Hamster behaviour and body language explained

Hamster behaviour: what is normal?

A healthy hamster sleeps most of the day, wakes in the evening, and spends the night digging, running, hoarding and grooming. Wood Green says hamsters are nocturnal, may not like being woken, and are very active foragers and burrowers. The RSPCA adds that wild hamsters can run up to five miles (8 km) a night.

• Stuffing cheek pouches. Hamsters carry food home and store it. The RSPCA says Syrians can pack a large amount into their pouches. A bulging face that empties into the nest is normal.
• Hoarding. A pile of food in the nest is normal. Check it for fresh food that has gone off.
• Digging and moving bedding. Building and rebuilding burrows is a core need, not mess.
• Wheel running at night. Hours of it. Humane World for Animals warns it can keep light sleepers awake.
• Rolling in sand. This is how hamsters clean their coats.
• Washing its face and ears. Constant self-grooming is normal. The RSPCA says most hamsters need no grooming help.
• Freezing at a new sound. As prey animals, hamsters are nervous of new sights, sounds and smells, says the RSPCA.

Hamsters see poorly, says Wood Green, and rely on smell and whiskers. That explains a lot: a hamster may not know your hand from food until it has a sniff, and it can walk straight off a table edge. Our guide on Syrian or dwarf hamsters covers how temperament differs between species.

Hamster sounds and noises: what they mean

Hamsters are mostly quiet, and the sounds they do make depend on context. The Vet Desk's vet-reviewed guide to hamster sounds notes that few of these sounds have been well studied, so read the sound together with what your hamster is doing.

Wood Green lists sneezing, wheezing and rattly breathing as possible signs of a respiratory infection, and says dusty bedding such as sawdust can contribute. Our hamster health guide explains when that needs a vet.

Hamster body language

A hamster tells you it is stressed with its posture before it bites. The Vet Desk lists these signs of discomfort: standing on the hind legs when approached, showing teeth, hissing or chattering, lunging, eyes that seem to bulge when held, and trying to run away.

Why is my hamster biting me?

Usually fear, surprise or food smells, not spite. The Vet Desk and Humane World for Animals name the main causes:

• You woke it. PetMD warns that a hamster woken from sleep may bite by accident.
• Your hand came from above. Wood Green says Syrians can feel threatened by a hand appearing over them while they rest. That is how a predator strikes.
• Your hand smells of food. Hamsters see poorly and may bite out of curiosity if your fingers smell like a snack.
• Rough or sudden handling. Humane World says hamsters bite if handled roughly and are easily startled.
• It isn't tame yet. Hamsters handled from a young age generally don't bite, says The Vet Desk.
• Pain. A tame hamster that suddenly starts biting may be hurt or unwell.

Wash and dry your hands before you reach in, bring your hand in slowly and low, never fast towards its face or from above, and only handle your hamster when it is up and about. Our full guide on how to tame a hamster takes you through it step by step.

What to do when a hamster bites

1. Don't pull or squeeze. The Vet Desk advises lowering your hand to the bedding and opening it so your hamster lets go. Jerking away risks dropping it.
2. Stay calm and quiet. Don't shout. The Vet Desk says yelling frightens a hamster more.
3. Clean the bite. Wash it well under running water with soap. The MSD Vet Manual notes that some infections can pass from hamsters to people, and advises washing hands after handling.
4. Watch it. If the bite gets red, hot, swollen or painful over the next day or two, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
5. Work out why. Think about what came just before, and change that next time.

Hamster bite care for a hamster that has been bitten

If two hamsters were kept together and one has a bite, separate them for good. The RSPCA says hamsters don't play-fight, so any fight is serious, and fought-over hamsters should not be put back together. The MSD Vet Manual says bites often turn into abscesses, which a vet drains and cleans. Wood Green says any wound that looks red or feels hot needs a vet.

Why is my hamster biting the cage bars?

Most often because the cage is too small, the bedding too shallow or there is too little to do. Wood Green says chewing the bars or trying to escape may be a sign of boredom. The Hamster Society Singapore reports more wire gnawing in hamsters kept with less bedding, and better welfare in Syrians with bedding 40 cm (16 in) deep or more.

Bar biting is not harmless: Wood Green says it can damage the teeth. To fix it, check the cage reaches 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) in our hamster cage size guide, deepen the bedding, and add the digging, foraging and hiding ideas in our hamster enrichment guide. Hamsters also gnaw because their teeth never stop growing, so give safe chews too.

Do hamsters like company?

No, most don't. The RSPCA says Syrian and Chinese hamsters should always live on their own. Some dwarf species can live in pairs or trios if they grew up together, but they don't need company to be happy, and the RSPCA warns they can still fall out later in life. Wood Green goes further and advises housing every species alone, because fights can cause fatal injuries. We'd follow Wood Green: one hamster per cage.

Hamsters can even be stressed by each other's smell. The RSPCA advises against keeping unfamiliar hamsters in cages side by side.

Odd hamster behaviours explained

• Sleeping all day and seeming lazy. Normal. They wake at dusk.
• Going very cold and still. In a cold room a hamster can drop into torpor, a deep, chilled sleep. The RSPCA says keep it somewhere warm, not hot, and contact a vet if unsure. Our page on hamster hibernation and torpor explains how to tell it from illness.
• Using the sand bath as a toilet. Common and fine. Sift the sand daily.
• Running until it seems exhausted. Normal for a hamster, as long as the wheel is big enough for a straight back.
• Repeating the same move over and over. The RSPCA lists repetitive behaviour as a sign of stress. Look at space, bedding and enrichment first.

For the rest of what your hamster needs day to day, see our hamster care guide.