What Causes Stress In Hamsters?
Most of the time we see rodents having fun in their small cages, however this is likely to be a sign of stress in hamsters.
He often runs around his cage quickly, from one place to another, cleans himself very often, and even starts to dive into his food.
But don’t these tasks represent something else we don’t see ?
Hamsters are extremely complex animals, however, if we understand the reason for their unpredictable actions, we can make them healthy and happy.
Hamster stress is a problem for our pet, so we must know how to identify and do everything to reduce it, so that it can live with us for a long time.
How to know if our hamster is restless?
There are certain attitudes that can show your hamster is nervous. For example, he may start to walk awkwardly, as if he were crawling around in the cage, but the important thing here is to know what is causing him so nervous.
It is common for the reasons for stress in hamsters to come from external reasons: a cat, for example.
We have to look very carefully at the potential dangers that the hamster can detect, even our interaction and constant harassment are reasons for this.
Now, if your hamster is on alert, it will tell you, puffing out its cheeks and tucking its ears forward ; when he uses these mechanisms, it’s because he wants to get away quickly.
Now, one of the hamster’s most contradictory signs is the typical pose in which it turns to show its belly while showing its little teeth. But why is this contradictory?
Well, because it makes us think it’s a position of submission and obedience, however, it’s one of the ways he can tell you he’s too aggressive.
extreme stress in hamsters
There is a disease called “ cage rabies ”, which is a psychological disorder that any animal that lives in a cage can suffer from.
It can vary in severity, from mild to very severe, causing dangerous behavior for people, other hamsters and against the animal itself.
The reason is that the animal is kept in a very small cage. Syrian hamsters, in particular, are at very high risk, as many people keep them in environments that are unsuitable for living.
Syrian hamsters can grow large and require a lot of space, so ‘cage rage’ is confused with natural aggression.
This type of disorder can be stressful for the animal, in addition to making feeding, care and cleaning difficult .
Many hamsters with this condition will not allow their cage door to open. Stress on hamsters can shorten their lives as well as increase their risk of health problems over time.
How to avoid stress in hamsters?
Some of the most common causes of stress in hamsters include abrupt changes in habitat, poor nutrition and hygiene, noise pollution, and lack of exercise.
To avoid stress on hamsters, it will be enough to follow a series of guidelines and methods from the moment of adoption. Some of them are:
- The day you get home with your pet, all pet accessories should be located where they will be forever (it’s not good to move them constantly) so the hamster just has to be placed inside the cage.
- It is convenient to place the cage in a quiet place and not overload the animal during its stay in the house, so that it gets used to its new life.
- When cleaning the bed and cage, it is important that no major changes are made to the hamster’s cage accessories, leaving everything as the hamster left it.
- The hamster must follow a proper diet and have a hygiene routine, always consult your veterinarian.
- The water must always be fresh.
- Hamsters are very dynamic, they need to have their exercise routines, strict or not, and a good variety of objects to interact with. The classic wheel is the best option for these cases.
- Hamsters are very territorial, so there cannot be two males in the same cage for any reason. This can lead to very violent fights between them, which will cause the death of any of them.
