Hamsters are tiny pets that get scared and stressed pretty easily, so it’s normal to be worried about their happiness. Luckily, there are things to look out for if you want to know if your hamster is happy.
Here are seven signs of a happy hamster:
- They store food regularly.
- They have lots of energy (especially at night).
- They play with toys.
- They explore their cages.
- They aren’t afraid of you.
- They groom themselves regularly.
- They stretch and yawn a lot.
It’s important to know whether your hamster is happy or not so that you can help it if something is wrong.
How Do I Know if My Hamster Is Happy?
Keep reading to learn more about the signs of a happy hamster.
1. They Store Food Regularly
You may not think it because of how small they are, but hamsters have pouches in their cheeks where they can store their food. In the wild, hamsters would scavenge for food and use their cheeks to bring the food back to their nests. It shows a desire to survive and a willingness to go out and search for food.
So, when a hamster regularly does this in its cage, it’s a sign that it wants to survive and enjoys gathering food.
In most cases, you’ll likely notice your hamster gathering food from around the cage, stuffing it in its cheeks, and then bringing it back to where it sleeps; this is so that it can save the food for later without worrying about going hungry.
An Empty Bowl Doesn’t Always Need a Refill
Since hamsters scavenge for food (even in their cages) and hide it away, their food bowls will often be empty. You may see an empty bowl and assume your hamster is hungry and needs more food, but that may not be the case.
If you keep filling the bowl and are giving your hamster too much food, there’s a high chance it’ll keep hoarding the food but won’t eat it all. The collected food will eventually spoil if this keeps happening, which certainly isn’t good for your hamster’s health.
Also, there’s a chance your hamster will become overweight, which also isn’t good for its health. An overweight or obese hamster will be lethargic, meaning it won’t have as much energy as before.
You certainly don’t want that because hamsters need exercise and exploration to remain at their happiest.
Feed a Balanced Diet To Keep Your Hamster Happy
If you feed your hamster one type of food every day, they’ll likely get bored of it pretty quickly, and it may even make them unhappy. You should feed your hamster a healthy and varied diet to prevent this from happening.
The best diet for a hamster is a mixture of vegetables and hamster pellets. Once every few days, you can also give it some treats, like a boiled egg.
Once you’re feeding it a variety of foods throughout the week, your hamster should remain content and happy.