks!
Tracy

[CMB]

You may have started taming to quick and possibly moved on to the next step too quick.

Some hamsters take longer than others to tame and some never tame. It may help to go back to the beginning.

Put unscented/plain toilet tissue up your sleeve for awhile. It gets your scent on it. Then rip it into strips and place them in the cage. This helps the hamster see you as no threat.

You can also do this for other people who want to hold the hamster.

If the hamster explores the cage you could feed through the bars.

You could use a solid sided playpen or the dry bath to let your hamster have playtime out of the cage.

The cage may be too small or setup may be upsetting the hamster. Is the wheel big enough for the hamster to run with a straight back? If not a bigger wheel is needed.

What else does the hamster have in the cage to do? They can have lots of toys but may not like them. It can be a bit of trial and error to find out what a hamster likes and doesn't like.


A photo of the cage layout may help people offer suggestions on how it could be adjusted

[Drago]

I agree with what was said above, though it's sounds as though you're following all the proper steps, some hams need way more time than others. I've had hamsters who don't even need taming, and I've had hamsters that take months to show even the slightest sign of not wanting to tear my hand to shreds. I think you should take it a step back and start slowly again. Spreading tissue with your smell on it, and sitting near her cage, talking to her in a soothing voice can help too. Something to realize though is that you've bought a young ham, which I personally do not recommend for first time hamster owners as young ones can turn out sweet or like little devils, you just don't know what you're going to get. However, adults can be pretty set in their ways and routines making them easiest to handle for newbies. Hamsters in general aren't recommended for children at all simply due to their nippy ways and fragile structures, and I would 100% agree that a mature 12 year old is likely the minimum age to own a hamster. If you're really uncomfortable with holding after repeating the steps, try gloves until you're sure your ham won't bite you, then you can slowly take them off as you feel comfortable. The bar chewing and aberrant behavior sounds to me like your hamster needs a larger cage. Though your cage is a good size, your hamster indicates that she may need more space for her as an individual. Some hamsters can have a whole square metre yet feel they need more space. So I'd definitely recommend expanding a bit and see if this helps. She should be moved to a bin ASAP as her bar chewing is becoming dangerous to her health (bald patches and scabbing) so try to get her into a large bin or aquarium whenever it's humanly possible! Best wishes

[Tracy551162]

Hello CMB and Drago,

Many thanks for your replies and help. I don't think I've tamed her too quickly as I followed the advice on this website to the letter and continued doing this for the full two months with just two days in total where I couldn't take her out. I put scented tissues in her cage every day for a month. I stopped feeding her through the bars on recommendation on another thread here so that they avoid association with food. I've tried handing her in gloves but she bit through them and the thicker gloves made it really awkward. Also saw advice that it dealys the taming process.

I have tried a bigger wheel but she doesn't go in it any more than she did in the smaller one. What's more is that every night I let her out in a large enclosure where she runs about as well as charging around in the hamster ball. However even in this enclosure where there are all sorts of obstacles that she runs through and over, after about 20 mins she ends up gnawing at the bars or biting the carpet. I have moved things around occasionally in her cage put new things in the bottom, plastic cups, toilet rolls, spare tubes. Moved things around here and there. Space won't allow for a bigger cage - the one I have is already taking up a lot of space.

I am most disappointed because of having been advised form a number of sources that hamsters are great pets for children. There are books on this and the pet shops all say it too. Not sure where I could have got an adult hamster from, didn't think of that. I am appalled that the pet shop don't give more advice and tell you what to expect. It's really bad as many people wouldn't have had half the patience I've had.That said, I feel like I've tried everything and things like getting a bigger cage isn't an option. I have obviously been foolish in thinking that this would be a great pet for my boys to look after and play with. Unfortunately the onus has all been on me due to the biting and I don't have the capacity to spend time continuing to tame her. Therefore, I think my best bet will be to find her another home.

Thank you for your help.

