If you’re wondering what your hamster’s trying to say, let me help you crack the code. I listened to my own hamster’s sounds, and checked with other hamster owners to see what each of these sounds mean.
Now, we all know hamsters are very quiet creatures and barely make any sounds, at all. But when they do, you might be at a loss for what they mean. Let’s look into that.
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Usual hamster noises
While hamsters don’t really make a lot of noise, the ones they do make are important to know. They’re not as immediately obvious like a cat purring, or a dog growling. But they all have a specific meaning.
Sadly some of them aren’t very well researched, and one sound can mean many things, depending on the context.
Squeaking
This is a sound you might hear fairly often from your hamster. It’s either a positive or a negative one, depending on the situation. What is clear though, is that the hamster is reacting strongly to something, and his opinion is very important and needs to be heard.
My Teddy does this (weirdly) when he sleeps. He starts squeaking in the middle of his sleep (only every few weeks or so) and I can see he’s only half awake, moving his nest’s bedding around, rearranging himself better in bed.
I think it’s funny, how he wakes up like a grumpy old man and turns on his side and mutters himself back to sleep.
I also think it’s a bit alarming, since I don’t know what the reason for that is. He’s done it when the house was quiet, when we had guests, when the light was both on and off, it never mattered.
As for exactly what it sounds like, it’s a bit like a rubber duck. A very small, angry rubber duck. It sounds a lot like someone just insulted Teddy and he’s too shocked to do anything but ”hmph’ back.
I’ve seen and heard other hamsters do this when exploring their habitat, getting new food, finding a new smell, etc. It’s a reaction, a strong one, but it’s not always a good or bad one. I think it really depends on the context of that specific moment.
Teeth clicking
My Teddy is a champion at this, and I’m not sure why. Hamsters only click their teeth when they’re annoyed by something, and/or agitated. As in, so jittery and feverish in their clicking that handling them is not an option.
Hamsters will also click their teeth at each other as a sign to keep their distance.
My Teddy is a lone hamster, and he has a big enough cage. When he was younger he used to click his teeth every now and then and take it out on the cage bars. I’m thinking his immense energy made him jittery sometimes, and he had those weird moments.
If your hamster is clicking his teeth at you, well, stay away. Give him some space, and come back later when he’s calmed down.
But if he’s clicking his teeth even if you’re not there, it’s not you he’s mad at. He’s just very jittery and again should not be handled, since he will not stay put at all.
Think of teeth clicking in hamsters, the way you’d think of tail swishing in cats. Never a good sign, and they’re impatient when they get like that.
Hissing/crying
This is something I hope no one has to hear, ever. This is never a good sound, and it will tear right through you. It’s a lot like a scream, with the mouth closed. Hamsters only make this sound when they’re very very angry or annoyed or in pain.
For example a neighbor came once, with his little girl. Said he wanted to show her the hammy, and she was very curious. I told him Teddy isn’t very friendly but we can try if I hold him for her.
Well, when Teddy was in my hands and the little girl tried to pet him, Teddy started hissing and thrashing, wanting back in his cage. You see, he’d never met the little girl, and hamsters are very very bad with stress, and people they don’t know.
If you’re chasing a young, new hammy in your room because you dropped him, this might be a sound you’ll hear. He’s not happy being chased, and he’s more than a bit shocked and upset.
You will also hear this sound from your Dwarf pairs, when they start fighting. Sometimes it might not get very loud, but it can happen.
Cooing
I’ve never heard my teddy do this, but other hamster owners have told be about hamster cooing. It’s a very soft, vibrating sort of sound. They’re not necessarily scared or angry, but it’s a sound they make when they’re content.
Not many people have heard this sound, but I;m leaving it here anyway, in case your hamster does this. Knowing your hammy isn’t the only weirdo is kind of comforting.
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Reading your hamster’s body language
Alright, if you were curious about hamster sounds, I’m guessing you’re trying to get to know your hamster better. That’s great, and body language is a large part of understanding what your hamster’s trying to say.
Standing up on his hind legs
Hamsters do this when they get curious about something, and they want to hear things out. They can also freeze in this position, sometimes even for 2 whole minutes.
It’s something hamsters do fairly often, since they would have to do this in the wild every few minutes to check for predators. You can find out more about hamsters freezing here.
This is normal behavior, and the hamster isn’t scared.
Mouth open, ears back, fur ruffled
The hamster is trying to intimidate, and is getting ready for a fight. I’ve seen this in Teddy by accident a few times. Like when I leaned over his cage to get something and he saw that as a threat, when I looked down at him he was making himself very big.
When that happens, lower yourself to eye-level with the hamster. Not just your head, your entire body. Hamsters feel threatened by creatures bigger than them, so try to make yourself very small. Talk to him softly until he calms down. Try feeding him a treat to help things along.
If you’re trying to introduce 2 hamsters and they take this stance, it’s a sign they won’t be getting along very well.
Rubbing his hips or belly on something
This is the hamster simply marking his territory. Syrian hamsters have a scent gland on each hip, while Dwarf types have one on their belly.
The hamster will use his scent gland to mark when he believes is his.
Stretching, yawning
This is like the human equivalent, and it’s both cute and terrifying. The hamster will stumble out of his nest and take a couple of steps before stretching all his limbs, and curling his tail back. That’s cute, and he’s huggable and fluffy then.
He also yawns when he stretches, which reveals a gaping maw of teeth and the entrance to his cheek pouches. It looks awful and he is neither huggable nor fluffy.
Flattening his body, very slowly
This I am not very sure, since no one I’ve talked to or asked ever agreed on this. The hamster will mind his own business, as always, nothing exciting or extra boring happening. Then he will slowly, in slow motion, start to lay down completely flat and seem to fall asleep, wherever he is.
