Does biting hurt?

[helen88uk]

I'v been reading the other topic on biting and I'm guessing from what you guys have said that it really does hurt and sometimes breaks the skin?
My two began nibbling me for a few days when I brought them home, I think they were just figuring out what I was I guess. It never hurt tho, not even close. They often lick my hands when im holding them, and im groomed quite a lot too. But they seem to like trying to bite the inside bits of my fingers, (the webby skin bit?). Its the only bit the try and bite now but when they do bite it doesn't hurt, its just like a tiny nip. Nothing that would make me go 'owch' or want to pull my hand away. Im guessing they could easily break that skin and make it hurt if they wanted to but it doesn't. I just don't know what they are trying to do when they do it. Are they just chewing?? Its never done aggressivly. Just wondered x

[wjohnw]

mine do this with me - this is friendly, you'll soon know when its not lol my gliders have only properly bitten me when my hands have smelled of food or been really close to food and were mistaken as food. that's when they broke skin!! but their bites aren't too bad..... really :/

[Marie]

I don't think the bites are too bad, not as bad as a hamster as they don't tend to hold on. 

[Amalthea]

Very true!  Syrian bites are nasty!!!  But, yes, it hurts.

[helen88uk]

I had my hand in the pouch with them a minute ago, yes theyr very lazy and stil snuggling lol, and they seemed really confident tonight and were climbing all over me poking theyr little heads out lots of finger licking lol, they both bit/nibbled my fingers two or 3 times but im not sure if its because I didnt react or whether it just didn't taste like they were expecting but they just stopped and started licking again. They dont seem to have any intention to hurt me lol, more just to wash and groom me

But they lick me whether i'v been handling food, or just washed my hands or anything so it's not always a particular smell they go for, not sure what it is. I'v never been mistaken as food so far ... Im thinking I have nice non-biting suggies

now i'v jinxed myself i'l probably be posting tomorrow telling you how they'v chewed off 1 of my limbs ....

[Marie]

Alot of animals like to lick the salt off us.  They are just test biting you.   

[hday]

yep trust me that is not biting with intent!
the nibble and skin scratch is either a yum you taste good, or groom or occasionally a slightly harder just testing!
the babies when they were wee had a phase of testing quite hard so I am afraid I did a hiss everytime they did, or made a noise... and I think they then realised it was an ouch and stopped.

lil however has on more than one occasion drawen blood and even managed to do full bite ie drawblood either side finger from top and bottom jaw!
trust me it hurts... and hurts way more than the hamsters I had!

but lil is an exception.... and she can be mean... so when she has bitten it has been with intent...
and is usually in spite if she is cross because I have fed the others or shown them attention.

I am hoping it settles when I have less.

and taking the bite with her I am afraid I dont always now, no point trainning her she can eat me alive!

mercifully she hasnt passed the habit onto her kids!

[Emma9383]

lil however has on more than one occasion drawen blood and even managed to do full bite ie drawblood either side finger from top and bottom jaw!
trust me it hurts... and hurts way more than the hamsters I had!

Yep, mine have done this and it really bloody hurt! last time was when I was picking them up to put in bonding pouch! good job they're not chldren who can copy bad language! I was good and didn't shout or anything though!

[Usha77]

I have a few gliders who are great nibblers or "tasters" and they never hurt me.  Sometimes they are just tasting me and I have a few who will do this when I am trying to move them or something and I'm pretty sure it's a warning to me to let them do as they wish.  I have been seriously bitten by only a few gliders, 1 was my Nynaeve who absolutely detested me and wanted to kill me when I first got her.  However, over 4 years later, she now tolerates me and only nibbles a bit on occasion, never breaking the skin.  I have been bit badly by some of my friends' gliders when trimming their nails (some of my friends are too scared to trim nails, so when I visit them, they make me do it as I'm pretty decent at it).  I'm usually able to keep their faces away from me while nail clipping, but there's been a few times I haven't been quite as good at that.

The only other serious bite I have gotten was from my Poppy when she was a rambunctious youngster.  She was on my head in tent time and was grooming me and got to the point where the grooming hurt (I swear gliders have thicker skin or a higher pain tolerance than I do!) and I tried to brush her off with my arm.  I was wearing a sweatshirt and she bit my arm through that so badly that I had puncture wounds as well as a nice size bruise surrounding that wound.

I will say that their bite is not nearly as bad as some other animals, though.  I had some Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters and although their bite didn't hurt since they were so tiny, they did hold on!    

[Nell]

Worst decision I ever made was to have suggie playtime directly after having jam on toast... Gnasher (who has always been a bit of a biter..hence his name sake...) grabbed onto my index finger and bit me very hard repeatedly and continuously for about 10 seconds, he drew a lot of blood and almost bit through my fingernail, there was no way I could get him off without hurting him though, so I just had to wait for him to realise it was me rather than food! Suggies are sap suckers so biting is part of their behaviour when they find something tasty, so make sure you have clean hands or you might have the unfortunate experience of discovering why they are sometimes known as fluffy cobras!

Mine have been more aggressive since we've had a girl in the house though, so off for the snip for 2 of them soon, once I find a decent vet around Sheffield! I feel a bit sorry for them though as they all LOVE their nads

[LetteVonLush]

The only time one of mine has really bitten me is when I was about 6 months pregnant, Skittle was crawling on me while I was making the bed and he crawled down my back and bit my side right through my night dress, it was really hard, hurt a lot and drew blood, after that I'm afraid to say I was once bitten twice shy until my son was born, I don't know if I'd moved to quickly somehow and scared him or maybe he could smell the change in my hormones but it scared me. They have never bitten me since though only nibbles to see if I'm friend or food and luckily they always choose friend AND I have to add that since that my son bites me almost everyday and hurts a lot more lol

[Doctorbenny]

I got my first bite my own fault handled food then went to stroke her head it did'nt hurt but had to ive her a push to get her off little drop of blood, thought it would be sore today but its fine i'd say a hamster is far worse

[critterkeeper]

i'd say a hamster is far worse

id rather be bitten by a rabid dog than a syrian hamster 

[Doctorbenny]

yea n its the pain the day after bruised n sore very very sore wondering if ur finger will drop off. I took another 2 bites today male went first held my hand in front of him n put treat centre of my palm he put his arms on my hand took the treat but stayed there finished his treat n then thought if i give him a nip he'll bleed treats didnt hurt tho then she did same but wouldnt let go drew a speck of blood. I know its them looking for more treats cause they have no problem letting me stroke them. Problem is dont wanna feed to many treats n i'd rather not get bitten if i can help it any idea's?

[Usha77]

Don't feed them treats on your hand?  Lol.  Mine get bitey looking for more good stuff, too - that's when I take my hand away.