biting / breed type

Question
My hamsters a greyish black and it has a black strip down the back and whenever I put my hand in the cage it tries to bite me I cant rub it or do anything because it is so defensive and I don't want to keep getting bit and I also dont know what kind it is and that might be a important factor

Answer
hi Aj,
great question!
i'm assuming he is a new hamster to you as you didn't say.

hamsters are such timid creatures naturally. they are so tiny and scurry around constantly aware of their surroundings. when they eat, they are on the look out for any possibility of danger and when they sleep, they're only half asleep, just in case.
when they were domesticated, they kept most of their timidness however, with careful persuasion most hamsters can be tamed. if you think about it, we must look huge to them, and very scary.
i've had hamsters that i've had to handle with gloves when they were young as they were so scared, and i consider myself to be a very good, careful owner.
a lot of hamster biting is not them being mean or anything, its just their way of defending themselves in new situations, such as rehoming from the pet shop.

unfortunately a lot of hamsters become stressed when they are taken away from their mothers at birth. they are then put in a petshop and before they know it they are rehomed again as someone's pet.
in a very short space of time they have had 3 different homes and 3 different owners.
through no fault of our own a new hamster can start biting its new owner because it is stressed out and isn't sure what is happening.
however, even these hamsters can be tamed easily if you are willing to spend some time doing it.

the easiest way to tame a hamster is to leave it alone in a quiet, undisturbed room for the first 2-3 days after you get it home from the petshop so it can get used to its new home and all the new sounds and smells.
as long as it has got plenty of food and fresh water it will be fine for a couple of days.
on an evening when your hamster is awake, try feeding it through the bars of the cage but don't get it out. the hamster may try to bite or snatch the food away quickly, but don't worry. do this for a few evenings at first without trying to get him out.
you should clean your hamster out once a week, so the first time you clean your hamster out, try tickling it gently first with one finger (better with gloves on-just some winter gloves are fine). offer food and speak softly to encourage your hammy to trust you.
when he is comfortable with your presence after a few days, try picking him up and stroking him gently.
he will probably try to struggle, or bite or jump at first. if you've got gloves on then this won't matter so much.
if your hamster struggles, put him down in an excersise ball or in an area of the cage you are not cleaning so he can see you are not a threat.feed him a treat again.

if you keep doing this, over a few days or weeks, your hamster will come to realise that you are his friend, and with time he will learn to trust you enough and not feel the need to bite you again.

i did this with a 1 and a half year old male. he was new to me but i got him from a home that was full of cats and dogs. he was kept in a cage on the floor and was very stressed when he came to live with me. at first he tried to bite me a lot and he was so scared that he used to wee in his bed.
he was so nervous, i had to wear wooly gloves when handling him and cleaning him out, so he couldn't nip me.
he soon came to realise that i wasn't going to hurt him and his biting stopped after a while. he became a happy, relaxed hamster and lived to be nearly 3! which is very old for a hamster.

so it can be done if you're willing to try.

with regards to the breed of your hammy, try looking at the following website:

                  www.hamsters-uk.org

there are pictures to help you identify most breeds of hamster. from your description, i would say your hammy is a campbell's russian dwarf, but have a look...

i'm sure you can tame your hammy.
you're obviously caring enough to take the trouble to ask a question about taming.
hamsters make great pets as long as they are treated with the respect they deserve. they are totally reliant on you to look after their every need. it is worth finding out the basics and maybe even buying a hamster guide to learn whats best for your hammy.

REMEMBER THAT PATIENCE IS THE KEY HERE, GIVE HIM TIME.

good luck in taming your own little furry friend.
thanks for your question, jewel