Is It OK if a Hamster Bites You?

Hamsters are usually seen as easy pets to own. They’re small, cute, and stay in a cage, so they should be easy to manage, right? However, hamsters can be a bit temperamental and get scared easily, in which case they might bite.

If a hamster bites you, it’s normally not a cause for concern or fatal. The worst that could happen would be an infection or the possibility of stitches, but this is not common. Hamsters bite when they feel unsafe, so you should find out why they feel that way and fix the issue. 

In this article, I’ll discuss the steps to take after being bitten by a hamster, why hamsters bite, and how to fix that. So, if you’re interested, keep reading!

What Do I Do if My Hamster Bites Me?

If your hamster bites you, it’s important to wash the bite immediately. Don’t panic because hamster bites are not fatal. However, they can become infected if they break the skin and aren’t taken care of properly.

Gently wash the bite with warm water and soap. You can wear a bandaid over it for a day or two to keep other bacteria from getting in. According to the National Library of Medicine, you should keep an eye on the bite over the next few days to ensure you don’t see any redness, swelling, or puss.

If you notice any of these signs, the area may be infected. If you notice signs of an infection,  you should go to the doctor to see if it’s serious. They may prescribe medication or a topical cream to help with the infection.

Hamster bites rarely lead to a serious infection that requires medical attention as long as you follow the steps above and take care of it.

According to AREW, hamster bites may rarely result in an infection caused by the bacteria Pasteurella multocida, which usually requires an antibiotic such as penicillin. This bacteria is commonly associated with animal bites and is treatable.

A good way to prevent this is to ensure your hands are clean before holding your hamster or putting things in its cage. If bacteria is already on your hands and you get bit, that bacteria will end up in the open wound.

Washing your hands won’t affect bacteria from the hamster’s mouth, but it will lessen the chances of infection from other bacteria. You could also wear gloves when adding things to the cage or handling your hamster for the first few times.

Do Hamster Bites Bleed?

Although hamsters have small teeth, they are extremely sharp and sometimes cause bleeding. If the hamster bites deep enough to cut through the skin, it will definitely bleed. However, hamsters rarely bite hard enough to result in serious wounds. At most, you might get a small scratch.

If this occurs, keep an eye on the amount of blood. If the bite doesn’t stop bleeding within a few minutes, it may require stitches. Hamster bites that require stitches aren’t quite as common, but it still happens. 

If your wound keeps bleeding, visit a doctor to get stitches or clean the wound.

Do Hamsters Give Love Bites?

Hamsters can give their owners love bites from time to time. If your hamster lightly nibbles your fingers or hand, then usually that’s a love bite. Love bites are a universal language among animals, and it’s how they show they feel safe with you. It could also be a sign of playfulness.

If your hamster bites you aggressively, it may also show other signs of aggression, like scratching or lunging. An aggressive bite will also be much harder than a love bite.

Hamsters aren’t relatively aggressive animals. Aggressive biting is usually indicative of discomfort or fear. Biting is how they communicate that something is wrong and they are unhappy.

Here are some reasons your hamster may be afraid or uncomfortable: 

• You’re holding it too tightly, causing discomfort or pain. 
• You woke it up.
• You startled the hamster because it didn’t see you approaching. 
• You picked up your hamster while it was eating.
• Your hamster isn’t comfortable with you yet and doesn’t feel safe. 

It’s important to respect your hamster and leave it be when sleeping, eating, etc., as mentioned above. Hamsters generally prefer to be left to their routine. 

If you just got the hamster, it’s probably not used to you yet, so you must make it more comfortable around you.

Here’s what you can do: 

• Be very gentle and slow-moving when approaching your hamster. Fast movements can be interpreted as a threat, so you must come off as non-threatening. 
• Always provide adequate care for your hamster because a hamster that has food, water, and a clean cage will be much happier and associate you with those things. 
• Talk to your hamster in a soft voice anytime you’re around it. This manner of speaking will help the hamster know your voice and feel more comfortable hearing it. 
• When holding your hamster, you can lightly pet it to soothe it. This action will help it become used to being held. 
• Another thing to do while holding your hamster is to give it a hamster-safe treat. The treat will make it associate you with food, making the hamster feel more at ease. Hamsters might accidentally bite you while picking up the treat from your hand, but this isn’t a sign of fear.

Remember that accidents happen; a hamster bite doesn’t necessarily mean a long-term issue or behavioral problem. Hamsters may bite if you startle them, or they become agitated by loud noises.

So, don’t be discouraged if a bite happens occasionally. It’s just the natural way of animals. It’s also important not to yell or get upset with your hamster when that happens. Doing so will cause a hostile environment for your hamster and make it feel unsafe.

Return the hamster to its cage if it bites you, and give it some space. 

If you need hamster treats to win your hamster over, the Vitakraft Drops Hamster Treats Strawberry Yogurt Treats (available on Amazon.com) are an excellent choice. These are small enough to have in your hand with the hamster, and it will love the taste.

Do Hamsters Bite More Than Guinea Pigs?

Hamsters bite more than guinea pigs because they are more temperamental. Guinea pigs can still bite, but these are rare. Hamsters tend to have less patience than guinea pigs, which is why there are more reports of hamster bites than guinea pig bites..

This discrepancy could be because guinea pigs are larger and feel less threatened. Hamsters are much smaller than most other creatures in their environment, so they’re far more nervous.

Another reason why guinea pigs bite less is that we’re less likely to hurt them when we hold them. Their larger sizes make them easier to hold, while hamsters often get hurt when we hold them because of their smaller size.

However, guinea pigs do bite, just not as much as hamsters.

Temperaments of Different Hamsters

There are several types of hamsters, each one having a different temperament.

Here are the five most common types of hamsters and their general temperaments.

• Syrian Hamsters: These hamsters are super friendly towards their human caretakers. However, you should avoid putting them with other hamsters as they are highly aggressive towards their own kind. 
• Dwarf Hamsters: This breed of hamster is known to bite because it gets scared easily. Dwarf hamsters are usually not recommended for beginners.
• Roborovski Hamsters: This particular hamster is very friendly and mild-mannered. However, it’s not a huge fan of being held. It gets along easily with other hamsters but not so much with its owners.
• White Winter Hamsters: This breed of hamsters is very friendly and not prone to biting. They generally like being held by their owners and do their best with other hamsters of the same sex. 
• Chinese Hamsters: These hamsters are perfect if you want one that requires a lot of cuddling and attention from you. Chinese hamsters crave attention, so much so that they will act out if they don’t get it.

It’s crucial to get a hamster that fits you best. If you want a very needy and cuddly hamster, make sure you get a breed that requires the same level of affection. If you want a laid-back hamster that doesn’t need constant attention, make sure you don’t purchase one that is the opposite. 

Researching the types of hamsters best suited to you ensures that you and the hamster are happy and well taken care of. It is also smart to check which breed you’re getting if there will be children in the household. One that is hostile and bites often is not suitable for children. 

Final Thoughts

If a hamster bites you, don’t panic because their bites are usually not a cause for concern. Occasionally hamster bites may cause infection or require stitches, but this is rare.

Clean the bite and keep an eye on it for any signs of infection or intense bleeding. If the wound continues bleeding even after cleaning it, you might need to visit the doctor.

The best way to avoid hamster bites is to keep their environment relatively quiet and undisturbed.