Are your children clamoring for a pet hamster? It’s not surprising – hamsters make awesome pets for older children. They’re cute, playful, entertaining and a joy to behold.
A pet hamster can teach your children diligence and responsibility as they learn how to care for their petite, cuddly friend. By making the care of your pet hamster a family affair, your furry friend can bring joy to your whole family.
Like any pet, hamsters need love and attention to thrive. You can’t expect this little critter to be happy left on his own.
Even if you’ve created a healthy, engaging environment for your hamster to live in, he’ll still need a personal connection with his people family to feel at home. Hamsters are friendly, social creatures by nature – they like to be held, petted, cuddled and loved.
By spending time with your hamster, you can help him feel safe and secure in your care. Talking, petting, holding and playing with your furry friend is a good way to establish a relationship of trust.
Even with tame hamsters, however, there’s always the risk of getting bitten when you least expect it! Do hamster bites hurt? Depends on how sharp your critter’s teeth are and how hard he chomps down!
Do Hamster Bites Hurt?
In general, hamsters are cute, affectionate, curious creatures that love to play and explore. They’re rarely mean and aggressive, which is why they make such good pets.
That doesn’t mean, however, that your pet will never bite you, as it’s an instinctive reaction when he’s startled, agitated or afraid. And when those sharp teeth sink into your skin, you’ll definitely feel it!
Hamster bites can hurt, but they’re unlikely to cause a lot of damage as hamsters are, after all, small creatures with tiny teeth as compared to other animals like dogs.
If your pet doesn’t know you very well, he may feel threatened when you try to pick him up and bite you out of fear. If he does know you, he may bite you if you handle him improperly or inadvertently startle him in some way.
Sometimes, hamsters give out “love bites” in the course of play, as a show of their affection and love.
If your hamster has never bitten you before and suddenly starts, he’s sending you a message that something’s wrong. Hamsters are sensitive creatures.
If you startle them by being too loud or rushing to pick them up, they could feel threatened and bite you as a form of protection.
Your hamster may also bite you if he feels sick, uncomfortable with what’s happening around him or hungry due to your forgetting to feed him that day. If that’s the case, a throbbing bite will help you never to forget again!
What Does Getting Bitten By A Hamster Feel Like?
Hamster teeth may be small, but they’re sharp and strong, as hamsters use them for chewing crunchy foods, cracking nuts, constructing burrows and hideouts and more.
A quick, out of the blue bite may feel like sharp needles pricking your skin. Your finger or hand may throb with pain and tears may come to your eyes, but eventually, the pain will fade away. If your pet latches onto your finger or hand, it will be even more painful still.
First-time hamster owners are almost guaranteed a bite from their pet at some point in time, as they’re bound to do something wrong that agitates their furry friend before getting to know him.
As your pet gets to know you and becomes adjusted to his new home, there’s less chance of you getting bitten, with the exception of love bites and nibbles, of course.
You can also reduce your risk of bites by avoiding situations that provoke your pet to bite, such as disturbing your hamster when he’s sleeping, rushing to pick him up or taking him by surprise by sneaking up on him from behind.
All hamsters have the potential to bite their owners. Biting is like a “defense mechanism” for your hamster – it’s his way of protecting himself from what he feels is a threatening situation.
Hamsters bite when they feel scared, startled or threatened and their bite – ouch! – can make you cringe. By bonding with your furry friend and helping him feel secure and loved, you’re less likely to suffer a hamster bite at all.
Do Hamster Bites Break Skin?
Hamsters have long, sharp teeth that can puncture your skin if your pet bites hard enough. Hamster bites are not life threatening, so you shouldn’t be afraid of handling or playing with your furry friend thinking that he could bite you at any time.
You should be aware, however, that bites can happen, so it doesn’t come as a complete shock if your pet decides to give you a chomp. Hamsters can bite when you least expect it, taking you completely by surprise if your pet has never bitten you before.
Sometimes a hamster will sink its little teeth into you and latch onto your finger or hand for all he’s worth! If that happens, don’t freak out or scream at your pet and DON’T try to shake him off, as that will only make the situation worse.
Simply lower him into his cage and gently pry his little teeth off your skin. If the bite has broken your skin and you’re bleeding, wash your wound thoroughly, treat it with anti-bacterial solution and dress it with a loose bandage.
Keep an eye on the wound for the next few days to make sure it doesn’t get infected. A healthy, indoor hamster isn’t likely to have a disease that he can pass onto you through a bite, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful.
If the bite is deep and your wound is swollen or painful after a few days, you may want to have it checked by a doctor to make sure you’re okay. It’s also good to see a doctor for a hamster bite if your furry friend isn’t vaccinated.
Conclusion
Do hamster bites hurt? They definitely can, if your little critter chomps down hard enough or latches onto your finger for dear life. Your pet hamster is more likely to bite hard if he feels threatened or scared, as that’s his instinctive nature for protection. The longer you own your pet, the less likely you are to be on the receiving end of a bite as you’ll have learned how to handle him and established a bond of love and trust.
