Hamsters are small and timid animals that are often prey in nature and therefore very difficult to tame at first when we bring them into our home.
Hamsters need time to get used to the new environment, to us as owners, and to live in the cage. If you try to touch and pick them up, they may bite you, in addition to running away at first.
How to tame your hamster without getting bitten?
To tame a hamster without being bitten, you need to feed it from your hand and be patient and take your time as it takes training and time to succeed.
As much as hamsters are afraid of you, they can be tamed and can be interesting and fun pets in your home.
In today’s article you will learn all about the easiest way to tame a hamster without getting bitten, what are the different ways to do it, and similar questions related to the topic.
How to tame your hamster without getting bitten?
Taming a hamster without getting bitten requires a lot of patience and care. Hamsters are shy and it takes time for them to trust you enough to let you hold and pet them without biting you.
In the beginning, you should let him eat from your hand, because food is the easiest way to tame your pet, because food is the best way to tame pets, whether it’s a hamster or another pet.
Then you need to slowly accustom him to short touches so that he gets used to your hand.
Since hamsters are very afraid of being touched and held in hands, it should be done gradually, increasing the time interval in the following days and weeks.
All this is necessary so that you can tame the hamster and allow you to freely hold it in your hands without biting you.
What you need to know to tame a hamster
Hamsters are different and they all have their own behavior that may or may not be the same as other hamsters.
Since hamsters come from the wild they are quite different from dogs and cats, it takes a lot more to tame their wild nature.
Taming and the time it takes depends on the breed of hamster
Some breeds of hamsters are easier to tame while others are more difficult, the Syrian hamster is the easiest to tame, with it you have the least chance of being bitten.
Other breeds of hamsters are wilder and more aggressive and more difficult to tame, yes they will be tamed but it will take longer.
You should know that some hamsters, no matter how much you tame them, can still remain wild and run away from you, it’s in their natural instinct to be careful because they are prey animals.
Small hamsters such as dwarf hamster breeds are very fast and they are so fast that you will not be able to catch them.
Or if you tame them, they won’t stay in your hands very long, probably a few seconds before escaping to the other side.
That’s why you should be careful when you keep them at a lower distance from the floor so that they don’t escape and fall and injure themselves because any height greater than 25 cm can injure the hamster when it falls.
When you tame hamsters, you should know that they have a short-term memory, they only remember what happened in the last 24 hours, while Syrian hamsters remember more and up to a week.
Taming a hamster requires patience and persistence
When you start to tame your hamster it takes time and patience to succeed in your intention, sometimes it can take a few days, but most often it takes a few weeks to succeed in your intention.
How long it will take the hamsters to get used to you and your hand touch depends on each hamster separately, with some it succeeds earlier, with others it takes more time, and with some hamsters, you may not be able to tame them at all.
Hamsters are timid and that is the biggest reason why it is difficult to tame them, but you should not lose hope, you just need to be persistent and patient.
When your hamster allows you to pet him, then you should do it daily, because they have a short-term memory, they will quickly forget your petting.
What are the ways to tame a hamster without getting bitten?
Now that you already know some of the basic things about how hamsters behave, why they are unpredictable, and why they are fearful, it is time to find out how and in what ways you can successfully tame a hamster without getting bitten.
It takes time for the hamster to get used to you
If you immediately try to take the hamster in your hands on the first day when you bring it into your home, be sure that it will bite you and will not let you.
Therefore, for the first few days, let the hamster calm down, and get used to the new environment in your home, and only after a few days you can start trying to touch it.
Syrian hamsters are easier to tame than other hamster breeds, and they should be easier for you.
Hamsters need time to get used to your presence before they start letting you pet them without biting you.
Hamsters have very poor eyesight and they can’t see more than a few inches in front of them, so over time hamsters will mostly recognize you by your smell and your voice.
Try the most basic things like giving food through the bars of the cage, so that the hamster can smell your scent and slowly start to gain confidence, to notice that you are bringing him food, that you are not a predator who wants to attack them.
