Is This Normal? Hamster Biting

I got a new Russian hamster just over 2 weeks ago. I’ve been mostly letting him settle in with occasional hand feeding and only picking him up when he gets onto my hand himself. He just bites. A lot. He bites if I’m in his tank at all, trying to handle him, or even spot cleaning. I can’t tell if he’s fearful or thinks I’m food. He usually bites and holds on, pulling back a bit. But whenever I close the cage and go to walk away, he gets up on his little hammock and scratches at the glass like he wants to come out. He only bites in his cage though. I can lure him into my hand with a piece of food and once he is out of the cage, he doesn’t bite at all and seems happy and content being out. He’ll even eat while sitting in my hand. Is this normal?? He also doesn’t seem fearful of me at all. He’ll come right up to the glass when he sees me and also come up to my hands if I’m in his tank at all, no hissing or anything like that. Just biting, but only inside the tank.

 

Maybe he is territorial? What size tank is it? Or maybe your hands smell like food. Try washing hands with a sentless soap before putting hands near him?

 

Maybe he is territorial? What size tank is it? Or maybe your hands smell like food. Try washing hands with a sentless soap before putting hands near him?

It’s a 40 gallon breeder, so about 3ft by 18 inches or 2ft I think. I’ve tried washing my hands, but I usually reach into his food bag and grab a treat for him, so I’m thinking maybe that’s the problem.

 

He could think your a treat, that's why he bites and holds on, cause my guinea pigs bite their lettuce and hold on till I let go.

 

He could think your a treat, that's why he bites and holds on, cause my guinea pigs bite their lettuce and hold on till I let go.

I’m guessing he just took a little time to adjust. No more biting from him haha