Hamsters are beloved pets, but there are some surprising facts that not everyone may know about them. These strange facts make raising a hamster even more unique and enjoyable.
: They cannot see color and have very poor eyesight
Unlike humans, hamsters do not see the world in color. In fact, their eyesight is generally very poor, and they rely heavily on their other senses, such as smell, hearing, and touch, to navigate and explore their environment. This is why they may appear hesitant in open spaces or freeze when faced with rapid movement; they rely on their whiskers to detect their surroundings and determine distances.
: They store food in their cheeks to an incredible degree
One of hamsters' most unusual behaviors is their ability to store massive amounts of food in their highly elastic cheek pouches. These pouches can expand to become almost the size of the hamster's body! Hamsters use this feature to transport food from where it was found to their safe hiding places, where they can store it for later. You may see hamsters with funny-looking puffy cheeks after collecting food, which is a completely normal phenomenon.
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Daily Nature Complete Food for Rodents with Grains, Apple and Carrot 800g
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: Their teeth never stop growing
Just like other rodents, hamsters' front teeth (incisors) grow continuously throughout their lives. This is why hamsters need to chew on hard objects regularly to file down their teeth and prevent them from becoming too long and painful. If they can't file down their teeth, they may have difficulty eating, which can negatively impact their health.
:They can run incredible distances in a single night
In the wild, hamsters travel incredibly long distances in search of food and shelter. The wheel you see in their cages reflects this instinctive need to run. A healthy hamster can run several miles in a single night on a running wheel! This explains why a wheel is so essential to their physical and psychological well-being, as not having one can lead to boredom, stress, and obesity.
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Seven Bird Hamster Spinning Ball Toy
:Clean themselves with a "sand bath," not water
Hamsters are naturally clean animals and never need to be bathed with water. In fact, water can strip natural oils from their fur and make them vulnerable to colds. Instead, hamsters use a sand bath (special chinchilla or hamster sand) to keep their fur clean and free of excess oils and dirt.
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: Prefers to hide and sleep in dark, narrow places
Although they need a lot of space to run around, hamsters feel safe and comfortable in dark, narrow places to sleep and hide. This is an instinctive behavior for protection from predators in the wild. Therefore, providing small houses, tunnels, and multiple hiding places in their cage will make them feel comfortable and secure, and you may notice them spending most of their sleeping time hiding in these places.
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