Teddy’s done this in the corner of the cage – not curled up, but lying there like a bearskin rug. He’s also done it in his tunnel, he’s done it in the middle of the cage.
And I have no answer for why he did this. He’s conscious and aware I’m there. He opens his eyes and looks at me if I tap the cage. But he goes back to sleep ( is it sleep ?) after a few seconds.
A word from Teddy
I hope you found what you were looking for in this article. I know us hamsters don’t make too many sounds, but the ones we do make are pretty important. It’s just that sometimes we’re secretive with what they mean.
If you want to know more about us hamsters you should check out the related articles below. You’ll learn how to keep us safe and happy, and what we need for a good life.
Related blog post
Should You Take Your Hamster Wheel Out at Night?If you own a hamster, you may already know that these animals love playing by themselves and are pretty active even when they are left alone. This is due in large part to the hamster wheel, which allows the hamster to move and play all on its own whenever it wants to. But it can be pretty annoying whenever the hamster is playing with its hamster wheel at night because of all the noise it makes. So, should you take your hamster wheel out at night?
Hamster wheels should not be taken out during the night because hamsters are nocturnal animals that prefer to be active whenever it’s nighttime. They can even run up to five miles every single night. Taking the hamster wheel out at night will be sort of cruel because of how you are taking away its source of fun.
Because it is never really advisable for you to take your hamster’s wheel away during the night because you are taking away its only source of fun and activity whenever it is most active, there should be alternatives on your part if you feel like hamster wheels are too noisy at night. That’s what this article is here for.
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ToggleWhat happens if you take your hamster’s wheel out at night?How long can a hamster go without a wheel?How to keep your hamster quiet at night1. Change the hamster’s cage to a location far away from your bed2. Soundproof the hamster’s cage3. Lubricate the wheel4. Give your hamster a larger and enclosed place to live in5. Buy a new and quieter hamster wheelBest silent spinner hamster wheel1. Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel – Best Overall2. Kaytee Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel – Best for the Price
What happens if you take your hamster’s wheel out at night?
For those who didn’t know, hamsters are actually nocturnal animals. That means that they are mostly active during the night and are usually asleep whenever it’s the day. Being active at night also means that a lot of the physical things a hamster does to have fun is done when the sun is out. This includes using its hamster wheel.
Hamster wheels are invaluable for hamsters because it is their only source of fun and activity whenever they are kept in their habitats. They mostly run on their hamster wheel at night and may even reach up to five miles at night. At one point, a hamster was able to complete 26 miles on the hamster wheel in five days while most people can’t even go five miles of running in five days. Just goes to show how important the hamster wheel is for your hamster.
So, if you were to take away the hamster’s wheel at night just because you think it was making so much noise, you are basically taking away its only source of fun and activity. This can be borderline cruel on your part because you are basically going to leave your hamster without anything to do whenever it is at its most active. On top of that, your hamster may actually end up with health concerns precisely because of its inactivity.
As such, it is not advisable for you to remove the hamster’s wheel at night because it is the only way for it to stay active and happy while also giving it a way to lose those extra calories. Instead, what you need to do on your part is to find alternatives that you can do so that you can sleep better at night if you find the hamster wheel noisy.
How long can a hamster go without a wheel?
While it is not advisable for you to take away your hamster wheel at night, there are some instances where the hamster won’t be able to use its wheel. This can happen if it outgrew its old wheel or if the wheel is broken. In such cases, it might take a while for you to replace its old wheel especially if you ordered it online or if there are no nearby stores selling hamster wheels.
So, theoretically speaking, how long can a hamster go without a wheel? Well, for starters, hamsters can live and survive without a wheel but they might get bored. If it’s only a few days, your hamster will be perfectly fine without a wheel especially if you are going to eventually replace its old wheel.
However, if you keep it without a wheel for weeks, then that would be concerning because of how the hamster might end up gaining a lot of weight or even develop bad habits due to how it was inactive for quite some time.
That’s why you shouldn’t ever allow your hamster to go without a wheel for a long time. But a few days without a wheel will be fine especially if you are just waiting for the new wheel to arrive.
How to keep your hamster quiet at night
So, if you feel like your hamster is a bit too noisy during the night while it is playing with its hamster wheel, there are some alternatives that you can take. There will be some people who would suggest that you try to make your hamster diurnal and change its habits so that it would sleep at night but that would be tampering with its natural habit. Instead, try respecting your hamster’s nocturnal nature and use these alternatives instead:
1. Change the hamster’s cage to a location far away from your bed
If you are keeping your hamster’s cage in your bedroom, try to change its location and place it in a room where you won’t be able to hear what your hamster is doing at night. For those who are living in small studio apartments, try keeping the hamster’s cage in a corner that’s far away from your bed. That way, you could sleep better at night without getting bothered by what the hamster is doing with its hamster wheel.
2. Soundproof the hamster’s cage
If you can’t relocate the hamster’s cage to a room or a location that’s far away from where you are sleeping due to certain reasons, then a good alternative that you can do is to soundproof the hamster’s cage by insulating it. Insulating the cage by covering some of the open spaces will allow the sound to get trapped inside the cage so that all the noise that the hamster is doing while using its wheel won’t end up bothering you. A thick blanket would be enough to insulate the hamster’s cage but make sure that you only do so during the night when you are about to sleep and the hamster is wide awake and active.
3. Lubricate the wheel
Because the hamster wheel is a spinning object with many different moving parts, the squeaking noises it is making may be due in large part to how some of the parts aren’t moving so wheel. As such, one way for you to make the hamster wheel a bit quieter is by lubricating it so that it will run smoother than before.
