My hamster bite me today

[Nakuzo]

Hello everyone.

Quick story short for anyone who doesn't want to read to the whole story: My hamster bite me this morning harder than he did any time thus far (I didn't bleed but I felt that it wasn't exactly a tasting bite like he did multiple times in the past). Why is that?

I will add some details that might be useful to provide me with a better answer. He lives in a 55x35 bin cage. He is a winter white Russian dwarf hamster (probably female) and probably average size (I say probably because it's my first hamster and I don't have anything to compare it with). He is running on a 16 cm wheel, which a lot of you told me that I should get at least a 20 cm wheel, which I will in the near future. I feed him with a grain, seed and veggie mix (which I change daily) and I change his water every other day. He has a big (relative to his size) cardboard hideout and a sandbath which he probably never used so far. I also made the mistake to buy him bedding which doesn't say from which wood fibers it is made of, though judging by the smell, I would say it is not aspen (Will change that too). I bought him a wooden chew toy, which he doesn't chew at all, and I tried to hide some treats inside a paper roll, which he did never even try to get. Other than the wheel, food, hideout, water, sandbath, and wooden chew toy, he doesn't have anything else in his cage.

So that's probably all I can think of that could help you provide me with an answer. Thanks a lot in advance

[cypher]

What were you doing when he bit you? Was it in or out of the cage?
Sometines they don't like to have hands in the cage, especially when the cage is very small they feel their territory is being invaded which can be threatening for them, with a small bin cage it can be difficult not to approach from above & being prey animals this is quite frightening for them.
I would suggest taking him out to a safe play area for any interaction & try to cange food & water when he's sleeping, fresh water daily.
What sand do you have? It's very. unusual for a Russian not to love sand.
How often do you clean the cage? Over cleaning stresses them & that could lead to biting. Spot clean pee as needed then just do partial cleans, maybe half the cage every few weeks or so leaving the nest & hoard alone as much as pooible.

[Nakuzo]

Originally Posted by cypher

What were you doing when he bit you? Was it in or out of the cage?
Sometines they don't like to have hands in the cage, especially when the cage is very small they feel their territory is being invaded which can be threatening for them, with a small bin cage it can be difficult not to approach from above & being prey animals this is quite frightening for them.
I would suggest taking him out to a safe play area for any interaction & try to cange food & water when he's sleeping, fresh water daily.
What sand do you have? It's very. unusual for a Russian not to love sand.
How often do you clean the cage? Over cleaning stresses them & that could lead to biting. Spot clean pee as needed then just do partial cleans, maybe half the cage every few weeks or so leaving the nest & hoard alone as much as pooible.

1) I layed my hand down so he can come up to it, but she instead bites one of my fingers. He always gets in my hand without any problem, and he never bite my finger when I tried something similar. Even if he doesn't want to be held, he will just pass my hand without any problem.

2)I bought a 1 kg vitakraft chinchila sandy special for her bath.

3) I changed his bedding, about 1.5 weeks ago and I don't plan to through it away for another 2 weeks.

The thing that made it a bit weird, was that he never had any problem getting up on my hand. In fact, he always wants to, because he understand that he will probably get out to free roam. My guess is that this could have partially happened because I tried to hold him in the morning (about 8 am) which is the time he stops playing and goes to sleep (though I didn't get him out of his hideout. He was already running )

[Petite]

You may perhaps have had some kind of scent on your hands that made him think it was edible? Hamsters do notoriously have poor eyesight. My dwarf bit me once (and drew blood) when I'd just fed her, so had the scent of food still on my fingers.

[Nakuzo]

Originally Posted by Petite

You may perhaps have had some kind of scent on your hands that made him think it was edible? Hamsters do notoriously have poor eyesight. My dwarf bit me once (and drew blood) when I'd just fed her, so had the scent of food still on my fingers.

Well it could be, but do you think it is possible, considering that I had just woken up when he bit me?

[Maker]

did your hamster know it was you, perhaps because it was not usual time of the day she did not think it was you. i don't know if it was dark but had you put the light on, maybe her eyes where not ready for the light. I think that you should not worry, but stay in your usual routine with her.

[Ithuviel]

Originally Posted by Nakuzo

vitakraft chinchila sandy special for her bath.

If it's chinchilla bathing sand that's dust and it does harm to the hamster, that is probably why she is not using it.

I wouldn't worry if the hamster doesn't bite again....if its just one incident its nothing to be scared of. You probably had some tasty scent on you. I don't know a hamster owner that never got bitten at some point.

[Petite]

Originally Posted by Nakuzo

Well it could be, but do you think it is possible, considering that I had just woken up when he bit me?

Probably not, but you didn't actually say that, and sadly I'm not a mind-reader. Only trying to help!