I'm going to get a hamster or a dwarf hamster for my ten year old daughter. However, she is VERY VERY scared of getting bit. Do dwarf hamsters bite you alot? Do regular hamsters bite you alot? Which do you think would make a better pet? Thanks!
Answers:
Dwarves tend to be a little more agressive and territorial. I suggest getting a Syrian hamster. Female Syrians tend to be more agressive than males so if I were you i'd get a male.
regular hamsters would be more of a better choice since dwarfs are smaller and quicker therefore a bit harder to handle. the teddybear hamster are tolerant and less to bite
they bite until you train them not to. i got a siberian from a kid who didn't want it any more (i'm an adult), and the little guy bit me twice so hard i bled all over the kitchen. they don't see very well, so i made sure i spoke to him the same way each time i approached him, and i had a piece of treat in my fingers coming in close to his nose slowly. swiss cheese worked as it was smelly. after he figured out my voice and my hand meant no harm, and probably a treat, he hasn't bitten me since. but i try not to wake him up during the day, so i don't startle him or get him cranky. they aren't mean little guys, just wary. good luck.
Dwarf hamsters, from my experiences with them in the pet store, tend to be more hyper and aggressive than black bear hamsters. I have had three black bear hamsters and not one of them ever bit me. If you want to get a better idea, go to a pet store with your daughter and just observe them for a while. When you find one that you think is suitable, try holding it and see how it behaves.
Also, ALWAYS make sure your daughter's hand are freshly washed and do not smell of food before holding a hamster if she is very afraid of being bit because hamsters often bite at what they think is food (which could be your daughter's hand if it smells like food).
Good luck!
Hamsters do bite sometimes. Not as much as gerbils though. The best pet would be a rat. Rats are very social and love humans. They always never bite, unless you train them in a way which would mistake your hand for food.
When i was twelve i had dwarfs. mine never bit anyone. I was at first going to get a teddy bear hamster, but when i asked the petco lady to get it out s oi may hold it she brought it out, but blood was dripping from her hand where it bit her. But then again, my friend who had a dwarf hamsters bit her when you tried to get him out but after he was out of the cage he was so nice! My other friend had a teddy bear hamster that she could never hold because he would bite. Another of my friends had a extremly nice teddy bear hamster. Would she ever constiter rats? I've a couple of girls who come to their names and follow me when i walk around. I've never met a mean rat. Everyone i know who has them or has had them (even my vet) loves/loved them.
Hamsters at first are startled and need to be left alone for a long period of time once they are in there cage but the are unique animals and have different personalities so chose a sleeping hamster and when holding it use a light grip and don't cover your hands with anything. Over all Hamsters will treat you like you treat them. and if it dose bite you pick it up by the extra fur/skin on its neck and hold it for 5 seconds saying no no.
I think u should go to a pet store and hold all different kind of hamsters and pick the one that is nice.
Dwarf hamsters do have a tendancy to bite, and are generally recommended for more experienced owners.
Syrian Hamsters (Teddy bear and black bears are all syrian) tend to bite less. I've had a few female syrians, and haven't ever been bitten on purpose. The couple of exceptions were when I fed a treat, and got my finger too close, and when once I forgot to wash my hands after eating. Hamsters don't have brilliant eyesight, and rely mainly on smell.
If you get a hamster, you always get her out the cage, at least until she is fully tame. Make sure you and your daughter always wash your hands in soap (anti-bacterial worked best for me.. apple scented uh.. didn't do the trick), that way the hamster will very quickly get to know the smell. Hamsters usually bite when being picked up if at all, so your daughter not doing this at 1st will help. At first only you hold the hamster also, your daughter should just stroke her for a couple of weeks, unless she seems very friendly.
Get the hamster from a local pet shop who buys from responsible breeders or people who've bred them at home, not from rodent farms and large scale breeders. Or from a breeder directly. This way they'll have been handled before you get them, and be pretty tame.
When buying, check the hamster's health. It should have a clean coat, bright clear eyes, clear and clean ears. Any droppings in the cage should be form, not runny at all. The hamster shouldn't appear to have any trouble breathing, or wheeze at all. Hold the hamster before you buy it. It may be nervous, but shouldn't seem too "jumpy". By that I don't mean if it tries to jump off you.. but if it seems to be scared by every noise, that is a bad sign.
Good luck getting a hamster, they make great pets for kids. But do remember your daughter may not always remember to feed, give water to and clean it out, so if you expect her to always, it's not going to work.
A good page on hamsters: http://www.hamstercare.co.uk/
If you decide hamsters aren't for you, rats make great pets. Better in a way.. but you should have at least 2, so they're not for all people.
Good luck getting a little pet.. and have fun! Hope this helps.
I just got a teddy bear hasmter today and no bites WHOOOO
well she needs to get to know the hamster ......... is she just picks it up .. umm this happenened to me the hamster will bite her she will go pale and she will feel like shes is extreamly sick(but not nocious) u can give her treats from ur hand. so she thinks ur nice and u can gentyl SLOWly pat her body and after 2 weeks of doing this get somenthing she can pick it up in so if it bites it wont hert her,.... but eventually ur hamster well know u and well be nice. also dont get one from a pet store the chances are ull get pregnet,dieing,disead hamsters . buy one of craigslist. and get one that sez hand raised. well hope it all works out
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