Hamster bit me today

[VideoJames]

Hi everyone, we adopted a lovely Syrian called Dolly on the 16th, we let her settle into her Hamster Heaven cage and we've been letting her smell us and sometimes putting a hand into the cage. She's rarely nipped, usually she just thinks about coming onto the hand and one or twice she's put a paw in. Today though she's given me a really nasty bite.

I'm thinking it's because I tried to do it after I'd had a shower, but I was in the cage stroking her for a while, then I moved my hand away and put it near her as a platform and she proper sunk her teeth into my middle finger.

I want to know what I did wrong so I can avoid it, but also i'm now a bit scared because the bite was insane, blood was coming out for minutes and it still hurts now about half an hour after the bite.

[cypher]

It could have been because you had a different scent on your hands or it could be that she wasn't too happy about your hand in the cage, it's not always easy to tell why when something like this happens.
Usually keeping your hand by the door is fine but some really don't like hands in the cage (in their territory) & it's better to interact out of the cage in a playpen/bath or other safe play area.
Try not to feel too nervous, I know that may sound easier said than done but f she hasn't bitten you before that she's unlikely to do it again.

[MaryRobinson]

I know from experience: it really hurts! Can take a few weeks to recover.

I was wondering whether you moved your hand quickly or out of her line of vision? Their eyesight is poor so she might have mistaken you for a threat? have to admit, we adopted Dora and it took her a good few months to be happy with our hands in her Home territory, even when she was fine in her play pen.

[Natasha95]

You said that you were petting her for a while first, so I don't think it was your scent because she probably would've bitten you when you tried petting her. I think she might not want you in her cage. Like cypher said, keeping your hand by the door is fine, but some hamsters can be very territorial, especially in the beginning.

[fredso]

I'm a new hamster owner myself. What I've learned is that my hammie is a lot more comfortable with my hand if I've first touched her bedding a bit. Make is smell a bit more familiar =)