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Old 06-22-2020, 03:01 PM   #1
Petite
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Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
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Default Biting

This isn't so much about the behaviour of hamsters as the results of that behaviour. What does one do when your hamster bites enough to draw blood? Is it enough just to wash with soap and water, or is something a bit more rigorous required?

I appreciate that hamsters mostly only bite when they feel threatened, or when you've had to wake them for some reason and try to play with them before they are ready. But Freya really has it in for my fingers, despite me washing my hands with non-scented soap and rubbing them in her substrate. She doesn't do it with my husband - just sniffs and then wanders off - but quite often makes a dive for my hands as soon as they go inside the cage. It seems odd, since she probably sees more of me than anyone else. The tissue trick hasn't made any difference and neither has stroking with a pastry brush. Last night another befriending session resulted in a bitten knuckle.

But I digress. If she's just a nibbly sort of hamster (and she was the first time I held her in the shop) then I can live with that, because she's just gorgeous. But can hamster bites ever lead to anything more serious? And is soap and water enough?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
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Old 06-22-2020, 03:35 PM   #2
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Biting

if you had your tetnus shot as a child you should still be ok on that side of things- I discussed this with my Dr the other year and for some reason it is now thought you don;t need a booster every 10 years.
The only other thing I would be worried about is bacteria/debris being in the bites, so I would personally flush out with some saline solution as well.
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Old 06-22-2020, 03:51 PM   #3
Ria P
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Default Re: Biting

My late Percy wasn't fussy, he bit any finger that was close enough, no matter who it belonged to.
Soap and water is all i've ever used.
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Old 06-23-2020, 01:13 PM   #4
Maker
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Default Re: Biting

Ouch, I know you didn’t ask for behaviour advice, I generally wonder if responding in the same way as perhaps mummy hamster would do with her pups would work, unless she bites them back which would definitely not work, I know my response would just be automatic and involve shrieking (autocorrect changed my spelling mistake to streaking lol) and swear words. I haven’t been bitten since a child but I remember it hurting!
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Old 06-25-2020, 04:53 AM   #5
Petite
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Default Re: Biting

Thanks for the feedback. I once asked a medical professional what I should do if my hammy drew blood, and she didn't seem sure! Thanks also for the tip about saline. So far soap and water seems to have been enough, but it's good to know there is something else I can do if she digs even deeper. I have contact lens saline in the house - I guess that would do?
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Old 06-25-2020, 08:27 AM   #6
Ria P
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Default Re: Biting

Saline is salt i believe. Same as a dentist instructing to rinse mouth with salt water (level teaspoon to a glass of water) after a tooth extraction. Gurgling with salt water is also an effictive remedy for a sore throat which is totally beside the point.
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