As a hamster owner, you might have noticed that at some point your pet will make a variety of noises. If you have heard your hamster scream or squeak; don’t worry, he or she is not possessed.
It’s common for them to make these kinds of sounds in certain situations. A hamster’s behavior can tell you a lot about their emotional state and how they are feeling, so you shouldn’t ignore these kind of indicators, especially since hamsters screaming is generally a sign of them being in a state of fear or stress. Keep reading to find out more about what it means when hamsters scream, squeak, or sneeze and what you might be able to do about it.
Why Do Hamsters Scream
The most common triggers for hamsters to scream is if they are in a state of fear. If something surprises, startles, or scares your hamster, they will almost always scream. Another possible reason why your hamster is screaming, especially if you got him or her recently, is because perhaps they were mistreated by their previous owner. In this case they might scream each time that you try to pick them up or get close to them; this happens because they haven’t gotten the time to socialize with you and get to know you until the point where they feel comfortable.
If your hamster isn’t in a state of fear, they might be screaming because they are angry. In this kind of situation, they will scream before ‘attacking’ if they are forced into confrontation, especially with another hamster. If, for example, you were to cage two hamsters together, you will most likely hear a lot of screaming.
Lastly, your hamster could be screaming because they are in pain. The only way for your furry friend to tell you something is hurting him is to scream. If you think your pet is experiencing pain and that this is the reason for them screaming, you should go to a vet as soon as possible.
Why Do Hamsters Squeak
On the other hand, hamsters also squeak. A squeak is a bit harder to analyse, as they will do this when they are afraid, angry, hurt, but also when they are happy and excited. A few factors can tell apart the types of squeaks that hamsters produce, and these will allow you to differentiate the reason for your hamster producing a squeak. Your hamster may squeak if you give him or her a treat, or if you pet him on his or her favourite spot; this would indicate a squeak of excitement and happiness or a way of saying “yay!”. Signs that indicate happiness also include stretching and yawning.
If your hamster is annoyed, he will repeatedly squeak. For example, if you try to pick him up and he keeps squeaking, it’s a way for them to tell you to leave them alone, again, because they have not gotten to know you yet. Signs that indicate annoyance also include hissing.
Lastly, your hamster will also squeak if he or she wants your attention. They might want to get out of their cage and play or move around a bit. Regardless, you should check on your hamster if he or she keeps squeaking repeatedly; make sure that their cage is clean and that they have enough food and water.
Why Do Hamsters Sneeze
Generally, a hamster sneeze isn’t an alarming sign. Just like with humans, dust that is flying around can cause this kind of reaction in hamsters too. However, if your hamster is repeatedly sneezing, there could be some underlying issues that you should get checked out. There is a possibility that there is a piece of dust stuck in your hamster’s nose casuing them to sneeze; if the sneezing becomes more intense over time, take your pet to the vet. The bedding in the cage could also lead to sneezing, because of the oil in the wood used for the bedding. Changing the bedding and thoroughly cleaning the cage should be more than enough effort to solve this problem.
If your hamster has cold-like symptoms – these include a runny nose, coughing, watery eyes, no appetite and lack of excitement – then they probably have a cold, in which case you need to take them to a vet as soon as possible, as this needs to be treated immediately. For hamsters, a cold can develop into pneumonia, and this could have lethal effects. The vet treatment will include one week of antibiotics in order to get rid of the infection. Another thing to keep in mind if this happens is that antibiotics could cause diarrhea, in which case this also needs to be treated immediately, since this can cause dehydration and eventually death.
Conclusion
To summarize, it’s safe to say that hamsters are a lot more complex than they might seem. It is important to analyze their behavior because it can tell us a lot about how they are feeling and what is bothering them, if anything is. They generally will not portray any behavior without reason, so it is important to not ignore any of it. It is ‘normal’ for hamsters to scream out of fear when they are new to your home and they haven’t gotten to used to their surroundings or to their new owner, so in that scenario it will be nothing to worry about too much. If you have had your hamster for a while, and you find them squeaking repeatedly and it is not only when you give them a treat or pet them, something else might be bothering them. It is important to pay attention in situations like these as they might be in pain, or they might be scared of something. If your hamster is sneezing repeatedly, there might be a chance of them having a cold or an infection, which, as mentioned before, needs to be treated immediately in order to avoid lethal consequences.