[Drago]

Originally Posted by Tracy551162

Hello CMB and Drago,

Many thanks for your replies and help. I don't think I've tamed her too quickly as I followed the advice on this website to the letter and continued doing this for the full two months with just two days in total where I couldn't take her out. I put scented tissues in her cage every day for a month. I stopped feeding her through the bars on recommendation on another thread here so that they avoid association with food. I've tried handing her in gloves but she bit through them and the thicker gloves made it really awkward. Also saw advice that it dealys the taming process.

I have tried a bigger wheel but she doesn't go in it any more than she did in the smaller one. What's more is that every night I let her out in a large enclosure where she runs about as well as charging around in the hamster ball. However even in this enclosure where there are all sorts of obstacles that she runs through and over, after about 20 mins she ends up gnawing at the bars or biting the carpet. I have moved things around occasionally in her cage put new things in the bottom, plastic cups, toilet rolls, spare tubes. Moved things around here and there. Space won't allow for a bigger cage - the one I have is already taking up a lot of space.

I am most disappointed because of having been advised form a number of sources that hamsters are great pets for children. There are books on this and the pet shops all say it too. Not sure where I could have got an adult hamster from, didn't think of that. I am appalled that the pet shop don't give more advice and tell you what to expect. It's really bad as many people wouldn't have had half the patience I've had.That said, I feel like I've tried everything and things like getting a bigger cage isn't an option. I have obviously been foolish in thinking that this would be a great pet for my boys to look after and play with. Unfortunately the onus has all been on me due to the biting and I don't have the capacity to spend time continuing to tame her. Therefore, I think my best bet will be to find her another home.

Thank you for your help.

I am very sorry that you have had such a difficult experience with your first ham I too completely agree that it is very frustrating how pet stores withhold vital information, and when they don't, the information is plain out wrong! I understand you likely have your mind set on re-homing her, and it's not my place to tell you what decision you should make, but I think it might be worth trying a little something different with her. Young hamsters make tough pets for first time owners as I mentioned before, and this is sort of like having a teenage child in my opinion. They can have mood swings, be very rebellious, and cause lots of trouble. This is all part of them learning and exploring as they grow up, and a little while after reaching sexual maturity and completely maturing (around 6 months) they will begin to calm down. What I'd recommend, if you still have a little patience left for her, just hold her every few days with thick gardening gloves, and do not try much else. Eventually she will become an adult and her biting and spastic behavior will subside as well. Then you could begin to tame her again as she'll likely be ready for a complete tame down. (Handling her occasionally now is very important so that she is used to humans when she reaches this point). If she chews things up, leave her in the bath tub with cardboard boxes and toilet paper tubes so that she can't cause trouble there, then once she's old enough, try letting her into normal rooms again. I really do hope you at least consider not giving her away, but if so, PLEASE make sure she ends up in a very responsible and dedicated home. Too many animals spend their lives in shelters, unloved, and without a real life before consequentially dying often in pain and sadly. I hope for the best for you and your little one, if you have any more questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them!

[flowerfairy]

I leave new hammies for around a week to settle in (sometimes less depending on the hamster). I also find (in my experience) that males are calmer than females and often easier to hand tame and less inclined to want to run run and run.

I have had hamsters on and off since I was 10. My first ever hamster was a short haired black eyed cream and was extremely docile. Like yours he had a lot of out of cage time (he had a really small cage, nothing like the 100 x 50cm ones that my current syrians have).

I hope you have some luck with the taming by slowing things down a little. Sounds like you have been working really hard with her. If you do need to rehome her I hope you find someone that you are totally happy with. Will be intersted to see how you get on.

[Tracy551162]

Hi Drago,

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. It does break my heart the thought of giving her up. It's not right to just discard her like that because she isn't behaving how I want. It also breaks my heart to see that she is clearly not happy. I hate giving up on things and I know it will be amazing if I crack this. I just want the best for her and given how unhappy she seems is why I thought giving her to someone more experienced would help her. My son is in tears at the suggestion of giving her up. I will continue to handle her following your advice for another month and see how that goes. Do you think it would be better to handle her less frequently with bare hands than more frequently with gloves? Thimbles maybe , sorry that just came into my head!

