Dwarf keeps nipping me?

[XRubyRoseX]

Hi everyone, so I've recently bought two little dwarf hamsters called Miso and Pocky, they're around 4 weeks old and I've had them for almost a week now. Pocky, the more shyer of the two, will happily let me pick her up (I place my hand flat in their cage and let her climb on to it when she wants to come out) and she's never nipped or bit me before. However Miso, the more outgoing one, has a problem with nipping people. (Ps I always wash my hands before handling). She will happily take treats from me but then always tries to nip me afterwards, if I put my hand in she sniffs me then nips me. If I wear gloves she jumps into my hand straight away and lets me pick her up, I've only been able to pick her up once briefly without gloves (she nipped slightly before she got into my hand but then was calm and fine when I was actually holding her). I know it will probably take some time to build a bond with them both, but any ideas on how to stop her nipping me? I've also just let her nip me so she can realise that I'm no threat to her as I've read places that doing that can help, but she just continues to bite until she draws blood. What confuses me is she's really friendly and if she hears you near the cage she will run up to the bars and climb on the bars and follow you around lol. She also lets me stroke her when she's sitting in her cage and she has no problem with that. Any ideas?

[KMPlays]

Maybe she has mild cage rage? I don't know, maybe you could try picking her up in a tube or something, and then move it into a neutral box to handle her in? Worth a try, I guess.

[Erin.R]

I agree with the person above. I have had several dwarfs that would nip if I put my hand in the cage. I started out getting them out of their bins with a tube. Once they were in the tube I would have them step out of it onto my hand every time, even if they backed up and tried to go the opposite way of my hand. They never nipped me when they went from the tube to my hand. This eventually made them stop nipping all together. I suppose they didn't want a big intruder in their home, but once they knew me well they knew I was not going to hurt them or their home I do have 1 dwarf that is just a bitter but he bites hard, he attacks anything that is moving, he's just a little crazy lol. But I think you have one that's just a little nervous and she's probably trying to assert dominance over anyone in his home.

[XRubyRoseX]

Okay thanks for the suggestions, I will try the tube method when Miso wakes up as it is currently her nap time lol. I will post the results later

[XRubyRoseX]

Just a little update, had Miso out tonight and he (yes he, discovered both my little hammies are actually boys lol) was very calm and lovely. Decided to use gloves to pick him out of the cage since he happily jumps into my hands that way. Sat down and he ran around and crawled all over me and he never bit me once and was really lovely actually. Think I'll keep using gloves to take him out but take them off whilst I'm playing with him then gradually stop using gloves, since for some reason he's not bothered by them, they must be nice and soft to sit on or something :P

[KMPlays]

Glad everything has worked out for you