Hamsters are one of the most common family pets in the U.S., and given that they’re playful, small, and relatively low-maintenance, it isn’t difficult to understand why. However, considering they’re such a popular pet choice, it can be crucial for owners to understand the noises their hamsters make and what they might mean. For example, did you know that hamsters hiss?
Hamsters hiss to show aggression and fear. A hiss usually means that something is making them feel scared or threatened, and the noise is their way of attempting to show the emotion they’re feeling or warn off a potential threat.
In this article, I’ll be diving into more detail regarding when and why hamsters hiss, how you can prevent it from happening and what other noises your hamster might make.
When Do Hamsters Hiss?
Hamsters generally hiss when they’re scared or angry, similar to when other animals might growl. This noise indicates that the pet is in the presence of an unpleasant external factor, which should be removed immediately.
In the wild, hamsters are tiny prey animals who live mostly solitary lives.
They don’t have many defense mechanisms to rely on since they’re so small and don’t live in colonies like other similarly-sized animals like prairie dogs or meerkats.
Therefore, hamsters have a keen flight response, making them quick to respond to anything they perceive could be a danger.
To survive, this response has, in some ways, become overactive over time, which means that your pet hamster might perceive even the most harmless phenomenon as a potential danger.
While prolonged feelings of unease and danger are likely to result in a perpetually anxious hamster (as they won’t feel safe enough to relax), they’ll likely hiss at the individual threats they face even if they’re occurring for the first time.
However, hamsters can also hiss when they’re feeling sick.
In these cases, not feeling well will likely make your hamster feel more aggressive and alert to possible dangers because, in the wild, a sick animal is more likely to be hunted.
Some situations that could cause your hamster to hiss include but aren’t limited to:
- Introducing your hamster to someone/something new.
- Picking up a hamster that isn’t used to being handled.
- Letting your hamster interact with another pet.
- Loud noises occurring in the vicinity of your hamster.
- Moving your hamster to another location.
- Traveling with your hamster.
- Your hamster is not feeling well.
Read How Much Should I Feed My Hamster
Why Do Hamsters Hiss?
Hamsters hiss because they’re in a stressful or scary situation. However, these situations might just appear scary to your hamster, while the real threat might not exist. This is usually, but not always, due to a hamster’s history of neglect.
Neglect
Unfortunately, it’s common knowledge that pets are neglected every day by careless or cruel owners, with Delaware being the leading US state in animal cruelty rates.