I've been pondering on this for some time I think we would all agree all hamsters are individuals and vary greatly in character but is it also possible that some are more domesticated and less likely to have the needs of what they would in the wild than others. How many wild hamsters run on a wheel they don't but for our pets it's essential they are perfectly happy running in circles and we provide enrichment I prefer to call it boredom breakers or toys we are just giving them things because they don't have to do what wild hamsters do and they seem happy with that because over the years they have been bred as pets not abducted from the wild is it the same as taking a wild dog into your home or buying a pet puppy and it automatically adapts to your lifestyle. Sorry for long post just food for thought.
Controversial
- Thread starter Jain
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M
Member ID2
I'm not sure that i understand your post.
What's controversial about it?
Are you saying that some hamsters are more domesticated than others in the sense that they don't run on their wheels as much as others?
What's controversial about it?
Are you saying that some hamsters are more domesticated than others in the sense that they don't run on their wheels as much as others?
The title is because I sometimes I feel as though I'm bucking the trends not recreating a near to the wild environment some hamsters obviously need substrate deep throughout is my main issue some like to be left alone not disturbed more like they would in the wild Pete just dosent seem to have these needs but others obviously do. Sorry for confusion about the wheel analogy it was wheel vs running mile through their normal habitat.
E
elusive
I can see what you’re saying & agree all hamsters are individual & have different needs & likes.
The wheel is a simple substitute for the fact that we can’t provide them with the space to travel the distance they would in the wild but they still have the instinct to run & have lots of energy to use up.
I think the substrate depth has little to do with how interactive a hamster may be, all the hamsters I’ve had, both Russian & Chinese have been very interactive but still enjoy the benefits of deep substrate.
I don’t think you can really judge how much they will use it unless they’ve had a set up with a large area (or as large as the cage allows) of deep substrate with things like shelves & a house to burrow under.
Giving one small area of deep substrate doesn’t really allow or encourage natural behaviour.
The wheel is a simple substitute for the fact that we can’t provide them with the space to travel the distance they would in the wild but they still have the instinct to run & have lots of energy to use up.
I think the substrate depth has little to do with how interactive a hamster may be, all the hamsters I’ve had, both Russian & Chinese have been very interactive but still enjoy the benefits of deep substrate.
I don’t think you can really judge how much they will use it unless they’ve had a set up with a large area (or as large as the cage allows) of deep substrate with things like shelves & a house to burrow under.
Giving one small area of deep substrate doesn’t really allow or encourage natural behaviour.
M
Member ID2
Maybe that is where the controversial comes into the equation.
The question or view that a hamster can be so domesticated that they prefer interaction with their humans to displaying natural behaviours like burrowing.
Thing is that a hamster who has the option to create tunnels and burrows would still be interactive with their humans.
For example, Lilly isn't much of a burrower but that doesn't mean that i don't give her a good substrate depth. One side of her cage has lower substrate because her wheel is there but still enough to burrow under her wheel (attached to bars) which many dwarfs like to do.
Her behaviour towards humans has not changed when i moved her in a bigger cage with more substrate. She is still an interactive morning hamster.
The question or view that a hamster can be so domesticated that they prefer interaction with their humans to displaying natural behaviours like burrowing.
Thing is that a hamster who has the option to create tunnels and burrows would still be interactive with their humans.
For example, Lilly isn't much of a burrower but that doesn't mean that i don't give her a good substrate depth. One side of her cage has lower substrate because her wheel is there but still enough to burrow under her wheel (attached to bars) which many dwarfs like to do.
Her behaviour towards humans has not changed when i moved her in a bigger cage with more substrate. She is still an interactive morning hamster.
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There was an interesting bit of research a few years ago where scientists put a wheel in the wild to see what would happen, and found various different creatures would run in it when they found it. There had been concerns that wheel running was a stereotypy or problem behaviour for some animals, but this research showed they choose to do it because it's fun 
www.nbcnews.com
I think, as pets, our hamsters can bond with a human and enjoy that bond and relationship. At night, however, in the dark, they almost go into a different kind of mode. And their natural instincts and hard wiring seems to kick in. They are highly active as their night-time biorhythms kick in - they forage and run, nap occasionally, and organise their environment. They do seem to like doing things with substrate. Most of mine have pushed it into mountains or up against the side of their house (insulation?) in colder weather. Another instinct is to bury their hoards to keep them safe and they will often do this under their nesting area. They can get quite anxious about their hoards.
Wild Animals Like Running on the Hamster Wheel Too
Rats, frogs and even snails and slugs frequented a running wheel placed in the wild.
www.nbcnews.com
I think, as pets, our hamsters can bond with a human and enjoy that bond and relationship. At night, however, in the dark, they almost go into a different kind of mode. And their natural instincts and hard wiring seems to kick in. They are highly active as their night-time biorhythms kick in - they forage and run, nap occasionally, and organise their environment. They do seem to like doing things with substrate. Most of mine have pushed it into mountains or up against the side of their house (insulation?) in colder weather. Another instinct is to bury their hoards to keep them safe and they will often do this under their nesting area. They can get quite anxious about their hoards.
