My Hamsters Won't Stop Biting!

[xrubyx]

So when I first got my 2 Campbell's Dwarf hamsters, I left them for 3 days and then I decided to play with them. I had read all of the tips on how to get your hamster to like you and hold it, so I followed them and I tried to get one out and it bit me! (The same happened when my sister tried to hold the other one) so I put oven gloves on and held her and she started biting the gloves hard. Every time I enter the room, she gets excited to see me but still bites? Not so much the other one though, mainly the stronger one. They are over a yeah old now, I regularly hold them with the gloves but I just so want to Ho,d them with bear hands. I am getting a Syrian tomorrow but I am just afraid it will happen again and now I'm nervous! So how do I get them to stop biting, because I've looked on so many websites and tried everything but it won't work Please help because I love them so much and I'm afraid I've failed them

[Thin Lizzy]

How long have you had them?

[cypher]

If you keep using gloves they will never get used to hands so sometimes you just have to be brave & go for it!
They can be territorial in the cage so it may be better to only get them out of the cage by letting them climb into something you can carry them in, a tube, box, glass jar, ball or whatever they may be happy with.
Then try handling them in a play pen or play bin, let them run over your hands to begin with don't pick them up until they get a bit more used to hands not gloves!
I had a Russian girl who did bite a lot to begin with & was rather territorial in her cage but with time & patience she got much better & would climb out of the cage door onto my hand with no problem at all.
If you do put your hand in the cage bury your fingers (the easiest bit to bite!) in the substrate & lay a small treat on your palm.
If you put some substrate in the play pen/bin you can do the same thing.

[xrubyx]

Originally Posted by Thin Lizzy

How long have you had them?

I've had them for about spot one year now, but I have got a new Syrian 3 days ago and he is so friendly and lovely I'm scared I might favour Pumpkin (the Syrian) over Cookie and Cream!

I have tried many times holding her without the gloves, and occasionally if I take them off she will stop, but recently she will still bite even when I take them off after handling her for a long time.

The reason I don't go for it and pick her up is because, even though she has many things to chew on and wear down her teeth, she witll literally hang on your finger and it always draws blood, and after I will be shaking for half an hour! I feel like such a wimp but she is certainly very strong!