Hey my fellow pet people.... Remember how I told you guys that my DD's hamster, Squiggle, died recently and we got her a new hamster, Lionel? Well, Lionel has not been very easy to deal with. He has been really hard to socialize and train. Last nigh, he was rolling in the ball in his cage after DD was asleep. I took the ball down to clean it because he had pooped in it (you know how hamsters are) I thought it would be a good time to work with him to get him calm enough for DD to hold as well. Well, he came out of the ball and tried to take off. I caught him quickly because if he'd gotten loose, my cat would have left his intrails in the florr for DD to find this morning. He promptly bit the #*#* outta me and I tried to calm him. No luck. Before I could return him to his cage, he had bit me at LEAST 3 times on each hand. I don't mean a little bite either. It hurts to type this, really, literally. My hands were actually dripping with blood. I bled on my clothes, on the carpet, on the hamster and I filled up 3 napkins that I managed to grab desperately out of a small trash can. As I held him trying to calm him telling him gently, NO, just as I had trained older DD's hamster who is now very easy to handle, Lionel suddenly just stopped moving. He DIED. Right there in my hands with my blood all over him. He just DIED. I guess out of fear. :? I woke DH up and I was so upset thinking how hurt my DD would be. DH said it was terrible, but glad it was not our DD whose hands hew chewed up. I agree. We already told DD this morning. She cried, :cry: but she admitted that she was always afraid of Lionel. I think she will be okay. We decided that we will wait and go as a family and get her another hamster or something when I can handle it and really check it's personality out in the pet store before buying. So, my question now.... my hands! They HURT terribly. DH is insisting I go to the Doc like NOW. He bit the part between my thumb and pointing finger all the way through. Meaning his top teeth went in the top part of that fleshy part and bottom teeth went in the under part and they MET in my flesh. He did the same above the nail on my middle finger on the other hand. He bit BOTH thumbs and one thumb is swolen. Both are slightly bruised. What kind of stuff do they carry in their mouths? Anybody know? Should I just wait or go on and go to the Doc. I know he will put me on an antibiotic. What do you guys think?? Ugggh! Sorry if my typing is off. I usually try to be very careful but my hands REALLY are hurting. Hey ZOO...on a side note...this cures me of wanting to breed them. I just don't THINK SO!! :shock:
Go to the doctor NOW!!! You don't want to get an infection. The fact that it bled a lot was probably a good thing, but they are RODENTS. You can't be too careful. Sorry about the hamster, they are grouchy little devils. Had one ages ago, doubt I'll ever have another.
I think you should go to the doctor, or at least call your doc and see what they say. Animal bites can become very nasty infections. Dang, I guess we got lucky when DD bought her two gerbils, Miley and Hannaha last summer. They are so sweet (and I hate rodents) that I go up and give them treats every morning before work. Miley didn't like me at first, she'd try to bite me through the cage, but I figured out why. When I went in there I'd make these clicking noises with my mouth and they'd climb up the wires to see me. Once I stopped making that noise, her biting stopped. I have read that it's better to purchase two of each and that helps with socialization, etc. I've also read that hamsters are more prone to bite. Good luck! This may be helpful... http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-differences-between-a-hamster-and-a-gerbil.htm
yes go to the doc, use to work in a pet store and it's best to get botics for it..oh and even though gerbils are not as cute, they are calmer then fuzz butts. Get on hands like you said for the next one would help as well. Where are you buying them from? Sheri
Well, attack hamster is DEAD now. DH just called and said he could have alot of fun with this :the hamster bit you...and then DIED" :lol: Anyhow, I am going to Doc in about an hour. When they learen it died, they told me to call animal control and the place I bought it. I left a message with JC animal control and I called Carolina Pet Supply and the owner was real sorry. Really, we think since Lionel was that scared to butcher my hands, he probably had a heart attack on the spot and died. (Stupid hamster). He said to come there and get one they have bred and raised on site because it would be more tame. The one we got was from a distrubuter and who knows what it had been through. Thanks for all the advice. Doc said I will prolly need a tetnus shot and antibiotics. Makes me feel better to know you all feel the same way DH does. Ugggh! My hands hurt. I'll updat more later. Thanks again.
