Why Do Hamsters Chirp?

Hamsters make wonderful pets for both children and adults.

In order to provide proper care for a hamster, you need to first understand their behavior. They can become very vocal. Some noises might sound like a chirp. Hamsters, by nature, are highly territorial animals. This is due to the fact that their natural habitats are deserts and grasslands, where resources are scarce.

Hamsters and Noise

Your hamster will always give you clues to how it is feeling.

Hamsters are typically very quiet animals. It is not uncommon to never hear your hamster make a sound. Under certain circumstances they can become quit vocal. By observing their body language and noting the quality of their sounds, you can understand your hamster's current moods and wants.

Vocalizations

The hamster is always aware of its surroundings.

The hamster has a small range of noises used to communicate distress and aggression. In juvenile hamsters, it is most common to hear a high pitched chirping noise. This is used to signal distress and sense of abandonment or hunger. As the hamster gets older it will begin to vocalize a variety of hissing, clicking and squealing. All of these sounds are a sign of aggression and that your hamster feels threatened.

Body Language

This hamster is looking out for danger.

Pay close attention to your hamster's posture. When a hamsters sits upright and alert, it is assessing the potential dangers of its surroundings. The longer it remains upright, the more threatened it feels. As a hamster's anxiety increases, it will flatten its ears against its head or even puff up its cheeks with air. In moments of extreme stress the hamster may even play dead.

Taming

Hamsters can become used to human touch.

Slowly introduce your hamster to being handled and in time it will become tame. Never handle your hamster immediately after it has woken up. They take several minutes to fully wake up and will respond aggressively by squealing and releasing a high pitched chirp. Hamsters are most active between 8 and 11 p.m. They adjust their schedule of activity to times of low light. You can alter a hamster's schedule by controlling when it is exposed to light.

History

This hamster is a long haired teddy bear.

Hamster is German for "hoarder". It is no wonder this little critter earned such a name. They guard their food often by sleeping on top of it. When cleaning their cage it is best to gently remove the hamster from its home. If you clean while the hamster is still in its cage it will respond with loud aggressive chirping. It will feel threatened and think you are taking its food away.

References

• "Your First Hamster"; Peter Smith; 1996
• "Hamsters: With Internet Links"; S. Meredith; 2004
• "All About Your Hamster"; Bradley Viner; 1999