Hamsters need a large cage
Hamsters need space to feel comfortable and relaxed. That’s why you need to provide them with a large cage, the bigger the cage the better for them, at least 500 square inches is needed for hamsters to feel comfortable.
When hamsters have a comfortable cage, they are not so nervous, they have somewhere to hide and play, and they will not be stressed.
The calmer they are, the more likely your pet will allow you to pet and hold them without biting you.
In the cage, there should be enough hiding places, toys, and plenty of bedding to feel safe. The bedding is also used for storing food and sleeping.
Hamsters need an exercise wheel
The exercise wheel is necessary for every hamster cage, because through it the hamsters spend their energy and become calmer, which will allow you to hold them in your hands more easily without biting you.
When the hamster is calm it is the best chance to tame your pet faster and more easily.
Hamsters spend several miles on the exercise wheel every night, which makes them healthier, happier, and of course less stressed.
When a hamster is healthy and happy it will let you hold it and play with it without biting you.
It would be best if you took the exercise wheel out of the cage only when the hamsters are sick and cannot use it, because when they are sick they need to rest more, because the movement can only harm them or injure themselves.
But once the hamster recovers, the exercise wheel should certainly be a part of their cage and life.
Do not unnecessarily annoy your hamster
Hamsters do not want you to annoy them, they are very sensitive and will immediately withdraw and you will lose trust in them, then you will have to rebuild your relationship from the beginning.
Hamsters are not like other pets you can tease them a little without them getting angry, for example pulling their whiskers or ears.
Your pet does not like such things and you should not do them no matter how close you are to them. Even when you manage to tame your hamsters some things will always bother them and so you should be careful about it.
You wouldn’t want your hamster to get angry and bite you, so avoid annoying your pet in any way.
Hamsters are simply very timid animals that can’t be like dogs or cats that you can fight or hook as part of the play.
Touch the hamster with clean hands
You should regularly wash your hands before touching your pet, it should be a habit before you pick it up.
If there is a smell of food on your hand, the hamster may mistakenly bite you thinking that your finger is food.
So always use soap and wash your hands before touching your hamster. It is best to use unscented soap so that it is not unpleasant for the hamster as they have an excellent sense of smell.
After touching your pet, wash your hands again, although hamsters are very clean animals that clean themselves, you still need to wash them just in case.
Your voice is useful for hamsters
Hamsters do not see well, but therefore they hear much better than us humans, and with the help of their hearing they know when we are approaching them, especially when we are talking to them at the same time.
If you always talk to your hamster when you want to pick it up and pet it, then your pet will know it’s you and won’t bite you.
Speak in a quiet and gentle tone when you approach it, which will reduce its fear and over time the hamster will become less afraid of you and will not run away.
The more you talk to your pets, the better the contact will be established between you and your pet, which will allow easier taming and of course, it will not bite you.
Talking when you approach your hamster is one of the most important things to help tame your little friend.
Start feeding him
Giving food to the hamster from your hand is the most important step towards its taming. First start by giving food through the bars of the cage, because you can’t immediately reach your hand in the cage to your pet because it will either run away or it might bite you.
Take sunflower seeds and wait for the hamster to come to the bars of the cage, and he will come, be sure because the smell of the food will attract him.
This method of taming is the best because no matter how much the hamster is afraid of you, it will not be able to resist the food and will come to your hand.
Hamsters are very afraid, but food will make them forget their fear and they will come, just try it and you will see.
Once you start with this habit of giving them food, it is necessary to repeat the same thing every day, so that the hamster can get used to you and stop being afraid.
If you stop for a few days, then you will have to start all over again because hamsters have short-term memory.
Place your hand in the cage along with the food
It is the food that will bring you closer to the hamster and overcome the barrier between you and your pet.
To succeed in taming the hamster and being able to touch it freely without it biting you, the next step is to place your hand inside the cage with food that your pet likes.
Slowly put your hand with the food and wait to see what the hamster will do. He will hesitate at first but in a few minutes he will approach your hand and start smelling.
