Hamsters are interesting and fun pets that run and play all the time in their cage. But sometimes they know how to suddenly stop and stare into space.
This behavior can scare you and make you wonder why the hamster is behaving like that.
Why does my hamster stare Into Space?
Hamsters stare into space because they want to find out if there is any danger to them and if they should hide and run. When hamsters stare into space, it can also mean that they have a momentary fear of some sounds in the environment, or pain and injuries, and old age.
In today’s article, you will learn why hamsters stare into space, what are the most common reasons for this behavior, and why they sometimes stare at their owners.
Why does my hamster stare Into Space?
Hamsters often stare into space, it’s their natural behavior. But hamsters also stare into space for many other reasons:
- watch out for dangers
- due to fatigue
- because they have poor eyesight
- old age
- when they are sick or in pain
- certain sounds
All of these reasons cause your pet to stare off into space, so let’s read more about each of them.
They look out for dangers
Hamsters stare into space to detect danger near them. Hamsters are usually prey in nature, and therefore they have to be careful and run away from various predators all the time.
When the hamster looks into space, it freezes and tries to be still without making any sound, so that it can hear well if there is any danger nearby.
This way of behaving and staring into space helps them in their life in the wild so that they can survive and save themselves from predators.
Realistically, the hamster that you keep at home does not have this danger, but still, they have kept this natural instinct and will always use it.
Because of fatigue
Yes, when hamsters are tired they stare into space. For example, when they wake up after sleeping, they stare into space and that is completely normal.
Hamsters stare into space in between grooming, drinking, and eating. Staring off into space when awake allows them to be alert to their surroundings.
Hamsters stare into space even before they go to sleep, and then they will go into their hiding places and bedding to sleep.
Because they have poor eyesight
Hamsters have naturally very poor eyesight, so they use their senses to function normally.
When we see the hamster staring into space, in fact, he does not see anything in front of him, he uses his sense of smell and hearing to examine the environment to know if there is any danger.
Hamsters can’t see more than a few inches in front of them.
When hamsters stare into space, they raise their noses, making it easier for them to detect and recognize smells in their environment.
Old age
Sometimes hamsters stare off into space because of their old age which is unfortunately fast approaching.
As hamsters get older, they become slower and are not as active as they were when they were young, which is why you can often see them stop and stare into space.
Hamsters, unfortunately, age quickly due to their fast metabolism which consumes their organs faster, they are already old when they are two years old and their life is coming to an end.
When they are sick or in pain
Hamsters stare into space when they are sick or have some kind of pain in their body.
They then move less, become uninterested in what is happening in their primary surroundings, and stare into space.
When hamsters are sick or in pain, they try to hide from predators because they think that their weakness will be used to attack them, which certainly won’t happen in a cage.
In addition to staring into space when sick, hamsters also show symptoms such as the following:
- diarrhea
- lethargy
- loss of appetite
- dropping certain voices
- runny nose
- have discharge from the eyes
- the fur becomes greasy and loses its shine
When you notice that your hamsters are staring into space and have these symptoms then you should take them to the vet to have them examined and see what kind of disease it is.
Certain sounds
Hamsters have very poor eyesight, but that’s why their senses of hearing and smell are very strong and they can notice if something is happening in their environment.
If the hamster hears a sound in the environment it immediately stops and stares into space to determine where the sound is coming from.
The hamster will stare into space for a few seconds to check if the sounds are a threat to him, and then if the sound is not a threat he will continue his activities.
If he senses that the sound is a danger, he will run away and hide in his hiding place until the danger passes.
Why do hamsters sometimes suddenly freeze?
In addition to staring into space, hamsters can sometimes freeze suddenly in the place where they are.
This happens because at that moment the hamster has fear or is frightened by something in their environment.
Freezing is a natural instinct of hamsters that they have preserved from nature and helps them when they are in danger to pretend that they are dead, which often saves their lives.
When the predator comes and sees that the hamster is not moving it may give up on attacking the hamster, thinking it is dead.
Hamsters freeze for a few seconds, and sometimes it can take several minutes, until the danger or something that scares the hamster is no longer nearby.
Hamsters freeze for a variety of reasons such as:
- too much light
- sudden sounds, loud noises, or music
- if there are other pets such as cats near them
- if there are any new smells that are not familiar to them
When hamsters stare and then freeze it usually happens for similar and many times the same reasons.
Why is the hamster staring at me?
When a hamster stares at you, it’s not actually looking at you, it’s looking in your direction.
Hamsters have very poor eyesight and they cannot see you as they can only see a few inches in front of them.
The hamster appears to be staring at you because it has picked up your scent and remains still and stares to judge whether it is you or another person.
Therefore, whenever you approach the hamster, it is best to speak to it so that it can recognize you by your voice.
The hamster recognizes your smell and will then stop staring at you, but if it is someone unknown then the hamster will get annoyed and probably after a few seconds it will run away to its hiding place.
Read more: Does My Hamster Understand me When I Speak to Him?
Why is my hamster staring at the wall?
The main reason why Hamsters stare at the wall is because of their curiosity,
But there are other reasons such as chewing food, it can also be when they are thinking about something.
Hamsters stare at the wall for the same reasons they stare into space, such as the danger of predators or some noise in their environment.
Read more: Is Digging Normal for Hamsters? Let’s Find Out
Conclusion
Hamsters stare into space because of danger from predators, because of sounds near them, because of fatigue, and because they have poor eyesight.
They sometimes stare into space and if they are sick or because of their age when the movement is much slower.
Either way, staring into space is a way hamsters momentarily stop to notice what’s going on around them, and it lasts for a few seconds or maybe minutes.
They stare off into space and then either continue to behave normally or run into their hiding place if they think there is potential danger nearby.
Read more: How Fast Is A Hamster? Let’s Find Out
