Found in both the wild and kept as domesticated pets, dwarf hamsters may look very small and cute. Yet despite their size and appearance, these hamsters can be very aggressive and leave bites that cause a lot of pain and injury.
Dwarf hamster bites are usually not very dangerous as long as they’re treated right away. However, they can quickly become infected, transfer diseases, or cause immense pain if you don’t take care of them correctly.
In this article, I’ll cover what you should do if a dwarf hamster ever bites you. I’ll also review how to treat the bite wounds effectively and how to prevent them from happening again in the future.
What Happens if a Dwarf Hamster Bites You?
If a dwarf hamster bites you, you must see if the bite damaged the outside of your skin, disinfect the area, and ensure that the hamster won’t attempt to bite you again. Even if your skin isn’t damaged or shows no signs of bleeding, you must clean the area thoroughly.
In every scenario where a dwarf hamster bites you, you must take the cautionary steps to clean, bandage, and watch your injury for any sudden changes. Even though a dwarf hamster’s bite may seem small and harmless, it can greatly damage your health.
Additionally, you must make sure to watch the dwarf hamster’s behavior. Not only is there the potential that it may continue to bite and cause more injuries, but it’s also possible that something else is causing it to act this way.
Inspect the Bite Wound
It’s essential to assess the situation and inspect the bite wound to fully understand what’s happening and how serious the issue is. Doing this action will also help you gather the information that will be vital if you need to go to a doctor or emergency services.
Some important things to take note of in the bite scenario include the following:
- How many times were you bitten?
- Does the dwarf hamster looks sick?
- Is the dwarf hamster being aggressive?
- Where did the dwarf hamster go?
Understanding the situation, what the hamster was doing, and how severe your injuries are will help determine whether you can treat the wound at home or need to seek expert care.
Treat the Bite Wound
As soon as the dwarf hamster bites you, you must quickly start the first aid process to disinfect the area completely. Luckily, treating a dwarf hamster bite wound is a simple process that’s very similar to treating other kinds of small cuts.
For these kinds of wounds, you’ll need to wash the area. However, if you don’t have access to items such as soap or water, quick sanitizing with a disinfectant like hydrogen peroxide will stall the infection process until you can wash fully.
One clinical study found that hydrogen peroxide is effective at removing bacteria and excelling at wound closure by pulling in more cells to replicate new replacement cells. While this isn’t an option guaranteed to entirely prevent the injury from getting worse, it does help prevent bacteria from replicating too quickly.
To efficiently and securely disinfect your bite wound entirely, you must:
- Assess the area to take note of what the damage is. In some cases, a dwarf hamster bite may be a small tear in the skin, and other times it may cause a lot of bleeding.
- Immediately wash the wound with warm water and a gentle antibacterial soap for at least 30 seconds or until the bleeding ends.
- Once the wound has been washed, soak or rinse the wound with a disinfectant liquid.
- Once you’ve sanitized the area for a second time, cover it with a bandage and topical cream.
- Regularly check the wound and keep it clean by repeating the previous washing steps.
These steps help prevent infection and ensure proper healing of your wound. Usually, healing takes a few days, but this depends on how many bites there are and how bad their wounds are.
In some cases, after treating the wound at home with excellent washing, you may still need to go get your dwarf hamster bite looked at by a medical professional.
You should have a doctor or specialist look at your dwarf hamster bite wound if:
- The bite wound is continuously bleeding.
- Pus or other liquids are coming from the wound area.
- There’s any kind of swelling occurring.
- The wound site is red or has red streaks.
- You feel like you have a fever or are sick.
Dwarf hamster bites can require quick intervention. However, the outcome may be critical if appropriate medical measures are not taken.
Can I Get Sick From a Dwarf Hamster Bite?
On top of bacterial infections, dwarf hamster bites can also make you very sick by transferring a disease known as Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis, which can lead to long-lasting flu-like symptoms and injury to the nervous system.
Not all dwarf hamster bites will cause this infection, as it’s not very common. However, you should still follow up with a medical professional to ensure everything is okay, especially if the animal that bit you also looks sick.
How Can I Prevent Future Dwarf Hamster Bite Wounds?
There are a few precautions that you can take in order to prevent dwarf hamster bites from occurring again, including:
- Wearing gloves when handling dwarf hamsters or feeding them by hand.
- Calmly approaching dwarf hamsters so they’re not frightened into a defensive act.
- Being cautious around breeding or pregnant dwarf hamsters as their aggression levels are higher at this time.
- Exercising caution when separating two quarreling dwarf hamsters.
By taking extra steps to ensure you’re protected and prepared, you can decrease the frequency of bites. In the event you’re still bit, you can minimize how bad the wounds are and reduce the chances of larger injuries.
Final Thoughts
Typically, dwarf hamster bites are minor, especially if their health is perfect. However, all wounds should be cleaned and sanitized to prevent bacterial infections and diseases.
It’s recommended that you keep track of your bite injuries for some time to look for any symptoms that may happen. Some medical care may be needed, but the wounds will still heal quickly as long as they’re small.