Getting a Hamster? Don’t Let These 6 Things Surprise You!

When you bring a hamster into a new home, be sure to expect a lot of exploring and sniffing around. A hamster that makes a lot of noise is not happy and satisfied, but rather angry or scared, and with these sounds s/he wants to make it clear to you. You should pay attention to this. Besides, there are some other habits you should expect.

1. Sniffing around

In a new home, every hamster will explore and sniff around as much as possible. Hamsters' eyesight is not very developed, but they have very keen sense of smell instead. Naturally, their whiskers come to the fore here, which literally help them get a better picture of their surroundings. Sniffing is often accompanied by standing on their hind legs.

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2. Digging

By digging, your little rodent creates covered areas, where s/he could hide, or bring and store the food. You will see this almost every time you clean their cage. Hamsters love hiding places and this love comes from their life in the wild, where they are often an easy prey, and hiding is a way to survive.

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3. Chewing

Hamsters' teeth are constantly growing so they must constantly “shorten” their teeth somehow. When you catch them chewing like crazy, don't worry, it's completely normal behavior. Just make sure you gave them lots of things to chew, like wood or toys for example. This is also true for all the rodents, so if you owe a bunny, expect the same.

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4. Leaving Scented Trails

You may have already noticed that your pet rubs his/her sides against various objects. This is because they leave their scented trails in this way. Hamsters have olfactory glands,  but their exact spot on the body varies depending on the species. For example, Syrian hamster has olfactory gland on each side, while dwarf hamsters have these glands on the underside, about where their belly button should be.

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5. Making Different Noises

As we have previously mentioned, a hamster that is making different noises is not happy or satisfied, but rather scared or angry and s/he wants to let you know about this inconveniences by making these sounds.

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6. Lying on Their Back

Some hamsters like lying on their back when sleeping or just relaxing. Try not to touch them while they're enjoying themselves, lift them only when they get back on their feet.

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