Well I just got a tiny little hamster and it was the cutest thing ever, and it still is. I have had it now for about a month and 1/2 but recently it got a cold but now it is better but every sense he had that cold he has tried bitting me and I don't know why now I am scared to hold him. Any suggestions?

It's possible that he's not 100% better.

Hamsters in the wild are largely prey. Because of that, their instincts, when they're sick, are to pretend that they're fine.

He's probably just not feeling great and doesn't want to be held right now.

What kind of medication, if any, was he on when he was ill? What did you vet say?

Hamsters bite, don't shove your hand directly at them.
So manay issues, first they are night animals, so if you want to play with them at 3am in the middle of the night, great, if you want to play at 3 pm, they want to sleep and don't like being bothered.

How much room does it have, do you for sure have a wheel, they will run on the wheel for hours and hours each night.

Also do you handle the hamster every day, reaching in and getting it from the side not directly at it, ( or from behind)

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

hamsters bite, don't shove your hand directly at them.
so manay issues, first they are night animals, so if you want to play with them at 3am in the middle of the night, great, if you want to play at 3 pm, they want to sleep and don't like being bothered.

How much room does it have, do you for sure have a wheel, they will run on the wheel for hours and hours each night.

Also do you handle the hamster every day, reaching in and getting it from the side not directly at it, ( or from behind)

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All true.

I just want to add that hamsters are solitary animals. They really don't like being handled at all, they just tolerate it, some more then others.

The fact that your hamster was okay before he got sick makes me think that this has something to do with the illness and that he'll bounce back.

I usually use a treat to entice the hamster, let him come to you instead of grabbing him.

A good rodent pet is mice, rats and guinea pigs. These animals are all very social and live in groups. Hamsters live by themselves and would rather not see anyone and would be perfectlly happy never being held again. Lol

A good way to break the ice that I always advised people, is scoop your hamster up in a bowl of some sorts and just pet him and maybe give him treats. And just slowly work him back into being handled again. A lot of times if you don't mess with these little guys every day, they forget and will bite.