Was that a nibble, a nip or a bite?

**zak** · 04-24-2016, 10:33 PM

I would like to help new owners distinguish between the three by putting some information out there because I find that some of them are slightly confused as to what their hamsters are doing to them.

Nibble: If you take your thumb and middle finger and repeatedly press them up and down gently on your other hand with very light pressure, that is what a nibble feels like. This is your hamsters way of checking what you are. Nibbles don't draw blood or hurt.

Nip: When you are not watching what you are doing while cutting your nails and nip your skin with the nail clippers, that is what it feels like. Nipping is normally done by hamsters who are nervous, scared or can smell food on your hands. Nips do not usually hurt but can draw blood.

Bite: Receiving a bite is the equivalent to jamming your finger in the breaks of your bicycle. Biting is because a hamster feels very threatened, is in pain or because he/she thinks you're food. Bites can hurt, break the skin and bleed (like after having a needle when you're at the doctors or hospital).

oddlyoblivious · 04-24-2016, 11:02 PM

Best Explanation Ever.

Pebbles82 · 04-25-2016, 01:24 AM

Excellent description. I've never had a bite, but had the odd nibble or gentle nip that doesn't draw blood - usually if I've been holding Charlie in an awkward position (ie too high if I carry him too or from his cage) or he feels uncomfortable.

flowerfairy · 04-25-2016, 10:44 AM

Brilliant. Not had any of those from hamsters but had a rat who used to very gently nibble my fingers. Aww.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 04-25-2016, 10:54 AM

I have a blood stain on my cover on the hammies table in the living room (the one that holds three of them) due to a past hamster who bit real hard from cage aggression. I also had a hamster named Kadi who was a hybrid dwarf who regularly drew blood & Chloe bites too hard. So I know that biting isn't fun. I stopped giving them opportunities to bite instead of keep trying to tame them. Sometimes some hammies just don't want to be tamed. Not much you can do about it except love them all the same

oddlyoblivious · 04-28-2016, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinnamon Bear

I have a blood stain on my cover on the hammies table in the living room (the one that holds three of them) due to a past hamster who bit real hard from cage aggression. I also had a hamster named Kadi who was a hybrid dwarf who regularly drew blood & Chloe bites too hard. So I know that biting isn't fun. I stopped giving them opportunities to bite instead of keep trying to tame them. Sometimes some hammies just don't want to be tamed. Not much you can do about it except love them all the same

I can't tell you how much better this makes me feel to hear. Not that biting is pleasant, but the aggression doesn't mean they deserve any less love. Especially since some of them were very sweet in their younger days.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 04-29-2016, 03:03 AM

Right Oddlyoblivious, they don't deserve any less love as they can't help it. I find that they are just wired that way. All of my biters are fine even sitting in my hand eating seeds but if I don't pull my hand away instantly it's lock down with their teeth time or draw blood time. It's hard not to be mad in our human emotions if you have a hamster that bites all the time but I find that not giving them an opportunity to bite is the best thing you can do otherwise it can be very frustrating.

**TheGoldenDwarfTV** · 05-24-2016, 10:36 PM

This should be a sticky!

pixiehollow · 05-25-2016, 01:21 AM

Definately make this a sticky!!

I've only ever been bitten in the taming stages of a pet shop Syrian. Never bitten by a dwarf. My WW used to nibble and lick my fingers though haha!

I agree that some hamsters don't want to be tamed, when Sebby was younger he didn't want anything to do with me handling wise lol. He would sometimes eat from my hand but didn't want to come out. It was only at the very end, he came out for cuddles for 2 weeks before we had to say goodbye

souffle · 05-25-2016, 02:47 AM

This is not the sort of thread we would sticky. The OP has stated they are a past member now therefore would not be available for consultation. Stickied threads contain much more information than this and too many sticky threads block up the top levels of the Boards.