Do Hamsters Have A Good Sense Of Smell? More About Hamster's Sense of Smell

If you’ve got a hamster, you know he’s a curious little creature, always sniffing out something new. But is that just curiosity, or does your hamster have an extraordinary sense of smell? Let’s dive into how well hamsters can actually sniff things out and whether they truly have a super-sense of smell.

Do Hamsters Have a Good Sense of Smell?

Yes, hamsters have an excellent sense of smell. In fact, their sense of smell is one of the primary ways they navigate their environment and make sense of the world around them. Since hamsters have poor eyesight, they rely heavily on their other senses, especially smell, to detect predators, find food, and even recognize their owners.

Humans don’t have the best sense of smell, so it can be surprising just how sensitive a hamster’s nose is. This heightened sense of smell makes them particularly sensitive to odors that might not even register to us. For instance, hamsters generally dislike citrus scents, finding them overwhelming. My hamster, Teddy, will scrunch up his face and scurry away whenever I’m peeling an orange nearby.

Hamsters Can Smell Anything on You

Because hamsters have such a keen sense of smell, they can pick up on all sorts of scents on you—whether it’s what you ate for lunch, who you hugged, or where you’ve been. This sensitivity means you need to be mindful of how strongly you smell when you’re handling your hamster.

Perfumes, essential oils, deodorants, and even fabric softeners can be too strong for a hamster’s nose. It’s best to wash your hands thoroughly with an unscented, antibacterial soap before interacting with your hamster to avoid overwhelming them or, worse, causing them to mistake your fingers for food. My girlfriend once made this mistake with Teddy after handling some cooked chicken. Teddy, thinking her fingers were food, bit down hard. She’s been wary of handling him ever since.

Hamsters Are Sensitive to Artificial Smells

Because of their strong sense of smell, hamsters are highly sensitive to artificial scents in their environment, such as air fresheners, scented candles, or even certain cleaning products. If you have any strong-smelling items in your home, it’s essential to keep them far away from your hamster’s cage. For example, we have an automatic air freshener in our home, but we always turn it off at night when Teddy’s cage is nearby to avoid bombarding him with strong smells.

The same goes for food. If you’re preparing or storing strongly scented food, keep it away from your hamster’s cage. The smell will drive your hamster wild and could encourage destructive behaviors like biting the bars of their cage, a habit that’s hard to break once it starts.

Syrians Can’t Really Stay Close to Each Other

It’s worth noting that Syrian hamsters are particularly territorial and can’t tolerate the scent of another hamster nearby, even if they’re in separate cages. Hamsters communicate through pheromones, and if your Syrian hamster can smell another hamster’s scent, it will become stressed and irritable. This can lead to marking behaviors where the hamster uses the scent glands on its hips to claim territory, which can exacerbate the tension between the two hamsters.

Keeping the Hamster’s Nose Healthy

Given how important their sense of smell is, it’s crucial to keep your hamster’s nose healthy and functioning well. Here are a few tips:

Maintain an Ideal Temperature

Keep the room temperature between 20-23°C (68-78°F). Hamsters are sensitive to temperature changes and can catch colds easily if it gets too chilly. A cold can impair their sense of smell, which is vital for their well-being.

Avoid Sharp or Rough Objects

Ensure that there are no sharp or rough objects in your hamster’s cage that could cause injury. Hamsters have poor eyesight and rely on touch and smell, so you need to keep their environment safe.

Keep Your Hands Clean

Always wash your hands before handling your hamster to avoid transferring any harmful bacteria or strong scents.

Avoid Dust

Hamsters are prone to respiratory issues, so keeping their environment as dust-free as possible is essential. Ensure that any bedding or substrate you use is low-dust and safe for small animals.

Use Safe Bedding

Wood shavings are a common bedding choice, but be careful to avoid pine shavings, as the phenols in pine can be harmful to hamsters. Also, check for dust in the bedding, as it can cause respiratory problems.

Conclusion

Your hamster’s sense of smell is one of its most important tools for interacting with the world. By understanding and respecting this powerful sense, you can create a safe and comfortable environment for your furry friend. From keeping your hands clean to avoiding strong artificial scents, small changes can make a big difference in your hamster’s quality of life.