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Hamsters can make great pets. Unfortunately, they tend to become frightened easily when being handled and usually react in the only way that they know how... biting. For such a small animal, a hamster bite can really hurt; their teeth may be small, but they're sharp. Knowing how to properly handle a hamster can greatly reduce your chances of being bitten.
First of all, you should never try to pick up a frightened hamster without gloves or some other form of protection. If the hamster is scared, then it won't know that you're trying to help it; it's going to think that you're just another big, scary thing that's out to get it and it will act accordingly. Lift it gently to return it to it's cage or, if it's already in its cage, leave it alone so that it can calm down. Let it relax for a little while around things that it recognizes as "home", and try to play with it again later.
Before picking up a hamster bare-handed, be sure to wash your hands so that there are no smells like food on your fingers. After all, you don't want the hamster to confuse your little finger with a tasty treat! Pick it up gently, treating it delicately and giving it the respect that it deserves... cradle it in the palm of your hand, supporting it firmly and using your other hand to both reassure it and hold it in place. Take care to avoid sudden movements and loud sounds... hamsters can be easily spooked. Pet it reassuringly and gently, to help keep it at ease while being transported.
Should a hamster seem irritable or just hasn't been tamed yet, it might not be the best idea to place it in the palm of your bare hand. If you need to pick up the hamster but don't have gloves, it can be picked up by the scruff of its neck without harming it. Simply find the loose skin on the back of the hamster's neck and gently lift it up this way... it's best not to hold it this way for an extended period of time, and be sure that you don't squeeze it too hard. After all, you don't want to hurt it!
Probably the best way to handle hamsters, though, is while they are in a place where they feel relatively safe. Instead of taking them out of their cage or off of the ground to hold them, buy them a cage or cage accessory that allows the top of the area to be opened so that you can pet the hamster while it's still in the cage. An alternative to this is to get some stand-alone fencing that's made for small pets and put it on the floor... that way, the hamster can run around within the fencing and explore the new areas of the floor while you still have access to it. Be careful if the new environment seems to make the hamster anxious or frightened... it may mistake your affection for an attack and try to defend itself.
Be careful with hamsters, and try not to get bitten... but don't be afraid of them, and appreciate them for the wonderful pets that they can be!
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