Teeth chattering

[roclibrarian]

I offered my hamster a blueberry for the first time. He tried biting it them chattered his teeth really loudly! He tried to bite it a couple more times then walked off. It's the first thing he's refused to eat.
Any idea why he chattered his teeth? It's not a noise I've come across before.

 

[Member ID2]

One of my Syrians does that sometimes but not sure why. Someone else might know the answer.

I had hamsters who didn't like soft fruit like blueberry, strawberry or cherry. I think its the texture. They also walked off and left it.

You could try cutting it in half. See if that makes any difference.

 

[Maz]

Oh dear. I have no idea what it means I'm afraid but it sounds like he was expressing something! Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's a happy or cross noise, but I suspect he didn't like it! Our first syrian was very picky and turned his nose up at blueberries and pulled faces at strawberries. He liked apple or banana though.

 

[roclibrarian]

One of my Syrians does that sometimes but not sure why. Someone else might know the answer.

I had hamsters who didn't like soft fruit like blueberry, strawberry or cherry. I think its the texture. They also walked off and left it.

You could try cutting it in half. See if that makes any difference.

I did break the skin so he could get hold of it, but he turned his nose up

 

[roclibrarian]

Oh dear. I have no idea what it means I'm afraid but it sounds like he was expressing something! Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's a happy or cross noise, but I suspect he didn't like it! Our first syrian was very picky and turned his nose up at blueberries and pulled faces at strawberries. He liked apple or banana though.

He loves apple, I never seen him move so fast as when I waved a bit of apple at the entrance of his burrow

 

[elusive]

Teeth chattering does often (but not always, hams not being that simple!) mean they’re a bit annoyed with something, maybe he wanted to try it because it was new than got annoyed because he didn’t like it much!

 

[Tosan]

Teeth chattering in hamsters (called "bruxing", rats do it too I think) can either be 1) they're annoyed/stressed/scared, or 2) they're content and relaxed. From the context you can usually tell which it is. I find the "relaxed" bruxing is slower chatters and more subtle. Scared bruxing is often louder and more rapid although I can't say this is "scientifically true", just my experience with Syrian hamsters.
For example, if my hamster just wakes up, and I start petting her, sometimes she'll stretch/yawn and start bruxing while I pet her. She's showing 0 sign of distress and stretching/yawning is also an indicator of being relaxed/feeling safe.
In this case, maybe the ham didn't like the taste, I've never had a hamster chatter their teeth regarding food though, so your ham must REALLY hate blueberry

 

[roclibrarian]

Well today little Hagrid chattered his teeth at a dandelion leaf. He ate the dandelion leaf then looked for more, I so he liked it. He is a confusing little chap.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is confusing! Luckily he enjoyed his leaf.

 

[Member ID2]

A few of our hamsters are vocal and produce an interesting range of sounds.

Maybe Hagrid doesn't squawk, squeal, squeak or chirp like our lot, he chutters to express himself.

 

[roclibrarian]

A few of our hamsters are vocal and produce an interesting range of sounds.

Maybe Hagrid doesn't squawk, squeal, squeak or chirp like our lot, he chutters to express himself.

Yes he seems very willing to let me know what he doesn't like.

 

[Lorena]

Teeth chattering in hamsters (called "bruxing", rats do it too I think) can either be 1) they're annoyed/stressed/scared, or 2) they're content and relaxed. From the context you can usually tell which it is. I find the "relaxed" bruxing is slower chatters and more subtle. Scared bruxing is often louder and more rapid although I can't say this is "scientifically true", just my experience with Syrian hamsters.
For example, if my hamster just wakes up, and I start petting her, sometimes she'll stretch/yawn and start bruxing while I pet her. She's showing 0 sign of distress and stretching/yawning is also an indicator of being relaxed/feeling safe.
In this case, maybe the ham didn't like the taste, I've never had a hamster chatter their teeth regarding food though, so your ham must REALLY hate blueberry

Sweetie doesn’t make a sound. Ever. I still trying to figure out how to trim her nails