Golden Hamster: Animal behaviour and problems.

      General information

      As desert animals, golden hamsters are relatively modest in       the choice of feed and only need little drinking water.       Moreover, they are odourless even for the most sensitive       noses. But that's precisely why golden hamsters became the       favourite "toy" for children.

      It has, however, to be said emphatically that golden hamsters       are not animals suited for small children. For they are       nocturnal animals, are sleeping in the daytime and only wake       up in the twilight, that is to say at a time when smaller children                                                                                        already must go to be. At night-time then, they are active in a way that one hardly is able to sleep in the same room. The animals are very sensitive to light and should not be taken out of their sleeping cage during the day.

Social behaviour

The loveable Syrien golden hamsters are related to our native common hamster. With common hamsters it is customary that males as well as females live alone (with the exception of the mating season) and they vehemently defend their own territory against intruding fellow species. Although certain breeds of golden hamsters have become better-natured through breeding and may even live together as couples, an individual cage is generally advisable. In the open countryside fights between hamsters mostly end without bloodshed, because the inferior animal can escape in time. In a standard cage, however, there are no means of getting out of the way and the inferior hamster as a rule does not survive. That is why it is better to keep just one individual animal! These animals do not enjoy company at all, not least because they want to keep the precious feed for themselves. It happens that golden hamsters, after they have fought for feed resources, eat each other up. If one, however, wants to keep more than one golden hamster, an enclosure divided into various sections is an absolute must.

Behavioural disturbances

The ruffling up of the legendary chubby cheeks is part of the display pattern and is not a behaviour disorder. In case of danger there is even room for the descendants, besides the stored feed! If the golden hamster falls into fright immovability, lies motionless on his back and stretches out his four legs, this is a clear signal that the animal needs a longer breather. Neglect, keeping animals in ways not appropriate to their species, wrong feeding habits, diseases, irritation through noise and a harsh treatment of the animal increase his tendency to bite and can also favour the development of stereotypies. The continuous running in the hamster wheel can be a well-known and unfortunately often unnoticed stereotypy, i. e. behaviour disorder. Suckling females should not be disturbed during the first week after birth and the cubs under no circumstances be touched because there is a risk of infanticide (eating up of the cubs).

Man-Animal communication

Die The mood of a golden hamster can best be interpreted from his body language. He stands up straight and takes a defence position or, in case of trouble, throws himself on his back. This, of course, does not mean that now one may tickle his belly. For he would immediately answer with a bite. It really needs a lot of patience and time to tame a golden hamster and to become friendly with him. In the beginning one should just put one's hand into the cage and let the hamster sniff at it, then give him some feed and place the feed always a little more towards the center of the palm of one's hand until some day he climbs on it.Then the time has come to take him carefully out of the cage, put him on your lap and scratch him lightly on the neck. Speaking in a quiet tone of voice. The golden hamster should be as young as possible if one wants to really tame him. One should slowly acquaint him with the human smell and proceed step by step.

Undesirable behaviour

With his sharp teeth the golden hamster can do much harm. This happens above all when he moves around the room unsupervised. He will try everywhere to collect all sorts of padding and cushioning for his little house and put it into his chubby cheeks: Carpet fibres, pieces of wallpaper etc. Letting him move around unsupervised is, therefore, quite hazardous for the animal (accidents!). It is much better to put a large enclosure or cage at his disposal.

Mood barometer

The body language of the golden hamster tells stories about his health and mental state. When taking up feed and inquisitively sniffing at something as well as when cleaning his pelage, he is in good mood and lively. If he puts his ears back, this can mean a lot: Fear, tiredness, bad mood, aggression. If, however, he stands up straight and inflates his chubby cheeks, then he wants to threaten and impress enemies (also the human hand) and possibly put them to flight. In this moment one has to leave him in peace, otherwise he might bite. If the hamster jumps in the air, he certainly is in good mood and high-spirited. If the animal flinches or all of a sudden starts to groom himself over a longer period of time, then he was schocked by something or by somebody. He then needs quiet.

Psychology of animals

A nocturnal animal who feels at home above all in caves and in the safety of a larder filled to bursting, is everyhing else than a cuddly toy. As a loner he has no difficulty living all by himself in interesting surroundings fulfilling his needs. With some empathy we will, therefore, not want to disturb these animals and touch them only if required. This way it is easier, too to gain their confidence.