The Behavior of Hamsters

The hamster is a common first pet for kids and even adults. These small, fast-moving rodents are commonly found in pet stores. They are known for a variety of behavior patterns, which exist among all species.

  1. Sleeping Habit

    • Hamsters like to sleep through most of the day, and are most active during twilight hours (dusk and dawn) and at night. This is known as a crepuscular sleeping habit.

    Cleanliness

    • Hamsters are known to be clean and odor-free animals. They constantly lick and scratch themselves, which is a grooming behavior, and even keep their cages clean by dedicating a single spot for waste, instead of spreading it around.

    Cheek Pouches

    • All hamsters have cheek pouches where they store food and even nesting material. This is used in order to transport these things, or simply to store food for later.

    Cannibalism

    • Cannibalism is known to occur among hamsters. Mothers sometimes eat young pups (especially among their first litter) either because food is scarce or because a pup has been handled by another animal.

    Chewing

    • Hamster teeth continue to grow throughout their life, so they are often seen chewing on something, including the bars of their cage. Pet hamsters should be given wooden chews to help with this.

    Exercise

    • Exercise is very important to hamsters, who run the equivalent to 2 miles every day. This makes it important for pet owners to buy their hamster a wheel.