The hamster's favorite occupations

  Most animal behaviors are strongly guided by biological and hereditary needs.

Making reserves

The hamster is known to accumulate food in its cheeks. In the wild, the hamster can only build up such reserves in the summer, in preparation for the winter: it thus stores more than 30 kg of seeds and crops in anticipation of periods of shortage. It is true that in the wild, the animal goes into hibernation, but from time to time hunger pushes it to eat a small snack.

Dig

By offering him a scratching box, you can satisfy one of the basic needs of the hamster. You will only observe this behavior if the hamster feels safe and relaxed. The hamster will scratch noisily, sniff and hide its snout in the litter box. This activity is also important for the maintenance of its claws and coat.

Gnawing

The hamster has a marked natural penchant for nibbling. Its incisors, which are constantly growing back, must wear out. During the first two months of its existence, it engages in many gnawing and experiments: later, this intense activity finally stops.

Getting clean

The hamster is very concerned about cleanliness. It is especially after waking up, when it leaves its nest, that it indulges in a thorough grooming. With its small legs that it licks and moistens constantly, the hamster cleans itself from head to hind legs. If the hamster suddenly begins this ritual of grooming while in a state of embarrassment, this behavior is referred to as "substitute activity" in a conflict situation.

Getting around

This small pet is distinguished by its pronounced need for movement. In the wild, the hamster travels at least six kilometers each night. If it has only one wheel, it easily spins it a few thousand times before fortifying itself. Some of them then become really dependent on it. However, if this fanatic can get enough exercise outside his cage, he will give up his wheel immediately. He is also able to swim, but for this inhabitant of the steppes, a bath is an abomination that should be avoided as much as possible.

Climbing

Perhaps you will be struck one day that the hamster is constantly looking up. Whether it is a branch, a bed or the leg of its guardian, the hamster must absolutely climb. Guided by its innate need for protection, this little individual always wants to have a good view. It seeks nothing more than to be safe from an intruder. However, the descent is a real problem: hamsters seem never to remember that once they reach the top, they sooner or later fall on their snout. They lack a sense of altitude: they jump and then let themselves fall heavily, thus exposing themselves to a high risk of accidents.

Sleeping

Spending the whole day asleep in your den is a great activity. At least that's the hamster's point of view. It is active only during the first part of the night, then retreats to gnaw nuts before returning to sleep in its shelter. Lack of sleep reduces its longevity. Only animals in the wild go into hibernation when the temperature drops below 10°C.

Sniffing and marking its territory

The hamster perceives its environment thanks to a highly developed sense of smell. With its quivering whiskers, it sniffs loudly and strongly every unknown object and inspects the limits of its territory. Using the glands on its flanks, it releases secretions, marking its domain with this odorous mixture. Sniffing and marking its territory allow it above all to exchange information with its fellow creatures. If another hamster leaves its odorous trace on its guarded hunt, our friend inevitably interprets it as a provocation and eliminates the foreign smell by replacing it with his own. This olfactory signal is, in a way, his shield of protection against the assailants. On the other hand, the smell of a female in heat has a different purpose: it signals to the male that the female in question is ready to mate.

Curiosity and gambling behaviour

The hamster's reaction differs depending on whether it is confronted with a new object or an already known utensil. First of all, it goes cautiously to its discovery, approaching it gently, sniffing and touching it. This is how he finds new sources of food and notices hiding places or a place to make a nest. Apart from curiosity, the young hamster's playful attitude is much more pronounced than that of its adult counterparts. The pups squabble and practice attack, defense and escape, thus arming themselves for adult life.

Learning

The hamster's curiosity is the foundation of its learning. It allows him to adapt to the specific living conditions to which he is subjected in your home. I "saved" one of my hamsters that had been missing for about seven hours. This little leprechaun, who until then had been afraid of hands, let himself be taken without hesitation and put back in his cage. Since then, he has only come out with the jowls filled to bursting point, often lugging the food around for hours on end and only resting his wealth in the manger when he returns.