Curious nibbles, but I am jumpy

[CharlieHamHam]

Hey guys! Charlie is doing really well! Every night he comes out when I feed him, and he willingly without hesitation takes a sunflower seed from between my fingers. I have always hoped that I could get him to crawl onto my hand, and I know he would. Although, whenever I put my hand flat in the cage, he comes up and nibbles on my fingers, out of curiosity of course. But, being the jumpy person that I am, I always jerk away when he bites me. I know that hamsters can sense fear, but honestly, I am so afraid of hamster biting after my last hamster took a chunk out of my finger. Any advice? Are wearing mittens a good idea? I tried that, but Charlie pulls on the fabric.

Thanks for reading!

[Dessi]

Try putting the treat on your flat hand instead of between your fingers. It will attract your hamster towards the palm of your hand instead of your fingers. Do it often, so he gets used to coming in your hand. Make sure you don’t always have treats though. One time treats, the next no treats.

You could also make a fist with just your fingers, so it doesn’t hurt as much if he bites. This will give you confidence. Present your hand sideways.

[AmityvilleHams]

I wouldn't use anything that blocks direct hand to hamster contact. Particularly nasty bites aren't really that common with hamsters most likely due to just how tiny they are compared to dogs or cats for example(who can really cause some damage if they want to, even if they're not particularly large dogs or cats).

The best advice I can possibly give is trying to come to terms with the realistic possibility of getting bit that comes with having any pet you handle. It doesn't mean they absolutely will bite you, but being aware and understanding of their ability to bite can help a lot.

It can also help to do as much as possible to prevent biting in the first place through being more aware of their behavior and body language. If they seem on edge at all or get startled, being able to tell in the shortest amount of time possible can be the key difference between being bitten and not getting bitten(as well as being able to quickly start fixing the problem).

You also might want to try just handling outside of his cage. Hamsters are often pretty territorial about their cages, so it is more likely for a hamster to bite or react negatively if you try to handle them inside of their cage. You can often make more bonding progress outside the cage as well!

[CharlieHamHam]

Originally Posted by Dessi

Try putting the treat on your flat hand instead of between your fingers. It will attract your hamster towards the palm of your hand instead of your fingers. Do it often, so he gets used to coming in your hand. Make sure you don’t always have treats though. One time treats, the next no treats.

You could also make a fist with just your fingers, so it doesn’t hurt as much if he bites. This will give you confidence. Present your hand sideways.

Awesome! I will try this.

[CharlieHamHam]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

I wouldn't use anything that blocks direct hand to hamster contact. Particularly nasty bites aren't really that common with hamsters most likely due to just how tiny they are compared to dogs or cats for example(who can really cause some damage if they want to, even if they're not particularly large dogs or cats).

The best advice I can possibly give is trying to come to terms with the realistic possibility of getting bit that comes with having any pet you handle. It doesn't mean they absolutely will bite you, but being aware and understanding of their ability to bite can help a lot.

It can also help to do as much as possible to prevent biting in the first place through being more aware of their behavior and body language. If they seem on edge at all or get startled, being able to tell in the shortest amount of time possible can be the key difference between being bitten and not getting bitten(as well as being able to quickly start fixing the problem).

You also might want to try just handling outside of his cage. Hamsters are often pretty territorial about their cages, so it is more likely for a hamster to bite or react negatively if you try to handle them inside of their cage. You can often make more bonding progress outside the cage as well!

I will get him out in my room this weekend! Thanks for the advice!