Interesting articleThere was an interesting bit of research a few years ago where scientists put a wheel in the wild to see what would happen, and found various different creatures would run in it when they found it. There had been concerns that wheel running was a stereotypy or problem behaviour for some animals, but this research showed they choose to do it because it's fun
Wild Animals Like Running on the Hamster Wheel Too
Rats, frogs and even snails and slugs frequented a running wheel placed in the wild.
I think, as pets, our hamsters can bond with a human and enjoy that bond and relationship. At night, however, in the dark, they almost go into a different kind of mode. And their natural instincts and hard wiring seems to kick in. They are highly active as their night-time biorhythms kick in - they forage and run, nap occasionally, and organise their environment. They do seem to like doing things with substrate. Most of mine have pushed it into mountains or up against the side of their house (insulation?) in colder weather. Another instinct is to bury their hoards to keep them safe and they will often do this under their nesting area. They can get quite anxious about their hoards.
Yes you've got it that was definitely my meaning of controversial I was still interested to hear the reasoning behind deep bedding if they don't use it. Please let me assure anyone who may have concerns about Petes welfare he is happy and healthy unhappy hamsters surely wouldn't seem as full of the joy of life as he does. As for interacting with humans looks like some do some don't and to different degrees
E
elusive
I remember that article, I put a wheel out in the garden to see if t here were any signs that mice or voles might have used it!
They might have done but the slugs loved it too which was a bit gross!
They might have done but the slugs loved it too which was a bit gross!
E
elusive
I don’t think anyone here is concerned about Pete’s welfare Jain, he always seems perfectly happy.
I think understanding some things about hamster behaviour comes more with experience than reading about them tbh, deep substrate isn’t just about burrowing really & enrichment isn’t just toys & boredom breakers but more about the overall sensory experience they have, different textures, smells, things to explore etc. You can’t really know a hamsters preferences until they’ve had all those opportunities.
I think understanding some things about hamster behaviour comes more with experience than reading about them tbh, deep substrate isn’t just about burrowing really & enrichment isn’t just toys & boredom breakers but more about the overall sensory experience they have, different textures, smells, things to explore etc. You can’t really know a hamsters preferences until they’ve had all those opportunities.
M
Member ID2
Aside from giving a hamster the choice to burrow, deeper substrate in the whole or most of the cage works out more economical in the long run.
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To go back to your original question. I don’t think pet hamsters can ever have what they have in the wild, but even as pets it’s good for them to be able to have normal behaviours. This is no different to dogs and cats really. Although they are domesticated pets and like to lie on the bed or sofa, a dog still needs exercise and to chase and fetch things that are thrown (natural retriever instincts). A car still likes to catch prey as part of their normal behaviours. That kind of thing.
It’s an interesting topic as a species is hard wired to have certain behaviours. Pet hamsters have no need to pouch and hoard food but they still do it because they’re hard wired to do it. Just as they are hard wired to protect themselves from predators above - so they like plenty of overhead cover - things they can fit under or dive under and the digging instinct probably comes from this too.
One scientific article claims that the hamster’s circadian rhythms come from the Mother after birth and while being looked after from birth by the Mother. This could be the case with most animal species because I remember a story about a calf with no Mother who was brought up with a horse and actually thought it was a horse and would behave like a horse. Doing jumps etc.
As with most scientific articles, this unfortunately does include some experimentation on a Mother hamster
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
medium.com
It’s an interesting topic as a species is hard wired to have certain behaviours. Pet hamsters have no need to pouch and hoard food but they still do it because they’re hard wired to do it. Just as they are hard wired to protect themselves from predators above - so they like plenty of overhead cover - things they can fit under or dive under and the digging instinct probably comes from this too.
One scientific article claims that the hamster’s circadian rhythms come from the Mother after birth and while being looked after from birth by the Mother. This could be the case with most animal species because I remember a story about a calf with no Mother who was brought up with a horse and actually thought it was a horse and would behave like a horse. Doing jumps etc.
As with most scientific articles, this unfortunately does include some experimentation on a Mother hamster
Development of hamster circadian rhythms: role of the maternal suprachiasmatic nucleus - PubMed
During development, the circadian rhythms of rodents become entrained to rhythmicity of the mother. Rhythms in behavior and in neuroendocrine function are regulated by a circadian pacemaker thought to be located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Evidence indicates...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Personalities do vary as well. Raffy has 8” of substrate and a multiroom house. He doesn’t tunnel. He does burrow down under his nesting room though and occasionally has a big dig underground (probably burying a hoard). But he likes his multiroom house bevsuse it’s dark inside - similar to a burrow. Some people say hamsters need a partly submerged tunnel in the substrate as a burrow starter. I think they will naturally dig a burrow if there isn’t a safe, dark place to nest, like a multiroom house.
But Raffy also likes to spend a lot of time out of the cage free roaming, exploring and foraging etc.
At night is when their hardwired behaviours can kick in and it sometimes amazes me just how much industry has gone on sometimes with a lot of substrate shifted!
Pip (Robo) does tunnel and burrow (I think all robos do).
But Raffy also likes to spend a lot of time out of the cage free roaming, exploring and foraging etc.
At night is when their hardwired behaviours can kick in and it sometimes amazes me just how much industry has gone on sometimes with a lot of substrate shifted!
Pip (Robo) does tunnel and burrow (I think all robos do).
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