Go to the doctor just to be on the safe side. Gerbils can be very, very sweet and so can rats; I have had a few really tame, loving hamsters as well. If you go through the Raleigh Rodent Rescue to get another they can usually tell you about the personality of whatever rodent you choose. In my experience they spend a good deal of time playing with the animals so you really know what you are getting.
OWWWW! What kind of hamster was Lionel? I've heard horror stories about all kinds of the really cute ones and have experienced the horror of the little dwarf ones. The only kind of hamster that we have ever had that was genuinely nice was a female Golden hamster, like this I hardly ever see these anymore... I guess because they are just your everyday, common hamster? Anyway, we've moved on to gerbils. They seem much nicer than hamsters to me. DS #2 has one that is over 4 years old, Luke. He's a sweet old gerbil man. So sorry for DD, she's been through a lot with her pets here lately. Give her a :grouphug: for us. Sorry about your hands too. OUCH!
I tell you what I have always liked the owner of that pet shop..I get most of my parrot food from them and they have always been great to me..you can't go wrong with them. Keep us posted on how YOU are doing as well. I bet your hand hurts. Sheri
Seriously, I know what you mean about the dwarfs. I had one of those and I would put my hand in the cage and take it out with the hamster hanging off of it by his teeth.
:lol: Yeah, my first experience with those was not a good one. About 10 years ago we bought two, a white one and one of the grayish ones. NO ONE at the pet store warned us about those evil, yet adorable, hamsters. No one said that you'd be risking a finger if you stuck your hand in their cage. So, I stuck my hand in their cage, felt pain, and yanked it back with the white one attached to one of my fingers. Poor thing... it went flying across the room. We managed to get it back into the cage, somehow, and we kept them until they died of old age, but I sure learned my lesson very fast that day. DO NOT STICK YOUR HAND IN THEIR CAGE! :lol:
I have always grown up with the ones that they call teddy bear hampsters, they are so darn cute, but I have never had them long always died on me. More then I would want to handle with my daughter right now anyways. Sheri
Lionel was a Teddy Bear hamster. Think I have a lead on another TAME hamster now. But I am off to the doc now. And yes, BOTH of my hands HURT - BAD! Thanks guys! TTYL
Sorry about the hamster incident... and I don't recall how old DD is or if you'd be "open Minded" to suggestion, lol. I've had a hamster, g.pig and yes - my older DD had a pet rat. So.. talk to Carolina Pet group on pet rats (that's where we got ours from) ... they are VERY social and more fun/interactive then hamsters. Rats will not run away - they run to their peeps and love to just hang out with the peeps. They eat anything (healthy I mean but can have stuff rite out of fridge etc)-- ours loved wheat thins, lol. Just a thought. Yes - the tail makes a rat look yuck but they are really good pets. We always do the female type pet because we don't like the male stuff that physically can be seen bulging from behind, lol. Google them if you want to learn more but they are great .. never again will any of my kids have any type of caged pet (gpig,rabbit, hamster) unless its a rat (or 2 -they are very social and if don't spend lots time with peep then shld have another friend to play with)
I agree, rats do make good pets. They are social and can be trained to do tricks, ours used to do anything for a Goldfish cracker. We've ended up with 2 over the years as pets.
I too, have had pet rats. They are very sweet and social and can be handled easily. Mine even came when they were called and everything! Kind of little little dogs with weird tails. Good luck and I hope your hands feel better!
Rats make great pets. 3R is an awesome rodent rescue. http://raleighrodentrescue.org/ The best deal you can find on a cage is from these folks. http://www.martinscages.com/ I used to keep them so if you need any help, let me know.
Here is a free one! BTW, how are the hands?? FREE: Hampster to a good homeCategories:Pets & SuppliesNo PhotoAd Number:84776Date Posted:03/28/2008Contact:michelle tayloe clayton, nc 27520 usa Telephone:E-Mail:Reply to Ad Web Site: Description we are looking for a good home for a brown and white hampster. She is used to being handled and likes to be handfed. She comes with a pink hampster princess cage, food and litter. please call 919-300-3100 or email.