4. Give your hamster a larger and enclosed place to live in
Most hamster cages are designed to be quite open, and that is why it is easy for the sound of the hamster wheel to escape. But if you want to keep the noise inside the hamster’s habitat, you may want to replace its old home with a newer and enclosed housing unit that only has a few openings to let air in. A good aquarium might be nice. That way, the noise gets trapped inside the hamster’s home and the noise that the wheel makes is minimized and kept inside the habitat.
5. Buy a new and quieter hamster wheel
Believe it or not, there are some instances where the hamster wheel you chose was the reason why your pocket friend is making so much noise at night. In such a case, the best thing you can do is to buy a new and quieter hamster wheel that won’t make a ton of noise even when your hamster running five miles a night on it.
Best silent spinner hamster wheel
If you are in the market for a silent spinner hamster wheel, here are our choices.
1. Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel – Best Overall
The Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel is one of the best silent hamster wheels you can get on the market and is actually our top choice for the best overall silent hamster wheel that money can buy. The reason is that it comes with a closed design that keeps the sound inside the wheel. Meanwhile, the build quality of this product is so amazing that it will surely last for a very long time. You can check out the Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel on Amazon here.
2. Kaytee Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel – Best for the Price
Our favorite budget choice when it comes to silent hamster wheels is the Kaytee Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel, which promises to be a lot cheaper than most of the other hamster wheels the market has to offer without compromising on how silent it is. It was specifically designed to be very silent because there aren’t a lot of moving parts that would make so much noise. So, if you want to get your hands on this product, here is its page on Amazon. [...]
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How Often Should You Change Hamster Bedding?When you are keeping hamsters as pets, you need to make sure that it is as comfortable as possible in its cage or habitat because that is where the little fella will be spending most of its life in. That’s why you have to add bedding to its cage to make the entire setup as close to natural as possible. However, a hamster’s bedding can also get dirty. So, how long should you change the hamster bedding?
You shouldn’t be setting a number of days when it comes to changing your hamster’s bedding. If it is dirty, then you need to change it. But if it is still clean, then there is no need to change it. That means that there is no exact timeframe when it comes to when you should be changing your hamster’s bedding.
Even though hamsters aren’t too heavy on the maintenance side of things, that doesn’t mean that you should neglect their living conditions. Always remember that hamster bedding can get dirty. When that happens, there is a chance that your hamster will end up suffering from diseases and illnesses. And that is why there is always a need for you to make sure your hamster’s bedding is regularly changed whenever it gets dirty.
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ToggleHow often should you change the bedding in a hamster cage?What happens if you don’t change hamster bedding?Where to put a hamster when cleaning bedding?How to clean hamster bedding
How often should you change the bedding in a hamster cage?
Like any other animal, a hamster needs to live in an environment that is clean and sanitary enough for it. If the hamster lives in a habitat that may be too dirty or unsanitary for it, there is a chance that it will end up suffering from illnesses and other health conditions caused by bacteria that may have built up due to the lack of cleanliness.
So, in the case of your hamster, there should always be a need for you to clean its habitat on a regular basis or as long as you notice that your hamster’s cage or aquarium has become too dirty for it. While cleaning a hamster cage involves replacing its food, removing any dirt and feces, and making sure its water is fresh and clean, and replacing its bedding of course.
Bedding in a hamster’s cage is an important part of what allows it to feel comfortable and as close to its natural habitat as possible. It also makes it easier for you to clean the cage because the bedding will be the one that will absorb the hamster’s pee. Even if the hamster is generally a low-maintenance pet, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t leave its cage and habitat dirty by refusing to replace its old bedding.
So, in relation to that, how often should you change the bedding in a hamster cage especially when you consider the fact that it will also get dirty eventually due to dirt and bacteria buildup from the hamster’s feces and pee?
There is no clear answer to how often a hamster’s bedding needs to be changed because of how you would need to change it depending on how dirty it is. Yes, that’s right. Time is not the determining factor as to whether or not you should change your hamster’s bedding because the most important factor to look at is how clean or dirty the bedding is.
So, even if it has only been a few days since you last changed the hamster’s bedding, you may need to change it now if it has gotten a bit too dirty or if there really is a need for you to change it. In the same way, it could be two weeks since you last changed your hamster’s bedding but it might not need to be changed if it is still clean enough for your hamster.
In that sense, setting the number of days for changing your hamster’s bedding isn’t really a good idea because of how the bedding can easily get dirty in a matter of a few days. Again, the major determining factor that should prompt you to decide whether or not your hamster bedding needs to be changed is its overall cleanliness.
Also, it is worthy to note that you also need to change the hamster’s bedding if it had just recovered from an illness. The reason for such is that the bedding may still have the leftover bacteria or virus that can easily cause your hamster to get sick all over again. So, the moment your hamster recovers from an illness, change the bedding immediately.
What happens if you don’t change hamster bedding?
So, let’s say that you refuse to change the hamster’s bedding regularly because you want to save money and you don’t want to end up changing its bedding as often as possible, what happens to your hamster?
Well, you are opening your hamster up to possible illnesses and diseases that can potentially cost you more money in the long run. A hamster’s bedding is the first in line to get dirty in your hamster’s habitat because that is where the little fella will be peeing and defecating. In that sense, it will be absorbing all of the pee and feces from your hamster. Moreover, there is also a possibility that the moisture coming from your hamster’s water will end up allowing mold and mildew to build up.
When all of that happens, dirt, bacteria, and other harmful micro-organisms will begin to build up in the hamster’s bedding. Such dirt and bacteria will be the main reasons for your hamster’s health problems in the long run if you don’t want to replace the hamster’s bedding whenever they get too dirty. In your case, you wouldn’t sleep in a room filled with dirt, pee, and feces, wouldn’t you? It’s basically the same case for your hamster.
Where to put a hamster when cleaning bedding?
