Hamster Poll... honest opinions needed!

[zakatak]

Here's the situation: Over the last week, our two hamsters have bit. Henry, the normal big one who is 2.5 years old, bit my son SO bad that he was gushing blood for 30 minutes straight! with pressure! Finally stopped and I bandaged it up. It's a nasty bite, goes half down his fingertip and then across the bend of his finger in an L shape! That's just healing now (he was bit last Sunday).

Then Midget Man, the dwarf russian, bit a friend on Wednesday and now my daughter today. He bit my daughter on TWO fingers! Gee Louise... she was screaming BLOODY murder and when I ran downstairs to see what the screaming was about... OMG, she had blood dripping down BOTH hands!

OK, so here's the poll... what should I do with these MONSTERS?

Thanks for participating... oh, and hey, if you want to get a hamster... DON'T!

 

[EthansMom]

Is there any chance your Humane Society would take them?

(I had two hamsters -- they were much more work than any cat I've ever had. And they would fight each other at night, making a horrible ruckus. When my brother and I got lice, my parents suspected it might be from the hamsters and Dad set them free into the wild.)

 

[laurie31]

Seriously, I think you should give them away. That wasn't one of your choices, but iit's what I would honestly do. If you can't find a shelter or rescue for them, put an ad in the paper. I would not have them around my kids anymore. Animal bites can be nasty!

Laurie

 

[SeaSpray]

Feed them and water them until they die, but in the meantime, tell your kids not to handle them anymore.

2 1/2 years old is old-age for a hamster, it might not be feeling well, and that could be the reason it bit. I wouldn't have the heart to get rid of the hamsters.

 

[LoraJ]

I agree with SeaSpray. That's pretty old for a Hamster. It's probably not feeling well. You won't be able to give it away and setting it free in the woods where it will probably be eaten by a cat is just cruel.

 

[minkydog]

Take over the feeding/cleaning duties and do not allow the kids to handle the hamsters anymore. Clearly nobody is enjoying it. Don't turn them loose in the wild. They're domesticated animals with no ability to survive outside. Use this situation as a way of teaching your kids "how we deal with a difficult situation." Just as we don't turn our elders out just because they have alzheimers, we don't turn our pets out just because they are difficult. We do, however, protect ourselves from harm. If this were a rabid dog I would, of course, have him put down.

 

[helenabear]

I couldn't vote... I would give them a new home. Hamsters do bite... they always have and always will. Fact of life with those critters.

I personally will not allow them to live in my house (had too many as a kid) so I understand how you feel, but to me the only humane thing to do is give them away... I do suppose that your best option you listed is to feed them and let them pass on their own.

 

[zakatak]

Just to clarify here, I can't give them away as the kids love them. Henry (the 2.5 year old) is a rescue himself from someone who didn't want him anymore. Midget Man is my son's hamster and he loves him too. The poll was a kind of a joke to vent my frustrations! I would never let them go in the wild or feed them to the snake, lol. That's just wishful thinking .

Honestly, I couldn't give them away knowing they are biting. Both are pretty old as I guess dwarfs don't live that long either. We'll just wait it out and hope we don't end up in the Guiness Book of World Records for the longest living hamster monsters!

Now, knowing that I would NEVER do anything like that... how would you really "like" to vote!!!!???!!!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'd either give them to a shelter, back to a pet store (we actually gave a bunch of hamsters to the pet store - I was so happy they took them), or let them loose - they're always trying to escape anyway.

But, since you are more caring .... limit your kids' touching time - I was bit pretty deeply by a hamster and that wound hurt for a good two months. (stupid hamster) -- Didn't get rid of it, though - just didn't go near it anymore.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

None of the above. Get them to your local Humane Society shelter.

Honestly, I never "got" hamsters. I've never met one that was not a nasty little thing...

 

[jimmalru80]

Let them free. I don't believe in hamsters.

 

[sweet angel]

I had several hamsters. They nipped, but none ever bit like you described. I could picture myself flinging it if that had happened. I never found them to be a lot of work -- or no more than any other pet that I've had.

I would definitely just let them live out their days and hope they won't be record holders.

Could be that the kids did something to startle them, too, and that made them bite. Not an excuse, but could be a reason.

 

[Sparx]

I hate the little rats, (bad experiences, and they are loud, noisy and messy. I never want one) But you also took on a comitment when you took them in. You need to feed and water them until they die.

 

[eclectics]

As others have said, they are getting old and crotchety. I feel like biting too sometimes ! Tell the kids to try not handling them as much. They could have a touch of arthritis or something in their joints and holding and petting is painful for them.

 

[pfishgirl]

are either one of them female and pregnant? that could be a reason for the biting and being nasty.. or can they be sick??

I'd have your childrens bites inspected by a DR as well..especially if it bleed for 30 minutes with pressure.. maybe it needed a stitch..

Give them away and tell the children they ran away..