How Do Hamsters Communicate?

Hamsters are lively little mammals that require frequent exercise and mental stimulation. Like humans, each hamster has its own unique personality, but they all have in common the ways in which they communicate with each other and with their owners. An observant pet owner can eventually learn the signals that indicate the hamster is happy, angry or simply in the mood for a little entertainment.

  1. Smell

    • All hamsters emit a certain odor through their scent glands by rubbing up against objects. According to Hamster-Zone.com, both males and females use this form of communication mostly to mark territory. When more than one male is involved, this behavior helps to establish which one will be dominant; when a male and female are involved, this lets the female know the male is interested in mating.

    Body Language

    • Anybody who has awakened a sleeping hamster or reached into a hamster's cage too quickly has witnessed the posture of an angry hamster. Standing high on its back legs, hands curled close to the body and teeth showing, the hamster is communicating its displeasure at being scared or disturbed. A hamster's posture can also indicate when it is feeling relaxed (when it stretches its body) and, in the case of a female, when it is interested in mating (standing perfectly still with its tail in the air).

    Squeaking

    • Hamsters communicate through ultrasonic sounds at a frequency that is undetectable by the human ear, according to HammysWorld.com. Those sounds that humans can hear include squeaking, hissing and screeching, all of which typically indicate fear, discomfort or pain. Sometimes, when extremely stressed, the squeaking can become very loud and piercing, sounding almost like the hamster is screaming or yelling.

    Warning

    • A hamster that is conveying any of the communication cues that signify fear, pain or fright is very likely to react to your touch by biting. Avoiding handling a hamster when he is exhibiting these signs will help you avoid being bitten.

    Expert Insight

    • According to the SmallAnimalChannel.com, hamsters exhibit other less-direct methods of communicating to their owners. For example, a hamster that is constantly chewing on the bars of its cage may be trying to let its owner know that it is bored and would like some toys or time spent out of its cage. Additionally, if its eyes are barely open and its ears are laid back, it is trying to let the owner know that it's tired and needs some time to wake up.