Do Hamsters Chatter Their Teeth? (Sign Of Emotions!)
Hamsters are quite adorable because of their little, cute, furry, and fluffy appearance. Also, they express their emotions through various unusual activities. If you have Hamsters as a pet, their habit of Chattering teeth might make you perplexed.
So, do hamsters chatter their teeth? Yes, hamsters chatter their teeth whenever they feel irritated, annoyed, discomfort, scared, and hungry. Thus, chattering teeth is a very usual and common phenomenon for hamsters. But, excess teeth chatting can also be an indication of serious health issues.
In this article, we will enlighten you about some basic aspects of hamsters’ chattering teeth. So you’ll know when to worry about their teeth chattering and when you should consult a vet.
Why Do Hamsters Chatter Their Teeth?
Hamsters can’t communicate in words like humans, they make different types of sounds for communication purposes. Chattering their teeth is one of those.
When a hamster grinds their teeth together, the sound they make is known as a Chattering sound. They chatter with their teeth to express their emotions corresponding to their surroundings.
If you find your pet hamster chattering its teeth, you better keep your fingers away. It could be a sign that, if you disturb the hamster further, it’s going to bite you.
What does it mean when hamsters chatter their teeth? There could be various reasons behind it. Thus, if you saw your hamster chattering teeth, then a few common reasons could be responsible for that, such as:
Hunger
When they want to eat but can’t find any food, they make the usual sound of Chattering. Therefore, whenever they are chattering teeth, first look for their food situation. If their food bowl is empty, serve them food as soon as possible.
Aggression
Mainly, during the fight between two male hamsters, they show their aggression by chattering their teeth. They mainly do so to warn each other to stay away from their territory.
In this case, their chattering sound means they are at the horizon of their aggression. Thus, anytime a fight can break out if someone doesn’t separate them.
Annoyance
You might extend your hands to pet your hamsters, but find that they are chattering teeth at you. This means, they are irritated and annoyed about something at this time.
Therefore, it’s not the greatest time for you to pet your furry cutie. Because they don’t want to be around anyone at that time. Thus you should stop disturbing them for a while.
Nervous
Generally, hamsters of the Syrian variety are territorial. They don’t like to share their place. Certainly, when another one wants to invade their place, this leads to a serious case of nerves.
If you invade their places, they may feel uneasy. Their nervousness can lead to Chattering their teeth.
Heath issues
When they start to chatter their teeth a lot along with loss of appetite and weight loss, it is not normal. Therefore, it’s not a good sign when your Hamsters are not stressed, hungry, and threatened, but still chattering teeth.
In this case, visit a vet with your Hamsters as soon as possible
Is Chattering Teeth Bad For Hamsters?
It depends on the hamsters. If a hamster chatters its teeth due to its illness, undoubtedly it’s not acceptable. Consulting a vet is the priority here. Also, when they show aggression by chattering, they can get into physical conflict with other hamsters. This may cause physical injury and bleeding in their body.
On the other hand, if everything is okay, Chattering teeth could be helpful for them. They grind their teeth while chatting. That’s pretty helpful in preventing the overgrowth of their teeth.
Overgrown teeth can cause several health issues, including pain in their teeth. As a result, they won’t be able to eat properly, lose their appetite, and become grumpy.
Therefore, they need hard food for chewing, thus they can grind their teeth.
How To Tell Between Chattering Teeth And Stressed Hamsters?
The chattering teeth of hamsters could be a sign of their stress. Also, They may chatter their teeth because they are hungry, annoyed, angry, or sick.
Thus, this solely can’t be the indication of a stressed hamster. When your hamsters are in stress, they will show you some additional symptoms. Those symptoms include:
- Making many other noises along with chattering teeth.
- Biting their cage.
- Frequently standing up
- You will also find them climbing up on the side of their cage
- They will look unsettled.
- Will pace around their cage.
Your hamsters showing the above signs means they are under stress. So, you better check in their cage properly that nothing is wrong. Also, make sure you are providing them with enough food.
Could Hamsters’ Chattering Teeth Be A Sign Of Their Teeth Problem?
Yes. Hamsters’ Chattering teeth might be a sign of their dental problems. But, it’s not a clear sign and needs to be ascertained by other accompanying signs. Hamsters chatter their teeth even if they are completely fine and healthy. So, you just can’t be sure about their teeth problem just because they are chattering teeth.
But, if you find them chattering teeth and chewing on their cage bar a lot, it could indicate their dental problem. In this case, they might have pain and infections in their teeth. Besides, overgrowth of their teeth also can lead them to do so.
How To Soothe Hamsters When They Are Chattering Teeth?
When you find them doing so, you should try tricks to soothe them. Here are a few methods, that you can try to make your hamsters comfortable:
- When they are frightened because of any external stimulus: They can feel frightened when they see something unfamiliar or unusual and chatter with their teeth. Thus, you should add hiding props to their cage, so that they can hide inside or behind those props whenever they feel fear.
- When they are uncomfortable with skinship: Sometimes, they feel discomfort when you pick them up. Therefore, put them down if you find them uncomfortable in your hold. Let them settle down, then you can feed them some treats like leaf lettuce. And when they look settled, you can gradually pick them up.
- When They Are The Edge Of Fighting: If you find your Hamsters Chattering their teeth at each other, try to separate them. Otherwise, they may involve themselves in conflict.
- Add some playing props: You should add some playing props in their cage to eliminate their boredom. Also, you can add some gnawing toys. Thus, they can chew on those toys to prevent overgrowing of their teeth.
What Other Types Of Sounds Can My Hamsters Make Except Chattering?
Except for Chattering, Hamsters can make multiple types of sounds like squeaking, clicking, and hissing.
| Types of sounds | Reason |
| Squeaking | Whenever they feel distressed, scared, and agitated |
| Clicking | Whenever they are happy within their environment. |
| Hissing | When they feel afraid and startled. |
In case you’re confused about what a hamster chattering looks and sounds like, here’s a video just for you!
FAQs
In this section, we are going to answer several interesting questions that people mostly ask about hamsters’ chattering teeth.
Do Hamsters Chatter Their Teeth When They Are Happy?
No. Hamsters’ bruxing and chattering are not the same and usually, the bruxing means they are feeling happy.
On the other hand, they chatter with their teeth when they are in physical pain, aggression, boredom, and discomfort. This indicates that you should change something to make them happy.
Why Do My Hamsters Chatter Teeth While Sleeping?
This might happen because they are experiencing scary dreams which makes them aggressive and annoyed. Also, any usual smell that they are getting during their sleep, can cause discomfort to them.
Sometimes teeth problems can also cause discomfort to your Hamsters during sleep, causing them to chatter during sleeping.
Do Hamsters Chatter their Teeth When They are Happy?
No, it’s quite unlikely.
Parting Wisdom
Hamsters, chatter their teeth often to express their various emotions. Although frequent chattering is fine, excessive chattering is not a good sign for your hamsters.
It indicates that they are going through some physical illness. If you find them doing so, you better visit a vet for proper treatment of your Hamsters. However, chattering teeth aren’t a bad thing. It also has a few beneficial impacts like preventing teeth from overgrowing.
