How Does a Hamster Protect Itself?

Hamsters are prey animals in the wild and they use their fight-or-flight instinct to avoid harm or capture. Domesticated hamsters will have a similar fight-or-flight reaction when they feel threatened. They may quickly flee the scene or inflict a very aggressive bite.

  1. Fleeing

    • Hamsters are master escape artists, a quality that comes in handy when a perceived threat is near. One of the first instinctual reactions a hamster may have when scared is to run away and hide. When loose in the home, a hamster will quickly find a hiding spot: anything from a hole in the wall to a bag on the floor.

    Biting

    • Most domesticated hamsters are docile creatures. But if your pocket pet feels he has to protect himself, biting is one of his only defensive moves, according to Hamsterific. Pet hamsters are most prone to bite when awakened from a deep sleep or grabbed unexpectedly and aggressively. If a hamster is being attacked by another hamster he will also resort to biting, and hamster fights can become so brutal that they result in a fatal bite.

    Burrowing

    • Wild hamsters are hunted by both predators in the sky, such as birds of prey, and those on the ground, such as mammals in the feline family. To protect themselves from these fellow animals, hamsters often burrow under logs, leaves, dirt or any other covering that allows them to essentially disappear. Your pet hamster will burrow under the litter shavings used to line the bottom of his habitat both for fun and to protect himself.

    Squealing

    • Sometimes a scared hamster will emit a squealing or screaming sound as a means of warding off would-be attackers. Typically he will assume an aggressive pose while yelling, rearing up on his hindquarters and holding his paws up while baring his teeth.