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Old 09-25-2018, 11:52 PM   #1
SpiritBladeYT
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Unhappy Baby Robo Biting?

Hello!

So Monty is getting on 13 weeks now, and the taking process is going well. He accepts when I need to pick him up, he enjoys running on my arm and sometimes comes up to my shoulder, all is good.

He doesn't bite as much as he used to, but he still sometimes bites...
I do appreciate that sometimes it's because he's tired but I never approach him in particular when I know he's tired, but he still comes up to me and bites him. My hand is only in his cage when I have to add to his food or tasks such as this. Is there any way I can discourage this behaviour?

He also occasionally bites me while he is quite happily running along my arm. I find this strange, and wonder if there is anything I'm doing wrong and how I can try to stop this from happening.

He's never drawn blood, because of how small he is, but I still want to discourage this behaviour.

Thanks in advance for the advice!
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Old 09-26-2018, 01:26 AM   #2
alpacassei
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

Sometimes hamsters bite when they dont want to play or want to go back to their cages, or even sometimes when they’re just curious about someone/something! When he bites you, does he seem agressive or are the bites coming after he seems relaxed or curious?

If its the former, he’s probably just not entirely tamed yet since he’s a baby and doesnt like you in his cage/near his food or being away from his cage too much and that should improve as hes tamed more. Try the tissue up your sleeve trick to help him get used to your scent and keep on interacting with him both in amd out of his cage to prevent him developing full cage aggression.

If it’s the latter, hes most likely just being a curious hammie and nibbling to see what you are.

Don’t forget, Robos are a lot more ‘wild’ than the other species and retain more of their prey instincts so to a tiny robo we must seem like terrifying giants at first! Its s good sign thst hes not drawing blood tho!

The only other thing I can think of is sometimes hamsters are more impatient or agressive if their cage is on the smaller size, what cage do you have for him?
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Old 09-27-2018, 12:56 AM   #3
SpiritBladeYT
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

It seems to often be the latter, he seems to be curious most of the time, but occasionally it's aggressive biting (only once or twice has he seemed aggressive though)
I think it's just him still getting used to me. But it's good that there's no blood!
The cage we got him is the P@H hamster wire cage (a version with a ledge and a small set of running pipes going around the edge of the cage), which is the cage recommended by the worker selling us Monty that day. He also owns a Roborovski and said that his hamster gets on extremely well on his own in that cage. I know this is probably on the smaller side, and I should probably earn up for a larger cage option.
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Old 09-27-2018, 05:28 AM   #4
alpacassei
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

That is a bit on the smaller side but he’ll be fine for now, don’t worry. Give him lots of deep substrate, toys, and sand and he’ll should be perfectly happy until you can upgrade his home,

Robos are usually better in tank style cages so I recommend the Duna Multy (71x46cm), Maxi Duna Multy (99x51cm), or making a DIY cage from a storage box (atleast 70x40cm) or Ikea Detolf (155x40cm)
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Old 09-27-2018, 08:11 PM   #5
adrien
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

mine does this too, and though he is more or less 'tamed', he's not fond of handling at all, and i've found he's much more 'goldfish' style of a pet. unfortunately for him, he's a sensitive little bab who gets irritated eyes and the like and thus must be handled no matter how he feels about it.

this results in biting because he's grumpy with me. both of my hamsters are more about using their mouths to communicate their feelings, and aren't so much afraid or aggressive because i've built up trust.

so maybe it's something like that, or maybe your hammy just needs to get more used to you.
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Old 09-28-2018, 12:01 AM   #6
SpiritBladeYT
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

Quote:
Originally Posted by alpacassei View Post
That is a bit on the smaller side but he’ll be fine for now, don’t worry. Give him lots of deep substrate, toys, and sand and he’ll should be perfectly happy until you can upgrade his home,

Robos are usually better in tank style cages so I recommend the Duna Multy (71x46cm), Maxi Duna Multy (99x51cm), or making a DIY cage from a storage box (atleast 70x40cm) or Ikea Detolf (155x40cm)
I do plan on upgrading when I earn up enough for him, or ask for it as a present. There are ways I can upgrade. But Yeah, I try to give him as much to keep him happy as I can. Thank you for the suggestions, I'll take a look when I have time over the weekend.
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Old 09-28-2018, 12:03 AM   #7
SpiritBladeYT
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

Quote:
Originally Posted by adrien View Post
mine does this too, and though he is more or less 'tamed', he's not fond of handling at all, and i've found he's much more 'goldfish' style of a pet. unfortunately for him, he's a sensitive little bab who gets irritated eyes and the like and thus must be handled no matter how he feels about it.

this results in biting because he's grumpy with me. both of my hamsters are more about using their mouths to communicate their feelings, and aren't so much afraid or aggressive because i've built up trust.

so maybe it's something like that, or maybe your hammy just needs to get more used to you.
Yeah it may be... I've not had him for long and he's much better at handling than he was before. My boyfriend managed to hold him for the first time yesterday and Monty-Moo was quite content, didn't bite him, didn't poo or pee on him, was quite well behaved for the little time he was with him. Good sign, right? But I think it's just taking a bit of time for him to be used to it for longer than 5 minutes (that's all my boyfriend could handle, he was scared to hold the baby biscuit) without biting
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Old 09-29-2018, 07:14 AM   #8
adrien
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Default Re: Baby Robo Biting?

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpiritBladeYT View Post
Yeah it may be... I've not had him for long and he's much better at handling than he was before. My boyfriend managed to hold him for the first time yesterday and Monty-Moo was quite content, didn't bite him, didn't poo or pee on him, was quite well behaved for the little time he was with him. Good sign, right? But I think it's just taking a bit of time for him to be used to it for longer than 5 minutes (that's all my boyfriend could handle, he was scared to hold the baby biscuit) without biting
robos can take up to 4 months of interaction to tame, so this is no biggie at all!! (:

i've had mine for around that long, and he doesn't get daily handling. he doesn't climb willingly onto me because he's not interested, but if he has to be on me, he tolerates it quite well all things considered. he will sit and climb me and be fine with it so long as i do not touch him, and that is just his personality.

i've been pooped on a few times by both boys, but considering they can't tell me when they gotta go, it really doesn't bug me, and i don't take anything personally from either of them.

i think its important to keep in mind that your lil baby nugget is very small, and he has to fight his natural fear and come to trust you, and so if he gets scared or bites along the way, i try not to take it personal.

im very big, and i have no way to tell him im just trying to help, so if he gets a little scared or annoyed or upset and bites or nibbles me, i just talk to him in a soft soothing voice, since i know he is just expressing his feelings, and not trying to hurt me because he hates me. we are both just trying to talk in our own way 8>
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bites, discourage, behaviour, arm, tired, running, happily, strange, find, monty, biting, occasionally, small, blood, advice, advance, drawn, happening, wrong, robo, stop, tasks, process, accepts, bite

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