Whenever you are cleaning your hamster’s cage and replacing its bedding, you would have to relocate your hamster somewhere. So, where should you put your hamster when you are cleaning its bedding?
So, one of the options for you is to use a pet carrier that is complete with materials that will keep the hamster busy while you are cleaning its bedding. You can place food in the pet carrier and make sure that it is well covered so that your hamster will feel a sense of security without seeing what you are doing with its habitat.
Another option that you can use is to allow it to roam around an enclosed and safe room by making use of a hamster ball. The hamster ball will allow the hamster to run around in a safe manner while making it feel free as it roams around the room all while you are replacing the bedding in its cage. You can just simply get the little fella after you are done cleaning its cage.
How to clean hamster bedding
If you don’t know how to clean your hamster bedding, here is what you need to do:
Scoop out any soiled and dirty bedding or substrate every single day. That means that the part of the bedding that has pee and feces should be removed and replaced as often as possible by scooping it out using a small shovel. This should be done as often as possible because your hamster will regularly pee and defecate.
Pick out any leftover food that may have found itself on the bedding. Because hamster food is solid, there is no need for you to replace the bedding where you found the leftover food.
Scoop out the bedding that has gotten soiled near the hamster’s water source. Again, no need to change the entire bedding if only a part of the bedding was soiled. This ensures that no mold or mildew will build up in the moist area of the bedding.
If the entire bedding has become dirty or if a large area has become too dirty, that is the time that you should think about replacing the hamster’s entire bedding. Remove the hamster from the cage and relocate it to another place (see the above section). After that, scoop out all of the old bedding and place them in a plastic bag to make it easier for you to throw them out.
After you have scooped out the old bedding, remove all of the other fixtures as well.
Use a disinfectant to clean the bottom of the cage or the habitat to remove any bacteria that may have clung to those spots. Spot-clean the entire cage or habitat as well by using a damp cloth. Make sure to wipe the walls of the hamster’s habitat.
Dry the cage up using a dry cloth or by airing it out.
When the cage is already dry, add new bedding into it and return the fixtures to the hamster’s habitat.
You can now return the hamster back to its home. As much as possible, don’t spend a lot of time cleaning the habitat, or else the hamster would end up getting stressed due to how it needed to adjust to an entirely new environment. [...]
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Hamsters Living With Rabbits ? Shedding Some Light On ThisA hamster and a rabbit living together might sound odd, but it’s a question we stumble upon often. Can hamsters live with rabbits ? Would they get along ?
Sounds like a reasonable, if a bit misguided, question from an owner who would like to introduce his two pets.
While rabbits are fairly even tempered and seem kind of relaxed, hamsters are another story. Let’s see if they would get along, though. For a more detailed comparison between hamsters or rabbits, you should read this article here.
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ToggleSo should hamsters be living with rabbits ?A little about the hamster’s personalityAbout the rabbit’s personalitySize and cage differences between the twoFood and diet difference between a hamster and a rabbitA word from Teddy
So should hamsters be living with rabbits ?
No, hamsters and rabbits should not and can not live together. There are a few reasons for this.
First, the hamster is very territorial, will fight anything that tries to trespass, and is very jumpy and easy to frighten.
Second, a rabbit is a very social animal, who will want to cuddle and also establish a hierarchy of sorts. Bunnies have a lot of personality, and they also have the advantage of being ridiculously larger than hamsters.
In short, a hamster-rabbit combo can’t go well, at all. The bunny will demand cuddles, grooming, run around, and generally own the place.
This leaves the hamster in a subordinate position, which he does not take well to, and will bite, hide, and be stressed out of his mind.
In some extreme cases the hamster may end up dead, since a kick or bite from the a bunny can be fatal for it. And given how tiny a hammy is, an accident isn’t that unheard of.
But let’s get into the personalities of each animal, and see why they are they way they are.
A little about the hamster’s personality
A hamster is a very territorial, solitary animal. Even the hamster breeds that can live together in pairs – more on that here – can end up fighting to the death.
This is the reason I’d recommend keeping all hamsters separate, not just the Syrians or Chinese.
Hamsters like having their own space, their own food, and keeping away from other animals. A hamster will mark things as his own with his scent glands.
He will try to be the dominant one in any setting, and hamsters housed together can end up bullying one another.
You might argue that your two Dwarf hammies get along just great. They might, but because they were introduced as babies, and grew up together.
They grew up of the same size, species, and scent profile. They have the same type of reactions, and will know how to read one another properly.
A hamster will be jumpy and scared most of his youth, while he learns the new sights, smells, and sounds in your home. He’ll even get scared of you walking past his cage when he’s in his first few weeks. A scared hamster is unpredictable, and is very likely to nip.
There’s a lot more to hamsters than just what I said here. You should check out this article, on what it’s like to own a hamster and why they can be good pets (also a few cons of owning a hammy).
And this article here, to understand the difference between the two main types of hamsters, and thus the general disposition of hamsters.
About the rabbit’s personality
A rabbit is very different from a hamster. I’m not even going to cover the size difference, since that’s one major but obvious reason to never house them with a hamster.
A quick word for those who assume rabbits are rodents – like I did until I got my own hamster and learned the differences:
Rabbis are not related to hamsters, they are not rodents. Yes they bite and chew and burrow, but rabbits are lagomorphs. They share a very distant ancestor with the hamster – about as distant as the dinosaur extinction – but that’s about it.
That being said, rabbits are very social animals, and in the wild they live in colonies. They love being groomed, and they actually have a hierarchy.
If you’ve ever been to the pet store and seen 78 rabbits piled on top of each other, maybe you thought it was cute (like I did).
But it’s their way of establishing dominance. The top rabbit is the one getting all the attention, food, grooming and so on. This doesn’t sit well with other species, like the hamster.
