Why is my Chinese hamster aggressive when I try to pick him up?

Unfortunately, some hamsters are more fearful and aggressive than others. This is just their personality. I would try to offer him daily treats but avoid touching him for awhile. Over time, slowly just try to pet him but do not antagonize him or pick him up. If he lets you pet him, give him another treat. Hopefully, over time, he will begin to warm up to you but unfortunately, not all do.

Thanks for reaching out about Charly. Hamsters can be very scared and cage protective. When initially handling, try to scoop up in a cup to remove from the cage, then place on a table and try to pick up. This can bypass the territoriality of cage protection. Hamsters are also nocturnal, so don't like to woken. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Princess and including photos. Hamsters can be touch, socially. Continued de-sensitization might help, but also by looking at the photos, your access point seems to always be from above. A large human hand coming down to grab from above can be scary. If you use a cup to scoop her up (gently) and then place her on a flat surface, is she still aggressive? Maybe she is defensive of her enclosure, and might be more timid when out. Lastly, having her spayed might decrease aggressive, but a big surgical procedure. Good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hamsters are pretty aggressive naturally, as they are commonly a nocturnal prey species. They also make burrows and nests, so it may be why Eggnog is destroying his toys. You may have to move very slowly with Eggnog, offering treats through the cage and even just approaching slowly and standing near his cage to start. I hope this helps!

Is this a change in behavior? If so then an appointment with your veterinarian soon would be recommended as he could be in pain for even sometime like a brain tumor causing behavior changes. However, if this is a newly acquired hamster then this may be his personality. On average hamsters are usually more aggressive and less docile then other pocket pets. This is usually not something that you can train out of them. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

What you are describing is normal behavior for a hamster. In fact, I think it says a lot about his trust for you that he lets you hold him and does not bite. Many hamsters are too fearful to ever let their owners handle them regularly. Clout is probably just very curious of the new smells around him when you are holding him. It sounds like you have done a good job training him and that he trusts you so you’ve done well with him so far! I hope this helps. Let us know if you have any additional questions. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hamsters can get aggressive, especially around their young. I recommend handling the young as little as possible to prevent Khaleesi from being aggressive towards you or from taking it out on her pups. While it is less likely at this age, hamsters can even canibalize their young when they are stressed. Hamsters can typically be weaned (start eating dry food, no longer needed milk from the mother) at about 3 weeks. I recommend separating them into different cages or homes to prevent the hamsters from reproducing. You should also separate Khaleesi from the male hamster if you wish to prevent further breeding. Once the pups are gone, Khaleesi should resume her normal behavior towards you. I hope this helps!