Hamsters And Gnawing (Biting) Tendencies

Despite their cuddly appearance, hamsters have long, thin, sharp teeth that can pierce a finger that is mistaken for acarrot or for a predator.

When they are accustomed to being handled and are not startled, however, they are not inclined to bite and can beplaced in the custody of responsible school-age children.

Like many rodents, their teeth grow continuously and they must have appropriate things to chew on to relieve their instinctive gnawing and to help keep the teeth at a healthy length.

They wil gnaw on whatever is available, so they must bekept in enclosures that they cannot chew through. When thehamster is kept in or near a bedroom, their nocturnal nature combined with their gnawing habit can become distracting.