Rabbits will actually come up to each other and ask for (or demand) attention, cuddling, and general social chit chat.
They will mark their territory with large pellets (aside from their regular droppings), or spraying pee, or rubbing their chins (scent glands) on things they’ll consider their own.
Rabbits aren’t aggressive by nature, but they won’t think twice about kicking or biting back if they feel threatened. They do give out warnings though, but unless you’re a rabbit, or a human with a keen eye, you won’t know what’s coming.
Actually if you’ve got a rabbit, or are thinking of getting one, I really think you should check out this site. It’s got a clear explanation of most bunny behaviors, and you’ll get a good glimpse into what having a bunny is like. As far as I’ve read it’s a bit like having a cat, except the meowing and shedding.
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Size and cage differences between the two
There’s a few differences when it comes to habitats, between hammies are rabbits. A hamster can live in a cage that’s 24 x 12 inches, and about 12 inches tall. That’s 61 x 30.5 cm, and about 30.5 cm tall.
That’s the minimum for a Syrian hamster, and they prefer larger cages anyway.
A rabbit will need much more than that. It needs both a living space, and an exercise space. The minimum for the living space would be 90 x 60 cm, and 90 cm high/ 35.4 x 23.6 inches, and 35.4 inches high.
The exercise space should be a minimum of 2.43 x 1.21 m/ 8 x 4 feet, with height allowance. Rabbits can sometimes jump very high, and like to jump on top of things.
Finally, for rabbits the living and exercise areas should be linked together, for easy access. If you want to know more about picking out a good rabbit habitat, you need to check out this site. It’s also where I did part of my research for this article, and they’re pretty good with rabbits.
Alright, you might say that hamsters love a big cage anyway, and would do well in a habitat as large as the rabbit needs. Fair point, but let’s consider how these two animals keep their space.
A hamster will sleep the day away, much like the rabbit, and will make regular rounds of his space. A rabbit will do the same, and they are both very territorial.
No matter how large their territory is, these two can’t live together. They’re both too attached to ‘their’ things to share them with anyone else.
Well, rabbits do share their ‘home’ but only with those they consider to be family (never a hamster). And they do see some areas as theirs, some as public areas, and some as ”do not enter”.
They’ll try to enter those anyway when you’re not looking, entitled little fluffballs these guys.
Hamsters on the other hand only know ”their” space. All of it. So finding bunny scent on the outside of their hideout will be a source of stress and lots of fighting.
Food and diet difference between a hamster and a rabbit
Alright, now that we’ve settled territory and living spaces and personalities, let’s talk about their food. Since they’re not even related, their foods will be very, very different.
As with any other combination between hamsters and another animal, keeping their food separate won’t be feasible. One will poke into the other’s food bowl, and that’s not a good idea.
Not only because of tensions coming up between the two. But also because the rabbit won’t find anything worthwhile in the hamster’s food, and the hamster will steal the good bits from the rabbit’s food.
A hamster will have an omnivore diet. That means they can eat any type of food, with some exceptions – more on that here. However they will need grains and hard dry food to keep their teeth in check.
A rabbit on the other hand will need a different diet. First off, hay, lot and lots of hay since they much on it pretty much all day. This can be a problem, since the hamster will try to use this as his nesting material.
Another thing rabbits need is fresh veggies and some fruits, which again can be attractive for the hamster. Finally, pellets are considered to be the best kind of feed for rabbits.
This way they won’t be able to pick and choose their favorites. A pellet is like a large kibble, with all the nutrients the rabbit needs, and all pellets in the bag are the same.
A word from Teddy
I hope you found out what you were looking for here. Us hammies don’t really like to share anything, and a big bunny can be very intimidating for us. Best to keep us separate.
If you want to know more about us hamsters, then your should check out the related articles below. You’ll find info on how to keep us happy and safe. [...]
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What Is A Teddy Bear Hamster? A Few Interesting FactsWriting an article about what is a teddy bear hamster brings me a lot of joy since my first hamster, and the inspiration for this site, was named Teddy.
But was Teddy a teddy bear hamster, though?
As with all the good answers in the world, the answer is “it depends”. My hamster was a short hair Syrian hamster, and this is quite important when it comes to what people call a teddy bear hamster.
In this article, I will talk about what is a teddy bear hamster but also what you should know before deciding to get one as a pet.
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat is a teddy bear hamster?How to care for a teddy bear hamster?Common diseases for teddy bear hamsters?Things to know before getting a teddy bear hamster as a petConclusion
What is a teddy bear hamster?
Teddy bear hamster is not a type of hamster, it is more of a nickname that people use for Syrian hamsters since they look like a small teddy bears.
There is an entire debate about whether a teddy bear hamster is just a long-haired Syrian hamster and is called this for its long fur, or any Syrian hamster since they all look like a teddy bear.
But in reality it doesn’t matter that much, we talk here about a nickname so you can call your hamster a teddy bear hamster if it is a Syrian hamster.
When you are looking for images with teddy bear hamsters, you will see that there are a lot of short-haired Syrian hamsters, this happens because long-haired Syrian hamsters are rarer than short-haired ones.
So if you look at your Syrian hamster and you think of a small teddy bear with big ears, small dark eyes, and a small cute nose, you can officially call your hamster a teddy bear hamster. I say officially with an ironic tone because how official can a nickname be?
How to care for a teddy bear hamster?
I will shortly get onto the most important things you need to know in order to properly care for your hamster, however if you are looking for a more in-depth guide, check my article on how to care for a hamster.
Here are a few things you need to know.
1. Make sure your hamster has a water bottle full of fresh water. A hamster needs about 10ml of water per day but it can vary from one hamster to another, especially because of their different sizes.
