Why Does My Hamster Stare at Me? [Updated]

There are many different reasons why your hamster might be staring at you. One of the main reasons is that your hamster is scared and watching you because they see you as a potential threat. Another reason is that your hamster is simply curious about what you are doing. Other reasons include that your hamster is hungry and wants you to feed them, or even they are just bored and want some attention.

If your hamster is always staring at you it might leave you wondering why. The majority of the time there’s nothing to worry about. If your hamster is bored, you can simply just play with them. If your hamster is hungry you can just feed them. The time your hamster staring at you might become an issue is when it’s scared of you. If you feel your hamster is scared of you it’s important to take steps to make your hamster feel comfortable around you. If your presence causes fear and anxiety to your hamster you might have to worry about the health implications that come with stress.

Why Is My Hamster Staring at Me [Top Reasons]

Here are the most common reasons why a hamster stares at his owner:

Your Hamster Is Staring Because They Want Feeding

A lot of the time hamsters will stare at their owners because they relate their owners with food. If they see their owner they will instantly expect that they are going to be fed. To a hamster food is pretty much the most important thing in the world so you can guarantee it’s on your hamster’s mind most of the time.

Don’t worry if your hamster is staring at you because they want food, it is normal behavior and it’s nothing to be concerned about.

Your Hamster Is Sleeping With Its Eyes Open and Not Staring at You

It might sound strange but it’s perfectly normal for hamsters to sleep with their eyes open. If you are worried that your hamster isn’t getting enough sleep try to take note of their sleeping habits and help where you can.

It’s totally understandable that you might be a bit confused by hamsters sleeping with their eyes open and mistake it for staring. So next time you feel like your hamster is staring you out, try approaching it slowly to see if it’s sleeping.

Your Hamster Could Be Daydreaming

Hamsters like humans have been known to daydream. Hamsters sometimes are semi-conscious which means they’re not really asleep and not really fully awake either. If you see your hamster staring into space while standing up, don’t worry maybe they are just daydreaming about their favorite food or running wild on their spinning wheel.

Your Hamster Is Staring at You Because They Feel Threatened

This is the most likely cause of hamsters staring. Hamsters stare at things they feel threatened by. It’s no surprise that a hamster would be scared of a human even though it’s their owner. Hamsters are just not smart enough to always understand what and who they are looking at them. This can cause confusion and ends up with your hamster being scared.

If you are frightening your hamster it’s important to try to stop and rethink the way you approach your interactions with your hamster. Try a more gentle, slow way of approaching. Anything that is less threatening is a good start.

Hamsters will sometimes become aggressive when they feel threatened, they will even hiss at times to warn the person or animal that they might bite. If your hamster is hissing or displaying aggressive behavior it’s important to give them some space and leave them alone for a while and reapproach later.

Staring is a natural response for hamsters when they feel scared or threatened, so there is no need to worry if your hamster does this from time to time. Just be sure to create a calm and safe environment for them to live in so that they do not have to constantly feel on edge.

Your Hamster Is Starting at You Because He Wants Attention

Hamsters sometimes stare at their owners because they want attention. By starting at you your hamster is hoping that you might notice them and give them some much-needed attention.

If you feel like your hamster is constantly staring at you be sure to go give them some attention. Give them something to play with and keep them mentally stimulated. Nobody wants a bored hamster!

Your Hamster Might Stare at You Because It Can Sense You but Not See You Properly

A number of hamsters suffer from a condition called microphthalmia which is a condition that affects a hamster’s eyes. Hamsters are not known to have fairly poor eyesight and at times might be able to sense or hear something but not see it. This causes a hamster to mindless stare in the direction of the noise.

If you believe that your hamster is suffering from some form of eye condition it’s important to contact your local vet or seek help online.

Your Hamster Is Staring at You to Show Their Affection

Hamsters have a natural instinct to stare at nearly anything that moves, and that includes you. A lot of the time hamsters are trying to figure out if the person or animal they are looking at is a friend or foe. If your hamster is able to establish that you are friendly they might stare at you to show their affection.

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Conclusion

There are a large number of reasons why hamsters stare at people. In most cases its because the hamster is scared but there are times when a hamster is doing the other things we mentioned already in our list. Whatever the reason its usually nothing to worry about. Staring in hamsters is a common behavior and is nothing to worry about. If you are interested in learning more about hamsters feel free to read some of our other hamster-related articles.