syrian hamster problems

Question
Hey.
I'm new to owning hamsters, i've got a male syrian called ozzy and he is nearly 4 months old. We have got him quite a big cage, and enough to keep him happy. And we have spent alot of money trying to find something he will gnaw on. We have tried everything such as wooden chews, flavoured wooden chews, edible hamster tunnels, wooden house salt block etc. But he just won't gnaw and his teeth are getting quite long, I want to avoid getting his teeth cut at the vet because I don't want to stress him out. What can I do?

I also have a problem with holding him. When I first got him I was really confident at holding him, and I managed to get him out of the cage. But then he jumped from my hand and I lost him for a few hours. I knew I would get him back because my door is always shut and he'd return to his cage eventually because he needed food. But it just took all my confidense away. And I don't know how to hold him. I am a bit scared of being bitten. But more scared of loosing him. What can I do about holding him?

Thanks xAmyx

Answer
Hi Amy

Hamster teeth continually grow and it is therefore important that they do chew a lot to gnaw them down.  Their bottom teeth are especially long anyway, but these must never be so long that they dig into the lip or top of the mouth.  

You are doing all the right things in that you have got him wooden chews etc.  These should help keep his teeth short, as should hard biscuits in his food - the standard mix usually includes some, or you can buy boxes of hard biscuit treats for hamsters.

One thing that can cause a hamster's teeth to grow too long is if they have broken one, or one of the top teeth is missing.  In which case the bottom teeth grow lopsided.  If you are worried about his teeth I think it would be worth taking him to a vet and getting them checked.  Your vet will be able to show you how to handle your hamster and trim his teeth if you need to do this again in the future. (The only time I scruff a hamster is when I need to check/trim their teeth).  Overgrown teeth is usually something you associate with old hamsters, not 4 month old ones, therefore it is important to get advice before going ahead and cutting them yourself as you don't want  them to be too short.  The bottom teeth are usually around 1/2" (1 cm) long, maybe slightly longer than this.

In the meantime - handling him and taming him.  The fact is that most Syrian hamsters want to be friendly.  They only bite for a few reasons:  they are being handled badly, are afraid or mistake a finger for food.  

It is a shame that you have lost your confidence with him as he will sense this.  I tame 'untamable' hamsters all the time, especially those with a track record of biting and there is a standard format I follow which usually works.

First of all, I talk to them all the time.  Every time I see them out and about I speak to them, and after a short time they come up to the bars to see me.  I always give them a treat when I see them out and about in their cage - and talk to them too.  They then associate my voice with a treat.  All my cages have side doors, and also the top section comes away from the bottom (I don't know what type of cage you have, but it is helpful if you can dismantle the cage).  I never put my hand straight into a nest - this is a sure way of getting bitten.  Wait until the hamster is up and about. If they're not awake, I gently tap the side of the cage and call their name, or drop some food in.  This usually gets them to come and explore.  I put the cage on the floor, take off the top section, rub some of the hamster's bedding into my hands so that their scent is on me.  Then, I place a hand either side of the hamster and slide them under it.  Immediately I put the hamster on my clothing.  Some hamsters get a bit nervous walking on skin, and they seem a lot more comfortable on clothing.  I let them walk around, and I stroke them, and slide a hand under them to bring them back if they start to wander off.  All the time I am talking to them.  After a few minutes, I return them to their cage.  Chances are they are so curious now they will head straight for the doorway and want to come out again.  Every time I get them out I keep them out for a little bit longer.  

If you following this procedure for a few days I am sure you will notice a difference.  The more you do this, the quicker you will gain confidence.  One other thing - I never let a hamster sniff me!  It is an automatic reaction to put your hand out for an animal to smell you - but with hamsters this is definitely something you don't do.  If they start sniffing, I move my hand/fingers away.  Sometimes they 'taste' a finger as they are not sure if it is food or not, but this is always a sure sign to move the finger out of reach.

Never hold him too tightly, they love to walk about and explore - so once you get more confident you should be able to let him walk from hand to hand without him jumping off you.  If he does get away from you at any time and he runs off on the floor, don't grab at him.  Crouch near him, place your arms on the floor to create a large circle around him, then gently bring your arms in so that you can pick him up.

I hope this helps you as you will both have a much better relationship once you get used to one another.

Good luck with this.

Regards