2. Feed your hamster properly, a teddy bear hamster will need about two teaspoons full of pre-made hamster food mix every day. They usually hide their food, so make sure you don’t feed them too much since they can get fat pretty easily, which will come with some health issues.
They eat mostly seeds and grains, but can eat the occasional insect. In some cases a very small amount of boiled, unseasoned meat or boiled unsalted egg white is fine. But you should do your research before feeding a hamster anything that is not in the pre-made food since there are a lot of exceptions and things to know. I have an entire article about what a hamster can eat.
3. Buy a large enough cage. This is one of the most common problems new hamster owners have, I did it as well when I first had Teddy but I quickly bought a bigger cage when I found out.
We see a small hamster and think that they have enough space in a small cage, but they need a lot of space for bedding, wheel, hideout, and more.
It might seem expensive at first but I guarantee that if you buy a small cage, you will end up worse since you will most probably go back to the pet shop and buy a bigger cage when you see your teddy bear hamster struggling in the small wheel that fitted the cage and being very stressed.
4. Clean your hamster cage when needed. Hamsters are quite easy to take care of and their cages don’t smell as bad as other’s small animals. But you still have to clean its cage when needed, here is a guide on how and when you should clean a hamster cage.
5. If your teddy bear hamster’s personality allows you to play with it, you should do it a few times per week to create a bond between you and the hamster. Luckily the teddy bear hamsters are the most playful ones, and easier to tame the smaller dwarf hamsters.
6. Make sure your hamster is exercising and chewing as much as he needs. You can buy hamster toys like ladders, bridges, tunnels, chewing toys and so on to make sure your hamster has enough activity and things to chew on and also a big enough hamster wheel that will keep it quite active.
Those are a few essential steps to take care of your teddy bear hamster but as I said, read my entire guide on caring for a hamster that I linked above to know more.
Common diseases for teddy bear hamsters?
Regarding what diseases a teddy bear hamster can have, “the wet tail” is the most common problem for this type of hamster.
Here is a guide to how to know when your hamster has wet tail and what you can do.
The wet tail disease in hamsters is like diarrhea for humans, but for us is not as bad as it is for them.
If you spot wet poop in your hamster cage, you should call a small pet vet as soon as possible and follow the steps in the article I linked above.
When it comes to diabetes, Syrian hamsters(teddy bear hamsters) are not as predisposed to it as the smaller hamsters so you don’t have to worry to much about it. That doesn’t mean that you should feed your hamster too many sweet fruits or anything like this since they can still develop diabetes, just not as easily as the dwarf hamsters.
A hamster can have other kinds of diseases, from fungal infection to mites and more, but those are not as common as the wet tail.
Things to know before getting a teddy bear hamster as a pet
Here are a few essential things to know before buying a pet teddy bear hamster.
1. Teddy bear hamsters’ life span is usually 2-3 years, so you should be prepared to take care of it for a few years at least. They don’t require much maintenance and attention, but you can’t completely ignore them. My two Syrian hamsters each lived for nearly 2 years.
2. The real cost of owning a pet teddy bear hamster. When you think of buying a hamster it’s important to know that the hamster itself is the least expensive thing you will spend money on.
The cage, wheel and bedding are usually way more expensive than the hamster itself, make sure you check how much those cost before considering buying a hamster.
There might be a lot of people in your area that donate hamsters so you might want to check this out first. Most of them will donate the cage and the toys for the hamster as well.
3. They have different personalities, if you see someone on Youtube playing with a teddy bear hamster like playing with a puppy, you should not expect your hamster to be as friendly.
Hamsters have different personalities and a lot of them are not actually playful and easy to tame. Teddy bear hamsters are easier to tame compared to dwarf hamsters, but even so, you have to think about the fact that they are solitary animals and not social animals, so you might not seem like a friend to them but rather more of a treat.
4. They are not great pets for kids. A teddy bear hamster might be easier to tame than other hamsters, but it will not be as easy as you expect.
But let’s say you are lucky and you get the calmest teddy bear hamster. You still have to be very gentle with it, they weigh about 120 grams, so they are easy to hurt if you are not careful.
You can’t expect a small kid to handle a hamster carefully. Most of the time, adults can’t do it properly, and we are aware that squishing those little furballs will hurt them a lot.
When you play with a small hamster, if you don’t pay attention for a few seconds, they might get into the smallest places in your house since they tend to hide and will not come out easily. Also, they might hurt themselves since they don’t know the terrain.
So this is a very important thing to consider when you plan to get a pet hamster. It might be easy to take care of them, but when it comes to playing with them, it is a wild ride with real chances of them getting hurt if you don’t know what you are doing.
Conclusion
So, the teddy bear hamster is a nickname for Syrian hamsters which are the best pet hamsters you can find.
I hope this article helped you and now you know what to expect from a pet hamster and you will think twice before getting one.
I don’t want to discourage you if you don’t have a hamster and are thinking of getting one, but you should know that there will be some responsibilities and a lot of things to know about those little fluffy teddy bears. [...]
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Do Hamsters Hibernate ? What To Know To Save His LifeSometimes your hamster may be hibernating. This can happen to hamsters, but how healthy is it for them ? Do they do this regularly ? How do you wake up a hibernating hamster ?
This is what I went around and asked and researched, since I have an adult Syrian hamster. He’s been safe so far, never needed to hibernate. But I wanted to know what to do to save him, if I ever needed to. So, now you get the info too.