The hamster will try to take the food without touching your hand, but it will probably not work, so he will have to touch you with his body.
When you hold your hand with the food, it is necessary that all your fingers are joined, and that your hand looks like a plate, so that it does not happen that you bite by mistake.
After the hamster eats or takes the food and moves away, do not approach it anymore, because you have already taken the right step to approach and tame your pet, from that moment everything will be easier.
Feed him daily from your hand
Once you have managed to get the hamster to try eating from your hand, you can now do it every day.
Fill your hand with the required amount of food, for example, two teaspoons for Syrian and one for dwarf hamsters, and give them to eat.
The hamster will enjoy eating from your hand, will touch you with its body or paws and will not run away from you, and will not bite you.
The hamster can bite you if you suddenly take your hand away, then your pet will get scared and think you want to attack it and will try to defend itself by biting.
If you just hold your hand while he eats, then there will be no unwanted scenario, he will eat all the food, and he may even bite your fingers a little, but it will be very gentle and without consequences.
Feed them with both hands
To teach the hamster to move freely on your hands, you will need to give him food first with one hand, and then put food in the other hand.
This way the hamster will move towards the food and it will move on your hands, back and forth to eat.
In this way, the hamster will no longer just eat from your hand, he will start to move on them, and he will trust you more and more.
Repeat this process every time you feed him several times a day and the hamster will learn and your hamster game will begin and you and your pet will enjoy it.
As you read it can easily be concluded that food and calmness on your part are the most important when you want to tame a hamster.
Pick up the hamster along with the food
Once you’ve taught your hamster to eat from your hand, it’s time to take the next step, which is to pick up your pet with your hand.
Again it is food that will allow you to succeed in this intention, take food and put it in your hand and wait for the hamster to come.
He will come and climb on your palm to eat, then slowly raise your hand up.
Most likely, the hamster will jump immediately when you raise your palm, but over time it will get used to it, but training will be needed to get used to it.
Every time you try to lift the hamster, do it low so that if it jumps, it won’t get hurt, and it won’t be higher than 25 cm.
If the hamster successfully stands on your palm, do not expect it to stay like that for a long time, it will still jump off it in a few seconds because hamsters are active and they cannot stand in one place for a long time.
Read more: How To Save A Choking Hamster? All Answers You need To Know
Hold the hamster with both hands
When the hamster gets used to your hand, it’s time to get used to holding it with two hands.
While the hamster is resting on your hand, slowly and gently place your other hand on it and then you can lift the hamster a little higher.
Just be careful and growl it securely so that it doesn’t come by dropping the hamster because then it can jump regardless of the height.
Hamsters cannot judge height due to their poor eyesight and can jump without thinking and injure themselves in the fall.
That’s why when you hold it with two hands it shouldn’t be too long because the longer you hold it, the more chances it will jump out of your hands.
Read more: How Long Can You Leave a Hamster Alone? Let’s Discover
The last step in taming the hamster
Once the hamster allows you to hold it first with one hand and then with the other hand, it is time to take the final step toward taming.
Pick up the hamster and start moving your arms so that the hamster can walk over them, and alternately switch your arms and the hamster behind and walk over them.
When the hamster freely and happily walks through your hands, then taming the hamster is complete, you have a tamed hamster.
Just be sure to always be prepared for the possibility that your pet may jump out of your arms when it wants to and when it gets bored.
That’s why your hands should always be close to the cage or at a lower height so that he can jump safely.
Read more: Why Does My Hamster Drink So Much Water? Find Out Now
Conclusion
Hamsters are small and timid, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be tamed, it just takes time.
Hamsters when they are not tamed they may run away from you and bite you if you try to catch them with your hand.
Taming a hamster is not difficult, it just requires a lot of patience and calmness.
Once you tame the hamster, then everything is easier, and your game with the hamster will be much more interesting and fun.
Food and patience are the best ways to tame your pet.
Read more: How To Handle and Relieve Stress in Hamsters? Let’s Discover
