Why Does a Hamster Bite?
There are several reasons why pet hamsters bite. Many
people say it’s because they are naughty or angry, but that is just not
true. Pet hamsters can’t talk to you and tell you why they bite. But
wise hamster owners have observed enough hamster behavior to identify
some of the reasons why hamsters bite.
First, if you have been handling food before you handle your hamster, and your skin smells like something tasty to eat, your hamster may bite you by mistake.
Hamsters do not have good eye sight and some breeds are even prone to glaucoma, so they rely much more on their sense of smell than their sense of sight. So don't put your yummy smelling hand (which also feels kind of a like a soft veggie or piece of fruit) into the hamster cage or you may get nipped. Be sure to wash your hands first so your pet doesn’t mistake them for food.
Next, all animals can bite in self defense when they are afraid, and hamsters are no different. How would you feel if some animal 100 times your size and weight tried to pick you up and hold you in its hand?
When you think of it that way, it becomes clear that hamsters are not biting from being naughty or angry. They bite because they are not in their natural habitat and they don’t understand what’s going on. That’s why it is so important to give them some time to acclimate to their new surroundings in your house, and not force yourself on them too quickly.
The next two reasons why hamsters bite both stem from the fact that they can’t talk to us to tell us what is on their minds. Again, this is typical animal behavior, and if you have lived for any length of time with a cat, dog, horse or bird you may know this already. So what are these two reasons? They are fatigue and pain. Hamsters (and other pets) might bite when you try to get too close or pick them up when they are tired or in pain.
If you think about it, this makes sense. They have no other way to tell us that they don’t feel good or are tired and want to be left alone. We humans just assume that we should just be able to play with them whenever we feel like it.
Parents with a couple of overly energetic children may be able to relate. Have you ever snapped or yelled at one of your kids when they are noisy and nagging at you for attention, but you are feeling sick or worn out from lack of sleep? Well, hamsters can’t yell (or politely explain to us how they feel). All they can do is hope that we leave them alone to feel better. Or bite us if we don’t. It is their only way of telling us to stop.