Table of Contents
ToggleSo do hamsters hibernate ?Why hamsters would hibernate in the first placeWhat is hibernationHamsters hibernating in the wild vs in captivityHow long do hamsters hibernate ?Dangers of hibernation for hamstersIs hibernation deadly for hamsters ?Hypothermia can be confused with hibernationHow to tell your hamster is hibernatingCheck your hamster for breathingTry to hear your hamster’s heartbeatStroke his ears or whiskers for twitchesTry moving the hamster’s pawsHow to wake up a hibernating hamsterPick up the hamster and massage himSlowly raise the temperature around the hamsterDo not use direct heat on the hamster to wake him upContact your veterinarianHow to care for a hamster that woke up from hibernationHow to prevent hibernation or hypothermia in hamstersA word from Teddy
So do hamsters hibernate ?
Yes, hamsters do hibernate when the temperature drops. This means that the ambient temperature must be below 65 Fahrenheit/18 Celsius, for a minimum of 24 hours, for hibernation to set in.
Both Syrian and Dwarf type hamsters are capable of hibernation. This happens much less with pet hamsters, because they have a stable habitat, as opposed to wild hamsters.
Pet hamsters, kept in warm homes never need to face the cold, so they will not hibernate naturally. But they will if you expose them to very cold temperatures.
Why hamsters would hibernate in the first place
For this, we’ll talk about what hibernation is, as well as the benefits of hibernating, and how how long it lasts, and so on.
Hamsters hibernate to survive the cold. They have fur, yes, but even the Siberian hamsters are not meant to stay awake at minus 20 Celsius/ minus 4 Fahrenheit. Their metabolism and heart rate slows down. The use much much less energy.
They can sleep their way through winter, while hibernating. But it can be dangerous, since it will dehydrate and famish the hamster if the hibernation lasts too long.
What is hibernation
Hibernation is a state much like sleep, that hamsters will enter if it gets much too cold for them. So this means that once they settle down to ‘sleep’ they will wake up when it’s much warmer, and they will have food outside.
A hibernating hamster has a very slow metabolism, uses very little energy. He’s barely breathing, and may even look like he’s passed away.
Hibernation is common in many animals, and is meant as a survival mechanism. Once the cold temperatures start to set in, animals will gather food and build a warm, safe shelter to pass the winter. They curl up to sleep, and wake up in spring, or when the weather is warmer.
The shelter the animal makes must be safe, so predators won’t find them, or it won’t be flooded or covered. If this does happen, the animal can’t fight back since it’s in a deep sleep.
Hamsters hibernating in the wild vs in captivity
Captive or pet hamsters can hibernate if their habitat gets too cold, for at least 24 hours.
This happens very rarely, since their habitats are warm and have plenty of food. Pet hamsters have a fairly constant temperature they live in. It rarely or never drops below 18 Celsius/65 Fahrenheit.
And in the summer time the home itself never reaches temperatures above 26 C/79 F, since it becomes uncomfortable for the humans too.
So your pet hamster will probably never have to hibernate if you keep him warm and safe and well fed.
Wild hamsters have to hibernate each cold season. Food isn’t always available, and temperatures vary in the wild. This means the hamster’s natural instincts will come in, and it will hibernate.
It will start eating more, to put on weight. Yes, hamsters will intentionally get fat so that when the time comes for them to hibernate, they will use that fat for energy.
They will not move, wake up, drink water, or do anything at all. They will wait out the cold and hope for the best. Once the warmer temperatures come back, they will wake up and start looking for food and water.
How long do hamsters hibernate ?
A hamster will hibernate for as long as it is cold, and under 18 C/65 F. That can mean the entire winter and part of spring if it’s a wild hamster. Or, in the case of pets, the hamster will wake up once the temperature rises.
Now, in the pet’s case that depends entirely on you. It’s not recommended to leave a pet hamster hibernating for more than 24 hours since it has no food and water in its system that will keep him more than that.
A pet hamster has not had time to fully prepare for hibernation. When pet hamsters hibernate, it’s more of a shock for them and they can’t last for more than a day like that.
Dangers of hibernation for hamsters
Hamsters in hibernation are in danger of a few things, but I’ll be talking mostly about pet hamsters here. Some of the dangers are:
Mistaken for being dead – so you might end up burying a live hamster, who will stir awake after a few days or when it gets warmer, only to die of starvation later.
Dehydration – hamsters do not drink a whole lot of water before hibernating, so when they wake up they will need a lot of water, but given in small,controlled amounts.
Starvation – depending on how long the hibernation was, your hamster might be starved when he wakes up. Not just hungry, but actually starving.
Death, if the hibernation is too long or the temperature drops much too low. Like losing your hamster outside in January for example.
Coming out of it with a cold, or sick. Hamsters can’t deal with illnesses as well as humans, so they need immediate attention from your vet.
Is hibernation deadly for hamsters ?
Hibernation can be deadly for hamsters, but you need to understand why. There is a big difference between how a wild hamster and a pet hamster enter hibernation.
A wild hamster will get a sort of ‘warning’ from the weather and temperature around him that the cold is coming. So, he will have time to prepare for this. He will eat a lot, and build a safe and warm nest.
He has months, or all year, to prepare for this.
But a captive hamster has no warning that this will happen, and it’s almost always the result of an accident. For example you’ve left home for a couple of days, and left the AC on, which broke and now keeps the house much too cold.
In response the hamster will hibernate, and will only have the resources you’ve given him before you left.
Your hamster will be fine if you find him soon (up to 24 hours) after entering hibernation. If he stays for more than a couple of days it becomes more and more dangerous. He has no resources in his body to help him through the cold.
Hypothermia can be confused with hibernation
This is a very big problem, since these can be confused. Hypothermia sets in when your hamster is suddenly exposed to very cold temperatures for a long period of time.
For example, losing your hamster in the house and he finds a corner to hide in, but it’s a very cold one. Or losing your hamster outside in the middle of winter.
Even something as simple as placing his cage near a vent can shock him like this.
Hypothermia is especially dangerous since it not only comes without a warning, but your hamster is not going to survive for long since he has no resources in his body to keep him alive.
