Telling when your hamster is happy can sometimes be hard because they have so many different behaviors that they’ll show.
Some hamster behaviors can have multiple meanings as well, so that can make it even harder to tell when they’re happy.
So to help out fellow hamster owners I did a little bit of research into the different ways that you can tell that your hamster is happy.
That way it’ll make it easier to tell when they’re feeling happy and comfortable with you and their environment.
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Hamsters Will Groom Themselves When They’re Happy
The first way to tell if your hamster is happy is if you see them grooming themselves.
A happy hamster will groom themselves a lot and that can show that they’re very comfortable and at peace with everything that’s around them.
When they show this type of behavior it can be a really good sign. The reason why is that they feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable in their cage and around you.
So if you see them cleaning themselves, especially in an open area within their cage, then you’ll know that your little pet is happy.
Hamsters Will Come Up To Their Owners To Show Happiness
You can really tell that your hamster is happy when they run up to you so that they can interact with you.
So if you’re walking by their cage and they start to sprint up to you this is a really good sign.
It can mean that they’re happy enough to want to interact and play with you.
You can tell they’re trying to do this when they come up to the side of their cage that you’re on as soon as you walk by.
So if your hamster is happy enough to come up to you so that they can play with you, you might as well give them what they want.
Stretching Is A Way That Hamsters Show Happiness
When you look into your hamster’s cage and you see them stretching, it’s a good way to tell that they’re happy.
A hamster that’s happy and relaxed enough to feel vulnerable will stretch a decent amount.
You’ll usually see them do this after they wake up from a nap or sometimes randomly throughout the day depending on how they feel.
You can especially tell that your hamster is feeling happy when they start stretching while you’re around them.
Because a hamster that’s not comfortable with you and their surroundings won’t show this type of vulnerability unless they’re happy.
Yawning Can Mean That A Hamster Is Happy
Along with stretching, you’ll also see your hamster yawn when they’re happy.
It’s a sign that they’re feeling very relaxed and comfortable. However, this is one of the common behaviors that a hamster will display that has multiple meanings.
Even though they will yawn when they’re happy, they’ll also yawn to show that they’re stressed or even angry at something.
So it’s good to know when a hamster is stressed or not so you can tell the difference.
One way to tell if your hamster is yawning because they’re happy is to check to see if they’re also stretching as well.
Because a hamster that’s feeling really comfortable will usually do both around the same time without any signs of being too stressed out.
A Hamster Will Try To Interact With You
A happy hamster would really love to get the chance to interact with its owner.
It can take a while for a hamster to get used to you so this is more common with hamsters that have bonded with their owners and are a little more familiar with the environment that they’re in.
So if you’ve had your hamster for a decent amount of time then a good way to tell if they’re happy is if they willingly climb into your hand and start to crawl all over you.
The reason why this is a great way to know if they’re feeling happy is that hamsters are prey animals and it takes a lot of courage and comfortability for them to do this.
Hamsters That Collect And Store Food Are Happy
Another thing that you’ll notice about a hamster that’s living a joyful life is that they will regularly collect food so that they can hide it and store it for later.
So what you’ll usually see is your hamster go up to their food bowl and fill their little cheeks with their favorite types of food.
That way they can take it back to their home for safekeeping and save them as good snacks for later.
So if your hamster does this regularly then you’ll know that they’re feeling happy, and it can even be a sign of healthiness as well.
A Happy Hamster Will Be Very Active And Energetic
It’s a really good sign when you see that your hamster is very active as well as energetic throughout their day.
A hamster that is happy can have a lot of energy that they’ll definitely want to expend.
So they’ll want to run around and play as much as they can so that they can burn off a lot of their excess energy.
A hamster that’s not that happy won’t do this as much but instead, they will be very slow-moving or they may not want to move as much at all as well.
So it’s definitely a good thing when you see that your hamster has a decent amount of energy and moves around a lot.
When Hamsters Play With Their Bedding They’re Happy
Hamsters really love a lot of piled up bedding that they can play with and burrow in when they feel like it.
It’s one of the activities that they enjoy doing every now and then. So if your hamster is playing and burrowing in their bedding then it’s a good way to tell that they’re happy.
Hamsters can move their bedding around for a few reasons but usually, it’s an activity that can make them feel happier when they’re feeling down.
So if you see your hamster moving around their bedding or making a little nest out of it then it’s a good thing.
Because this is just one of those little tasks that they really enjoy doing when they’re happy.
Hamsters That Are Happy Will Exercise
When a hamster is feeling content with everything around them they will exercise a lot.
The reason why is that happiness can give a hamster a good amount of energy and they’ll need a way that’ll help them get rid of all the extra energy.
There are a lot of different ways that they can choose that will help with this, and one of the most common ways that they can do this is by running on their exercise wheel.
You’ll see them run for a few minutes and you’ll even see them run for a long period of time as well. Sometimes it can even seem like they’re running too much on their wheel too.
But whether your hamster runs for a little while or runs for a long time, either way, it’s a great way to know if they’re feeling happy.
Playing With Their Toys Shows That A Hamster Is Happy
Another great way to tell if your hamster is feeling happy is if you see them consistently playing with their toys.
If they’re not playing with their toys as much or have stopped playing with them in general, then that might mean that they’re bored.
Hamsters can get bored very easily, so to keep them happy it’s a good idea to rotate different toys into their cage that they can play with.
That way there will always be something new and interesting for them to interact with and chew on to keep them happy and from feeling too bored.
Hamsters That Show Curiosity Are Happy
If you notice that your hamster is very curious then it’s a good way to tell that they’re feeling happy.
Hamsters are naturally curious animals, so if they are showing some form of curiosity then you know that everything is normal and okay with them.
That curiosity can lead them to happily explore different parts of their cage and any of the new items that you give them to play with.
Hamsters naturally get scared easily too though. So you have to know when that curiosity means that they’re happy.
What you’ll usually notice is that you won’t see too many signs of them being scared or stressed as they’re getting their natural urge to be curious out of their system.
When A Hamster Responds Quickly You Know That They’re Happy
When a hamster is comfortable with you and is feeling happy they will usually respond quickly to you when you speak to them.
Now that doesn’t mean that they know what you’re saying when you speak to them, but it’s more likely that it’s the sound of your voice that makes them happy.
When they’re feeling happy they’ll respond quickly to you in general as well.
So even if you’re not speaking directly to them but instead just come up to their cage you’ll notice that they’ll come to see you too.
They’ll usually come out of their homes or stop what they’re doing just so that they can interact with you because that’s something that they really enjoy doing.
A Happy Hamster Won’t Hide From You
One last way to know if your hamster is happy is if they like you enough to not hide from you when you come around them.
So if you walk past your hamster’s cage and they stick around instead of immediately running away and hiding from you, then you know that they trust you and are happy to be around you.
It can mean that they feel very safe and comfortable in your presence and love having you near them.
That is a really good sign because only a hamster that’s happy and comfortable will display this type of behavior around their owners.