Is it okay to not handle a longterm biter?

5samn · 07-24-2017, 02:51 PM

Hi guys, I'm new participating in the forums as I would really like advice but have been lurking for years! Sorry its a long post :P I have quite a lot of experience with hamsters, I've had them for well over 20 years and I rescued my five little cuties that I have currently. I recently took in a female Syrian, the owner bought her from Pets at Home in the UK, I believe she was mishandled horrendously. I can't prove this but I saw a 7 year old holding her way too tight and up in the air. Her cage is also on the small side but I cant afford to buy a new one yet (I like to have large glass tanks). Now she's been with me for 4 months and she's bitten me several times, I let her get comfortable for a week, then I gently introduced my smell by laying down my hand in her cage and gently stroking her with a finger worked well no biting. However after keeping doing this, gently talking to her and staying up late so she was at her most active I still can not handle her at all (even when she willingly walks onto my flat hand). Occasionally she will squeak, so I immediately put her down, but on many occasion she has been acting fine and suddenly bites with out warning. Ive never had this before, my other Syrian and my dwarfs will sit happily on me watching tv after about a month of hand training them. Would it be cruel of me to stop trying? Will she be happy not being handled ever, because my hand looks like a horror scene and Ive lost feeling in one of the more bitten fingers I just cant do it anymore! Thank you!

**Princess Pixie** · 07-26-2017, 07:43 AM

Hi there and good in you for your kind heart rescuing these fur babies! ❤️ I really dislike giving any small pet to children, I know this opinion will probably kick up a stink but it's my opinion and I'm not going to change it. The majority of kids are rough and handle small (and sometimes large) pets much to aggressively from my experience. Notice I said majority not all.
But anyway, back on topic.
I'll go on my own experience here but I think that's it's perfectly ok not to handle a ham if it's doing nothing but stressing them out and getting you hurt. I don't handle my WW at all. Save for health checks. Not because he bites but just simply because he hates it and gets so anxious and stressed, I'm not comfortable doing that to him just so he can be handled. He's happy in his huge cage and I'm ok with that.
If she's happy, I'd actually leave her be. Though definitely upgrade her to a nice big enclosure as soon as possible. You could get her out of her cage into a playpen every evening by using a mug or hamster ball to see if she's different out of her cage but if not, I'd honestly let her be.

flowerfairy · 07-26-2017, 08:26 AM

I am sure it is fine not to handle her. Animal handling is generally more for human enjoyment after all.

**Princess Pixie** · 07-26-2017, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerfairy

I am sure it is fine not to handle her. Animal handling is generally more for human enjoyment after all.

100% agreed.

CMB · 07-26-2017, 12:11 PM

I didn't handle one of my previous hamsters, due to severe bitting. I thought why stress her out by continued taming attempts when she was clearly not wanting to be strokes or held.

cypher · 07-26-2017, 10:48 PM

I think it's always good to try to continue interacting with them & doing minimal handling so you can do health checks without stressing them out but as long as that's possible I don't see any need to push things, you can still interact with them & give them a full life without daily handling.
I wouldn't say handling is for human enjoyment, it's very much up to the individual ham, if they don't enjoy it then better to keep it to a minimum.

Drago · 07-27-2017, 12:17 PM

I personally had a female Syrian who hated me, and bit me very hard and severely. It became unsafe to actually handle her as the wounds became infected despite me taking good care to keep them clean. I rarely, if ever, handled her because of it. Honestly though, both of us were much happier that way! I'd keep trying, and teaching her to trust you, but if worst comes to worst, you can leave her be. Cypher does bring up a good point with health checks, but I always just put mine into a clear plastic critter keeper, and examined her there. When I needed to listen or look very closely, I'd just scruff her and then put her back quickly. She became accustomed to going into this container for health checks, and to be let out to play so she was never all that stressed. It's inconvenient, but you and your ham can learn to coexist well xx