Sometimes hamsters can exhibit worrying or aggressive behaviors, seemingly without cause. Acting this way is often not an indication of your hamster’s personality – there is usually a very good reason that the animal is acting this way. But why do we have to know about hamster behavior problems?
For example, some owners don’t understand that captive hamsters will need to be tamed in order to enjoy being handled by their owners, and that without the taming process hamsters can be quite scared of interacting with humans.
Even if your hamster has been tamed, some problem behaviors can still arise due to illness or fear. Whatever the problem, it’s likely that some knowledge of hamster psychology will help you to understand what’s making your hamster act this way.
Biting
If your hamster bites you when you hold it, then there are several potential causes. The list below includes some suggestions.
Your hamster has not been tamed
If you’ve only just got your hamster, or have had your hamster for a long time without taming it, then it’s likely that your hamster is biting you because it is a little frightened of you. In the wild, predators would grab hamsters, which is what your hamster may think is definitely happening when you put your hand into its cage. For home elevators taming your hamster, check out How to Train Your Hamster to Be Tame.
You are not holding your hamster properly
If you grab your hamster without giving it time to acclimatize to your presence, then it can bite out of fear. Hamsters may also nibble you if you’re not physically holding them correctly, which can be very uncomfortable for your pet.
RELATED ARTICLE: Tips To Bring A Hamster Home
Your have woken your hamster
Hamsters are nocturnal, and will be very disorientated and quite upset if you wake them during the day. If they are confused and scared, then they are likely to bite you if you try to pick them up. It’s best to play with your hamster when it’s awake during the early evening and night, when it will be a lot more active and probably much more pleased to perform with you.
Your hamster is mistaking you for food
Hamsters have very poor eyesight, and are apt to try their luck when they’re unsure whether or not something is edible. If you often stick food through your hamster’s cage bars, then when you do the same with your finger, it will think that’s a tasty treat too!
If your hamster suddenly takes a dislike to being handled, then this could be indicative of a health problem. Try to examine your hamster without picking it up, or, if this is too tricky, wear protective gloves. During health exams, it’s best to only hold your hamster just one or two centimeters above the floor in case it manages to wriggle free of your grip.
Circling or ‘Twirling’
If your hamster is running around in circles, then it could be suffering from a brain injury or an ear infection. If you can’t identify the problem or are not sure which parasite is causing the scratching, then it’s better to take your pet to the vet so that they can give a proper diagnosis. If your hamster offers had an injury recently, or is quite young, then it could be a brain problem. You will want to take your pet to the vet for an accurate diagnosis, and possibly for treatment.
Fighting
If your hamsters are fighting one another, then it’s likely that you’ll need to separate them, sometimes permanently. If the hamsters are battling often, or if one hamster is preventing another from accessing food, then steps will need to be taken.
If you have two Syrian hamsters in the same cage, then you will need to purchase another cage and keep them apart. Syrian hamsters are extremely territorial, and the fighting can be fatal. If you’ve been keeping them together for a while, then be aware usually that even if they’ve been getting on fine previously, they can turn on each other very quickly, causing lots of stress, and sometimes injury.
If you have two hamsters of a species that can live together and they are fighting, then you should remove the hamster that is being aggressive and keep it in a temporary enclosure for a few days. When, on reintroducing it to its cage, they still fight, then they will need to be permanently separated.
If the fighting is only occasional, and blood is not drawn, then keep a close eye on how your hamsters behave towards one another. One tip to minimise outbreaks of combating is to have one food bowl and one water bottle per hamster.
Severe scratching
If your hamster is continually scratching itself, particularly so much so that it is drawing blood, then your hamster could have a health problem such as mites or mange. In the event that you notice this behavior in your hamster then we advise that you give it a thorough health-check to try to determine the cause.
If you have introduced a new type of bedding recently and you suspect that this may be the cause, then try switching back to the old bedding for a while and see if the behaviour persists. If your pet has just started twirling, then it’s likely an ear infection.
Not Eating And Drinking
If your hamster is not eating or drinking, then we urge you to take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. A lack of eating or drinking can be fatal extremely quickly – these symptoms are usually indicative of a serious health problem, but no matter how severe the problem, the fact that your pet is not taking on any nutrients or fluids will prove fatal rapidly. Just like us, hamsters will die if they do not drink and eat for some days.
If your hamster is not eating or drinking, are you sure that it has access to food and water? Is a cage mate preventing access? Can be your pet having trouble moving? Is your water dispenser functioning correctly? Is your hamster’s food mouldy or out-of-date? If you’re sure that the problem isn’t with the cage, then the problem is with the hamster, and the problem likely requires veterinary attention.
Your hamster is unwell If your hamster is suffering from a medical condition, such as for example mange, or a wound, then being handled by a human can be quite painful.
When Should I Take My Hamster To The Vet?
We always advise erring on the side of caution when it comes to your pet’s wellbeing. A half-hour trip to the vet and some money for a check-up is not worth more than your pet’s life. Your pet depends on you to keep it safe, happy, healthy and free of hunger and pain. If you suspect that something is wrong with your pet, then we urge you to take your pet to the vet to be safe.
Some examples of when you’ll have to take your hamster to the vet are if your hamster:
- Has a large cut
- Is injured
- Is not walking properly
- Has an unexplained lump
- Sounds as if it’s in pain
- Has something in its eye
- Is not eating
- Is not drinking
- Is not urinating
- Is not defecating
- Has a strange, hunched posture
- Has an abscess
- Has a tooth that is far shorter than the one next to it (it has broken)
- Has a swollen abdomen
- Has an unidentified parasite
- Has mange
- Is having trouble breathing
For further information on hamster care, check out Caring For Old Hamsters