I have felt obliged to get her out every day. Is it ok do you think if I skip the odd day? That would definitely help me! It's just that she always comes straight to the cage door when I go to her if she is up and about. She's always reaching over wanting to come out and does so the second I open the door. Makes me feel so sad for her if I don't take her out.

Also maybe a bigger hamster ball if such a thing exists. She is definitely arched a lot in the ball.

[Tracy551162]

Thanks Flowerfairy for your support. Much appreciated. When you say slow things down a little with the taming do you mean taking her out of the cage less frequently? She is so keen to come out whenever I go in the room. Or do you mean slow things down with the taming in terms of just handling her as frequently but for a shorter time each occasion?

[Drago]

Originally Posted by Tracy551162

Hi Drago,

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. It does break my heart the thought of giving her up. It's not right to just discard her like that because she isn't behaving how I want. It also breaks my heart to see that she is clearly not happy. I hate giving up on things and I know it will be amazing if I crack this. I just want the best for her and given how unhappy she seems is why I thought giving her to someone more experienced would help her. My son is in tears at the suggestion of giving her up. I will continue to handle her following your advice for another month and see how that goes. Do you think it would be better to handle her less frequently with bare hands than more frequently with gloves? Thimbles maybe , sorry that just came into my head!

I have felt obliged to get her out every day. Is it ok do you think if I skip the odd day? That would definitely help me! It's just that she always comes straight to the cage door when I go to her if she is up and about. She's always reaching over wanting to come out and does so the second I open the door. Makes me feel so sad for her if I don't take her out.

Also maybe a bigger hamster ball if such a thing exists. She is definitely arched a lot in the ball.

I'd recommend handling with gloves at first just until you're totally comfortable with her and trust her not to bite. You can definitely take her out when it works best for you rather than daily! I try to take my hams out daily, but my younger ones only get taken out a few times a week. Her coming up to you is definitely a good sign, but don't feel obligated to let her out constantly, she'll be okay and learn to settle in. Don't feel too bad about thinking of re-homing her, you've had so much patience for her, 10x more than what most people would have! I'm glad to hear you're going to give her more time, I think she'll appreciate it and it will give you two more time to bond and work things out.

On the topic of the hamster ball, you can purchase a "rat/chinchilla" ball, these balls are about 12 inches and I've noticed that hamsters tend to like these better than the small hamster balls. I'll put links to them below. I hope your little one starts calming down soon, and you get the chance to experience the amazing little critters hamsters can be! Best wishes, and if you have more questions at all please do not hesitate to ask!

Here's a link if you're in the U.K.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00...BQL&ref=plSrch

Here's a link if you're in the US
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006...aNL&ref=plSrch

[AmityvilleHams]

Do you think you could possibly set up the cage in a position where you could make an enclosed run of sorts attached to it?If you could you'd be able to have a true expansion for the cage and you could make things work.

It might be difficult to find someone who'd actually be willing to give her a bigger cage,so be extremely cautious about potentially letting her go to another home.

Hamster balls aren't going to fix the problem even if they're as big as possible.They don't actually enrich a hamster's life in any way and are even considered cruel in some places,as they restrict a hamster's senses and can be extremely frightening

Try and avoid handling her for a while.It isn't necessary for taming and even if you've had her for a few months that's still very fast for some hamsters.Instead,rebuild trust and have as many positive interactions as you can even just to offer bits of food and things like that.Use a mug or something other than your hand to take her out of the cage,but use every possible moment to reward good behavior and develop a bond

I know it can be incredibly confusing when it comes to taming and training animals,but oddly enough animals essentially learn through one very basic thing which is positive reinforcement.It doesn't matter what species they are as dogs,cats,birds,some fish,reptiles,horses,and even smaller animals like rats,rabbits,guinea pigs,hamsters,etc learn essentially the same way.The only major difference is that prey animals including hamsters tend to be more shy and cautious and so you need to be more careful.