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Old 06-27-2020, 03:59 PM   #1
graceanna97
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Default Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a bit of advice! I have had my dwarf hamster for around 4 months now, and am having some problems. When I first got her she was in a small cage, and she was happy to come and sit on my hand and didn’t nibble and was very tame! She has now been in a much larger cage for around 2 months, as I knew the original one was far too small, but she now bites everything! Anytime you put your hand in the cage she runs towards it and almost grabs on and nibbles, even with gardening gloves on she will grip hold of your hand and nibble without letting go! She will bite the bars of her cage in one spot, each time she notices you are in the room, almost like she wants your attention? I really want to be able to hold her again and get to the bottom of why she is doing this, so any advice is appreciated!! She also has plenty of toys in her cage, plenty to interact with and has a wheel too!
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Old 06-28-2020, 04:33 AM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

The bar chewing does sound like attention seeking, they do sometimes do that, it's best to try to ignore it as much as possible & not pay attention until it stops or it can just get worse.
Does she bite when out of the cage? If it's when your hand is in the cage she may just be being territorial & not like hands in the cage.
I would use something she will climb into that you an safely transport her in like a large mug or small box then use a playpen or other ham safe area where she can have toys etc & you can sit with her & let her gradually get used to hands & handling.
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Old 06-28-2020, 06:24 AM   #3
graceanna97
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

She does bite when she's out of the cage and on your hand, but it definitely seems like more nibbles than bites! She has a playpen that she seems to enjoy, but still bites the bars of that. Going to try using the bath tonight with her toys in to try and start the handling/taming process! I'm just concerned that she is stressed/bored because she didn't do this when we first got her! She's definitely not shy, and will run towards you and your hand whenever you open the cage!
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Old 06-28-2020, 12:34 PM   #4
Maker
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Has she perhaps got used to you offering food and is thinking every time you had goes in there’s something to eat?? If so maybe put her treats in a special place in the cage and stroke her while she eats them until she drops the association ??
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Old 06-28-2020, 02:51 PM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Did you set up her new cage in a similar way to her old one? Some hamsters don't like changes. It could be that she's not happy with her environment even though the cage is bigger. I would try and set it up as close to the original set up as possible. Maybe she feels too exposed in the bigger cage and needs more shelter? I'm guessing though and you may well have created the perfect set up for her. Could you post a photo please?
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Old 06-28-2020, 03:02 PM   #6
graceanna97
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

She seems pretty content in her cage when she can't see us, and does only start biting once she notices us! We did have her in the bath tonight for a run around and she seemed pretty content too. I've put some photos on here, she has a little cottage/bed thing underneath the platform along with another hiding toy, and she loves to hide in the hanging coconut too!
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Old 06-28-2020, 03:17 PM   #7
graceanna97
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maker View Post
Has she perhaps got used to you offering food and is thinking every time you had goes in there’s something to eat?? If so maybe put her treats in a special place in the cage and stroke her while she eats them until she drops the association ??
Potentially! We've started scatter feeding her, bit we do still give her some food just handed to her so it could be that she does associate hands with feeding, thank you!
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Old 06-28-2020, 03:38 PM   #8
Ria P
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by graceanna97 View Post
She seems pretty content in her cage when she can't see us, and does only start biting once she notices us! We did have her in the bath tonight for a run around and she seemed pretty content too. I've put some photos on here, she has a little cottage/bed thing underneath the platform along with another hiding toy, and she loves to hide in the hanging coconut too!
What a cute little hamster!
That's a lovely cage and set up with plenty of shelter so its not that. I'd maybe add more substrate so she can burrow if she wants to. Tbh, i'm puzzled and don't really understand why she was tame for a start and then started to bite so can't be of any help i'm afraid. You are doing the right thing by starting the taming process again. Please let us know how you get on.
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Old 06-28-2020, 09:54 PM   #9
Maker
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by graceanna97 View Post
Potentially! We've started scatter feeding her, bit we do still give her some food just handed to her so it could be that she does associate hands with feeding, thank you!
Polo got the right hump when I started scatter feeding I had to go back to a bowl and she was immediately fine, I think taking the bowl away upset her
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Old 06-28-2020, 10:57 PM   #10
cypher
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Default Re: Bar Biting/Taming help please!!

I would definitely put more substrate in the cage, you can fill the whole base with substrate so she can burrow & make a good nest, she should be a lot happier with that.
You could get a good sized house with no base & put that on the substrate that would double up as a nesting place & another shelf area to put things on.
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