Do Pudding Hamsters Bite? What to Do If One Bites You

1 Why Pudding Hamsters Bite

Unfamiliar with the new home and owner. A newly arrived pudding hamster has not adjusted to its surroundings or you, and may bite out of tension and fear. For the first three days after it comes home, leave it alone—don’t disturb its rest or feed it constantly. Let it settle in, then gradually try to interact so you don’t heighten its fright and trigger a bite.

Wrong handling. Many owners are bitten while picking up a hamster, which is very common. Hamsters are timid, and to them a human is a huge creature that could easily crush them. Grabbing one suddenly from behind panics it, and if your grip is uncontrolled it is more likely to bite.

Strong territorial instinct. Hamsters are solitary with a keen sense of territory. If you have just handled another hamster and reach for the pudding without washing your hands, it may bite because it smells the other hamster on you.

Odors on your hands. A hamster’s sense of smell is sharp. If your hands carry a food scent, it may nibble to check whether your hand is food. Also, hamsters recognize owners mainly by scent; a strongly scented hand cream can make it suspicious, so it may resist and bite when you pick it up.

2 What to Do If Bitten

Pet hamsters rarely carry rabies virus; transmission is extremely rare. The only conceivable route would be a hamster bitten by a rabid dog that survived and became infected, then passed it on—no such human case has been recorded. Still, a hamster’s mouth holds some bacteria, so after a bite follow the steps below.

If the bite is very light with no broken skin or swelling, there is nothing to worry about and no treatment is needed.

If the bite draws blood, squeeze the blood out, then wash the wound with soap and running water alternately for at least 15 minutes. Disinfect with iodine or alcohol afterward, and do not bandage it.

If the wound bleeds heavily, go to a clinic promptly. For a cut longer than about 0.3 mm, ask the doctor whether a tetanus shot is needed.

Trust between a pudding hamster and its owner builds up gradually, so don’t rush things when it first arrives. Remember that hamsters are nocturnal and need daytime rest—don’t keep interrupting a pudding’s sleep, or it may bite you for that reason too.