biting problem(?)

[abrokecupoftea]

so for context, i got pebbleheart (a russian dwarf hamster) 2 days ago. i didn't do proper research and got a crittertrail cage that is def too small for her (and additionally had issues w her wheel so she didn't have it for about one day).

right now im on the hunt to find out where she pees bc her sand bath isn't the best currently and she doesn't pee in it. everytime i put my hand in her cage, she bites me (not hard enough to bleed, but they sting) multiple times. however, when i try to move my hand away she follows and she bites everything my hands touched (eg cage door - other than this she doesn't bite at her cage, some of the toys im holding, and the bedding/accessories my hands touch while im feeling around). she has two teething sticks that she was interested in for a while but hasn't touched since, and she was nonstop biting my hand and the new hideout i had gotten for her, but as soon as she went back into the cage/off my hand and the hideout and i closed the door, she stopped doing that.

is this potentially a stress or aggression sign? she follows my fingers around from outside the cage (like her head will move in the direction of my fingers). im getting her a bigger cage with more things to do (more textures, bigger wheel, more space, no more wired bars, etc). is this a sign she's interested/bonding with me or should i give her more space? she doesn't mind me petting her when i go to refill her food and water. is this a personality trait thing?

thank you so much i know this is a ramble but her vet (which is technically part of my college and has weird hours and schedules as it's the summer semester) is closed and i couldn't find anything like this online and im really worried.

 

[myhobbyismyhamster]

Hi! So there’s probably a few reasons why this is occurring. The main one that sticks out to me is that her cage is way too small. It’s great your getting her a larger cage soon, make sure it’s at least 600 sq inches. She could be stressed from the lack of space she has and not having her wheel. She could also be acting territorial since there is a hand entering her space, which to her could look like a giant predator. Once she is in her new cage and everything is all set up, I would suggest not interacting with her for at least a week (except for giving food and water). This gives her time to get used to her new enclosure and make it her home. Then when you start interacting with her she might be less angry because she is now comfortable with her home and hopefully less stressed. I would highly recommend watching videos from Victoria Rachel. She has great hamster advice.

I’m not a hamster expert. This is just what I have found out from research and the help of my best friend Google.

Hope this helps!

 

[abrokecupoftea]

Hi! So there’s probably a few reasons why this is occurring. The main one that sticks out to me is that her cage is way too small. It’s great your getting her a larger cage soon, make sure it’s at least 600 sq inches. She could be stressed from the lack of space she has and not having her wheel. She could also be acting territorial since there is a hand entering her space, which to her could look like a giant predator. Once she is in her new cage and everything is all set up, I would suggest not interacting with her for at least a week (except for giving food and water). This gives her time to get used to her new enclosure and make it her home. Then when you start interacting with her she might be less angry because she is now comfortable with her home and hopefully less stressed. I would highly recommend watching videos from Victoria Rachel. She has great hamster advice.

I’m not a hamster expert. This is just what I have found out from research and the help of my best friend Google.

Hope this helps!

yes, thank you! that's what i saw as well but since she never bit hard enough to draw blood (which was a common thing i saw online) i wasn't sure if that was just her being playful or not, as well as the fact that she hadn't exhibited any other of the symptoms of her cage being too small (which will be getting upgraded either way) i guess i wanted to know if anyone else had experience with that being their hamster's personality? i'm not sure but i'll make sure to keep my hands out of her cage while she's awake!

 

[myhobbyismyhamster]

I just got my female Syrian hamster, Nola a week ago and she hasn’t been nippy with me at all, but I’ve heard dwarf hamsters can be mouthy sometimes. But I have no experience with them, that’s just what I heard.

 

[abrokecupoftea]

I just got my female Syrian hamster, Nola a week ago and she hasn’t been nippy with me at all, but I’ve heard dwarf hamsters can be mouthy sometimes. But I have no experience with them, that’s just what I heard.

awww that's a cute name! im looking into how bitey russian dwarves can be so i might check out more chews for her if thats the case >< hows ur hamster been? has she settled in okay?

 

[myhobbyismyhamster]

Chews will definitely help! My hamster is doing well, she’s settling in nicely and has taken some food from me. Progress is slow but steady. Hamsters require a great deal of patience! I hope things get better with Pebbleheart!!!

 

[abrokecupoftea]

Chews will definitely help! My hamster is doing well, she’s settling in nicely and has taken some food from me. Progress is slow but steady. Hamsters require a great deal of patience! I hope things get better with Pebbleheart!!!

i hope it works out!!! thank you so much!!

 

[Maz]

Great advice from @myhobbyismyhamster . It is really too early while she is still settling in - she will be a bit scared so it’ll be a fear reaction partly, but also, as mentioned above, it’s likely because of the small cage as well - a small cage can lead to cage aggression. I had the same with our first Syrian in a totally unsuitable rotostak thing. I moved him to a larger cage with more enrichment and after settling in he was a big softie. He only ever nipped me once after that, and that was my fault. He had been left at a pet sitter’s house while we were on holiday and when we went to collect him he was in his house in the cage. He didn’t come when I called so I put my finger in the house to stroke him and got a hard nip! We weren’t sure if it was because I had woken him up (most likely) or he was telling us he was annoyed at being left somewhere .

The thing is though if you wake a hamster by putting a hand or finger in their nesting area, where they feel safe, they will bite - it’s just a reflex defence mechanism mechanism.

So the usual causes are that, fear and cage aggression if in a small cage.

It really is time and patience - it’s quite hard at first. I would try her with a litter tray with sand in then you only need to empty it out. It needs to be in the area she has chosen to pee. If possible. Either that or leave it another week before spot cleaning the pee again. The key is minimal disturbance in the cage for the first two weeks.

I would just keep talking to her and offering her treats through the bars for now

 

[abrokecupoftea]

Great advice from @myhobbyismyhamster . It is really too early while she is still settling in - she will be a bit scared so it’ll be a fear reaction partly, but also, as mentioned above, it’s likely because of the small cage as well - a small cage can lead to cage aggression. I had the same with our first Syrian in a totally unsuitable rotostak thing. I moved him to a larger cage with more enrichment and after settling in he was a big softie. He only ever nipped me once after that, and that was my fault. He had been left at a pet sitter’s house while we were on holiday and when we went to collect him he was in his house in the cage. He didn’t come when I called so I put my finger in the house to stroke him and got a hard nip! We weren’t sure if it was because I had woken him up (most likely) or he was telling us he was annoyed at being left somewhere .

The thing is though if you wake a hamster by putting a hand or finger in their nesting area, where they feel safe, they will bite - it’s just a reflex defence mechanism mechanism.

So the usual causes are that, fear and cage aggression if in a small cage.

It really is time and patience - it’s quite hard at first. I would try her with a litter tray with sand in then you only need to empty it out. It needs to be in the area she has chosen to pee. If possible. Either that or leave it another week before spot cleaning the pee again. The key is minimal disturbance in the cage for the first two weeks.

I would just keep talking to her and offering her treats through the bars for now

okay thank you! im probably going to get a uv flashlight bc for the life of me i can't find where she pees and i dont want to keep disturbing her! thank you!