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Old 09-11-2017, 01:38 PM   #1
Jessi
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: England
Posts: 35
Unhappy Aggression/biting

Summary: Very confident 9 week old hybrid dwarf - home for one week - getting increasingly and unpredictably bitey!

I have a new baby winter white/hybrid dwarf. She climbed straight onto my hand the first time I saw her - and although she had a couple of gentle nibbles - I assumed I had a curious but confident hamster.
I left her to settle the first couple of days and then began taming. She immediately climbed into my hand and ate with no bother. On a couple of days she's had a nip of a couple of fingers. One day she chased my hand round trying to bite it but I left her alone and the next day she was fine again.

Tonight she once again climbed into my hand and ate her seeds - then she climbed up and nipped my wrist - I blew gently on her and she stopped - climbed to a different spot and nipped there. I took my hand out and put a different one in and she ate a bit then nipped again - she then chased my hand around the cage and was even jumping at the side of the cage once I'd taken my hand out. I tried with a glove but she bit continuously even outside of the cage - grabbing on and not letting go. Even a gentle blow didn't deter her. I'm sure she probably just wanted to be left alone but it's how quickly she changes from happily eating to biting. It's unpredictable and making me nervous around her. My last little boy was so good - tame from the day I got him and I feel so disappointed that she's behaving like this. Any tips?

Edit: She is in a 140L bin cage with care fresh - with a few cardboard tubes, a wheel, a bendy bridge she sleeps under and a cup. I will try increasing the depth of the substrate as she does like digging but I don't think it can be that the cage is too small!

Last edited by Jessi; 09-11-2017 at 01:50 PM. Reason: Extra info about cage
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Old 09-11-2017, 10:10 PM   #2
cypher
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
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Default Re: Aggression/biting

This sounds as though it's probably cage aggression, her being territorial over her space.
Just stick to handling her outside the cage, try not to put your hand into the cage any more than you have to for a while & don't change anything in her cage, give her a chance to really feel safe in her space while you work with her out of the cage.
Find something she's happy to climb into, a mug, tube, small cardboard box or whatever works that you can safely transport her in then carry her to a playpen or other safe area (I don't recommend the bath for dwarf hams) where you can interact with her out of the cage.
Set up something with some toys she can explore & just take your time introducing your hand to her & letting her climb on or walk over your hand or you can sit in a playpen with her & let her climb over you.
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Old 09-12-2017, 06:18 AM   #3
CMB
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - UK
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Default Re: Aggression/biting

My dwarf hamster was just the same, she has mostly stopped now (3 months later) but occasionally has a nibble and even a hard bite sometimes (never made me bleed though).

It could be cage aggression and handling outside the cage may help.

You could let her eat seeds /food on your hand then just as she finished give her some food or a treat off of your hand so she gets off before any nibbling/biting.
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hand, climbed, couple, nipped, cage, day, ate, left, confident, dwarf, days, chased, week, shes, gentle, bit, jumping, deter, blow, letting, tips, continuously, confusedcry, grabbing, glove

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