[jrl8111]

So this is my first post here, oops, hi.

Anyways, I have a hamster named Brownie, named after the food (In the photo), a fawn colored hybrid dwarf with red eyes. Ever since I got him back in June he's gotten used to his home a day after getting him and has been doing alright in the taming thing a week later, making him first hamster to try such a thing with (I've had two dwarfs before him, didn't tame either), as he's just been nibbling my hand and putting his paws on me, and just has been doing better and better in terms of taming. He's been rather okay with my presence..

Well, until now.

I went to clean his cage earlier this month, just a spot clean. But I made the mistake of digging into his cage to get him out since I started to get scared that something was wrong with him, since he's usually coming out when I fiddle with his cage. And he hissed at me for the first time. But I didn't think after I spot cleaned his cage that when I put him back he'd BITE ME like a week or so later! (I can't even remember how long it's been since the cage cleaning, but it should've been long enough for his scent to get in the new bedding, as it took a week for him to stop running from me and be able to start the taming process when I first got him from the pet store, so I assumed it was the same case. It can't be a territory thing since he has a big cage, the Savic Hamster Heaven, no bar chewing or anything to show stress, and I left him alone after the spot clean, but idk.)

To state again, the worst he's done until yesterday and the day before is nibble me. I made sure to not allow him access to the tip of my fingers since that was usually what hamsters bite. But after I gave him time to adjust to his cage after the clean, when I put my hand in to try to get him used to me again. He not only BIT me but he latched on, to where it actually hurt and when I jerked my hand back he almost fell out of the cage. I know I shouldn't jerk my hand back when hamsters nibble but the thing is this is the first time I've been bitten like that and it REALLY hurt. ;;;.;;;
I thought he drew blood, he didn't thankfully, but that was the first time he hurt me like that. I thought initially after I was upset I just went in too fast and scared him, so I gave him a day to relax.

I fed him some food through the bars the next day, thinking he was fine with me now since he was taking food from me. No. The next time I put my hand in to change out his food, he LUNGED AT ME, AND HISSED at me! My own hamster basically threatened me. He's never done that before. I'm actually terrified of putting my hand in his cage whenever he's awake now because I fear he will threaten to bite me again or actually do so.

Hence why I'm here now asking for advice. I think I screwed up my ability to tame him and get him used to me permanently just by cleaning his cage so haphazardly and now he's probably always stressed around me and associates me with something dangerous. Does anyone know if he'll stop? Or if they had a hamster get aggressive a while after a spot cleaning? I actually feel kinda dejected now because of the fact that he was perfectly chill with my presence before until the last two days when it just takes a complete 180, and I'm feeling like it's best I just quit trying to tame him if he's gonna be so aggressive at this point, and I guess I've kinda been blaming myself for him being scared of me.