In fact, most pet hamsters who were reported to be hibernating were actually in hypothermic shock. They were exposed to very cold temperatures for more than 24 hours, and had no time to prepare. Even if they were just mild cases of hypothermia.
But I’ll be calling this hibernation for the purpose of this article, since this is what most people will call it.
How to tell your hamster is hibernating
A hibernating hamster will be cold, very cold, limp, unmoving. His paws and ears will be cold, but his cheek pouches should be a bit warmer. You might find him in his hideout, or he might be anywhere in the cage.
His food will be untouched, his water as well. Just no signs of life.
A hibernating hamster will be very noticeable, but it’s important to figure out if he’s hibernating or he’s passed away. A few signs will help you figure this out.
Check your hamster for breathing
Shallow breathing, and it might be irregular. It might even be something like 2 minutes apart. But it should be these. You need to watch your hamster very carefully. See if his belly moves up and down, or use a mirror.
Place a small mirror under his nose/mouth, and check for any fogginess. Even if it’s just a bit, it should be there. Keep it there for a few minutes to be sure.
Try to hear your hamster’s heartbeat
It will be very faint, and the beats will be few and far apart. But you should find them. You can check this with a stethoscope (if you have one just lying around the house, I don’t know).
Or you can hold him up to your ear, and keep him there for a few minutes. Again, the beats will be very faint but they will be there.
Stroke his ears or whiskers for twitches
You might have to look very carefully, but the hamster’s ears and whiskers will move slightly when you touch them.
Try moving the hamster’s paws
There might be some resistance, but his paws should be able to move. If they’re a bit stiff, that’s okay, it happens when his body gets very cold. But as long as it can move without you putting too much effort, your hamster is fine.
How to wake up a hibernating hamster
It’s important to not be sudden when waking up your hibernating hamster. This is something that should be done slowly and gently, to simulate the natural way a hamster wakes out of hibernation.
Pick up the hamster and massage him
This will help your hammy’s blood circulation, and will slowly warm him up. You have to do this for a few hours. but the massage doesn’t have to be continuous. Just keeping him in a chest pocket would be enough.
After a few hours of being warmed by your body heat, he will wake up on his own.
Slowly raise the temperature around the hamster
Like turning up the thermostat, or moving his cage to a warmer room. You can also use a warm(not hot) water bottle placed close the the hamster to warm him up.
Do not use direct heat on the hamster to wake him up
Don’t place the hamster on a heater, or anywhere very hot in an attempt to wake him up faster. As long as you raise the temperature around him he will wake up on his own.
Also, do not use a blowdryer on the hamster to wake him up. Any sudden change in temperature will only get your hamster into another kind of trouble, which will require more treatment and care than hibernation.
Contact your veterinarian
This might be the safest route, if you’re unsure of what to do. Maybe you’ve tried everything and just can’t seem ti wake your hammy up. Contact your vet, and bring your hamster in for a check up.
(If you like this article so far, you can pin it to your Pinterest board by clicking the image below. The article continues after the image.)
How to care for a hamster that woke up from hibernation
Once your hamster has woken up, you will need to do a few things.
First, your hamster will be dehydrated since he did not drink any water at all. So provide him with fresh clean water. If you have a water bottle he will use that on his own.
But if your hammy is moving very slowly still, you can use an eye dropper or syringe to give him a few drops of water every few minutes, to make sure he gets some water.
As for the food, your hammy will need something easy to digest and very filling. For example a small piece of cooked chicken, plain, will suffice. Then continue feeding him as usual. If the chicken is a bit warm that’s even better since it will help warm your hammy up.
How to prevent hibernation or hypothermia in hamsters
This can be done by following a few rules, like:
Providing your hammy with clean, warm bedding. Check out this article to find out what kind of bedding and hideout your hamster needs to stay safe and warm.
Keeping the ambient temperature in the hamster’s room above 18 C/65 F, but below 24 C/75 F.
Not moving the hamster or his cage unless you absolutely need to, like moving house. In most cases he can be left home and checked up on by a friend or neighbor. No point in bringing the hamster out into the cold.
Providing your hamster with good, safe food. You can check out this food list article to find out what foods your hammy can and can not eat. Scarce food will bring on hibernation much faster.
A word from Teddy
I hope you found what you were looking for here. I know walking into your room to find your hamster friend looking stiff with his eyes wide open can be concerning. But we can hibernate with our eyes open too you know ! We’re not ‘seeing’ but our eyes are a bit open.
If you want to know more about us hammies, you can check out the articles below. You’ll find out what kind of cage we need, and how much we can last without any food or water. [...]
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4 nejlepší porno stránky s ženami s velkým poprsímŽeny s velkými prsy vždy přitahují pozornost a způsobují, že mysl mužů je zvrácená.
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Pinup Files je prémiová placená stránka, která obsahuje spoustu sexy obrázků a videí sexy dívek s velkými prsy. Tato stránka není pro slabé povahy, protože ukazuje sexuální scény se ženami, které mají velké tatínky, kteří jsou velmi zvrácení a v některých situacích dokonce velmi násilní, latino a bělošské ženy, které se rády ukazují, že dominuje jejich partner, jejich partner.
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Tato stránka nabízí širokou škálu sexu a dokonce i několik interrasových scén s dámami, které si rády užívají obřího dilda.
Najdete zde spoustu asijských, brazilských a evropských dívek s velká prsa.
Pokud hledáte web, který má více než jeden typ výklenku, měli byste se podívat na REDTUBE.
Tato stránka je o velkých ňadrech sexy MILFek a nebudete mít problém najít staré/mladé porno filmy, které využívají služeb nabízených těmito ženami, které vědí, jak plnit své úkoly do nejmenších detailů. [...]
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