Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:08 pm
Hamsters are fun pets that run and play all day, Our furry friends can run very fast, even though they have small legs they are still very fast and active.
I truly enjoy watching them move around me as if they don’t get tired, but it seems that’s not quite the case.
For hamsters to last the whole day, they need to have a faster metabolism. When their metabolism works faster, the organs in their body work faster.
Their heart starts to work faster than usual, and you must be wondering why our furry friend’s heart works so fast.
Is their fast heartbeat dangerous for them?
That’s why in today’s article we will find out the answer to all these questions, so let’s start right away.
Why Is My Hamsters Heart Beating So Fast?
In hamsters, there are several reasons why their heart beats so fast, and one of them is the lungs.
They have small lungs, which need blood to be able to persist when they run and play, more precisely, breathing itself faster needs more blood to be able to have the primary functioning of the lungs, otherwise, they will not be able to breathe.
Their heart beats faster so that blood can pass more easily and quickly to all the parts of the body that need it.
The body weight of hamsters is very small and therefore they need their heart to pump blood much more often because there is not so much blood in their body.
After all, hamsters have a short life span, because when they run and play most of the time, their heart beats faster, and a faster heartbeat reduces the life span of our furry friends.
A faster heartbeat provides blood to all the organs of the body. Hamsters have to spend a lot of energy and strength every day because they are very small.
Our pets spend a lot of energy running and playing, but also for any other activity. For them, eating food, ie chewing itself, is a challenge and a waste of energy.
That’s why their heart always works fast, and when they are sick, their heart works very fast again, all in order to be able to achieve a proper flow of blood and oxygen to all their organs.
How to measure pulse rate in hamsters?
To measure the pulse in hamsters you need to put your thumb over their rib cage.
A normal heart rate for our pets is between 70 and 230 beats per minute.
However, everything depends on the current situation in which the hamsters are, whether they are resting, whether they are running, etc.
The heart rate of hamsters differs depending on gender, male hamsters have fewer pulses than female hamsters, because they are stronger.
Is heart attack dangerous for hamsters?
As we said, the heart of hamsters works fast and under normal conditions, but if you notice that it works too fast and when they are not running and playing, then something is wrong with your pet, it could be a sign of a heart attack.
In these situations, you should take the hamster to a veterinarian to examine them and find out the reason for their fast heart rate.
If you ignore this problem, your pet may have a heart attack, so don’t wait too long, take action as soon as you can.
When hamsters are stressed and depressed, do their hearts beat faster?
Yes, when hamsters are under stress or depression, or when they are sick, their heart beats much faster than usual.
When our pet is under stress, his heart beats 30% faster than usual.
When they are sick, we should provide them with care and attention so that they get better faster.
We should take care that our pet has a pleasant environment so that it is not under stress or depression, we should pay attention to the following factors:
- to make no noise around him
- that there are no unknown persons
- not to keep other pets such as cats
- normal room temperature
All these factors affect your pet not to be under stress or depression, so his heart will not beat so fast.
How does a hamster’s heartbeat when it sleeps?
When hamsters sleep, their heart beats faster, especially during winter periods and low temperatures, so our pets save the energy they need.
During cold periods, their heart rate increases, so they can produce more energy and warm up.
When hamsters sleep on cold winter days, they save energy, and their heart rate decreases, which is not the best because it leads to a decrease in breathing.
How fast is a hamster’s heart rate?
When hamsters spend the day most normally, then their heart works fast and of course, their breathing is accelerated.
The heartbeat of hamsters depends on their size, the smaller the hamster, the faster the pulse and breathing.
Usually, their heartbeats from 100 to 300 times per minute, while in small hamsters it can reach up to 1000 beats per minute.
If the hamster’s heart rate is lower than normal, then you should take it to the doctor.
Why is the heartbeat of small hamsters very fast?
Depending on the size of the hamster depends on how fast its heart will beat.
In small hamsters, the heart beats more because it has to get enough blood pumping with oxygen for its body.
While in large hamsters the effort to pump blood is reduced due to their size, they require much less effort.
Read more: How Smart Are Hamsters? (Memory, Recognition)
Hamster’s heartbeat FAQs
How fast is a hamster’s heartbeat?
Hamsters’ heartbeats from 100 to 300 times per minute, while in small hamsters it can reach up to 1000 beats per minute.
How do you check a hamster’s pulse?
To check the pulse in hamsters you need to put your thumb over their rib cage.
Conclusion
Hamsters have a fast heart rate because they are very small and always need a lot of energy to meet their daily needs.
Our pets use a lot of energy to eat, run and play. Only by making their heart work quickly can they reach the required level of daily activity.
The fast working of their heart is a powerful factor in their life span, the faster their heart works, the less they live.
Read more: Why Is My Hamsters Eye Bulging? All You Need To Know
