The Burrowing Behaviors of Hamsters

Burrowing is a natural behavior for hamsters. Hamsters in the wild live in underground burrows. The burrows provide safety from predators and help the hamsters keep warm. Wild hamsters tend to stay in their burrows except when they are out looking for food.

  1. Burrowing

    • Hamsters in captivity engage in the same burrowing activities that they do in the wild. Pet hamsters build burrows in their cages. They commonly create separate areas in their burrows for storing food, for sleeping and for using as a toilet area.

    Burrowing Material

    • To help hamsters satisfy their burrowing instincts, put a lot of soft bedding material in their cages. The material should be deep enough for the hamster to burrow into. Recycled paper bedding products work well. Shredded paper or shredded aspen chips are also good choices. Put empty toilet paper or paper towel tubes in the cage for the hamsters to crawl into.

    Warning

    • Be careful not to let hamsters loose. Because of their natural tendency to burrow, they will find small dark places in which to hide. They can be very difficult to find once they have escaped.