What Does a Hamster Use Its Whiskers For?

Hamsters originated in parts of the Middle East, Asia and Europe and belong to the rodent family. Of the 26 hamster species, approximately five are available as pets. Wild and domestic hamsters are nocturnal, and most are solitary creatures. Even the smallest hamsters need a lot of space to exercise, forage, explore and hide. All hamsters̵7; vision is limited, so they rely on their sense of smell and their sensitive whiskers to navigate different aspects of their environment.

  1. What Are Whiskers?

    • Even while eating, a hamster's whiskers are active.

      Whiskers are made of keratin, have sensitive nerve endings at the roots and have various innate detection capabilities that have made them essential to many mammals, on land and in the water. Each whisker, which is composed of a blood vessel, a few nerve endings and muscles, grows out of a follicle in the hamster̵7;s skin. A capsule of blood, called the blood sinus, seals each follicle, and when a whisker is touched, it moves, pushing blood against the sinus. This tiny wave of blood increases the significance of the movement, which animates the nerves that allow a hamster to detect even the lightest touch.

    Nocturnal Activity

    • Hamsters are nocturnal and very active after dark.

      Whiskers, or vibrissae, are not only on a hamster̵7;s face but also on the sides of its body. Where whiskers are located depends on the species, and whisker placement influences individual behavioral characteristics. Whiskers help nocturnal animals move safely and feel their environment easily in the dark. At night, when your hamster is most active, it will spend much of its time digging, tunneling and burrowing, as well as eating, grooming, hoarding and relocating food, bedding and other valuable objects to safe places it finds or creates. Without whiskers, maneuvering in the dark, which in the wild is the safest time to be active, would be impossible. Whiskers also assist hamsters during the day when they burrow and tunnel in search of hidden food.

    Environment

    • A hamster's sensory whiskers help it navigate around its surroundings, forage for food and detect objects in its environment. Long whiskers are an important adaptive feature because they make hamsters particularly well-suited for underground and nocturnal activities. Hamsters rely on their whiskers to guide them, alert them and prevent them from bumping into things or falling off objects and high places. Whiskers are vital to hamsters at night and assist them during the day when they burrow and tunnel in search of hidden food.

    Self-Protection

    • Whiskers provide hamsters with their spatial sense and are the primary organs hamsters rely on to explore their environment. Messages conveyed by the whiskers allow hamsters to detect and then walk around or climb over objects or hazards blocking their paths. Wild rodents depend on their whiskers at night when they move from one location to another, trying to avoid predators. Hamsters̵7; long whiskers feel for obstacles and for danger near the face, and their side whiskers help them balance. Hamsters depend on the sensitivity of their whiskers for protection and even to save their lives in threatening situations.

    Hibernation?

    • When the temperature in their environment drops suddenly or when hamsters are dehydrated, they can go into a torpid state, which is similar to hibernation. Hamsters in torpor sleep for long periods of time. During this deep sleep, your hamster's body temperature drops, heart rate slows and breathing becomes very shallow. If you find your hamster in this state, it may appear cold, stiff and lifeless, and you might not be able to tell whether or not it is breathing. Some people see their hamster in this condition and assume it is dead. However, if you observe your hamster closely, you will notice that its whiskers twitch intermittently -- these twitching whiskers let you know your hamster is alive. Always consult your veterinarian before making any assumptions or decisions regarding your hamster's health.