Can Hamsters Climb?

Are you a proud owner of a hamster? Let me ask you a question. Does it climb over the cage walls, furniture, in your arms even on your dog? So, if the answer to these questions is yes, this would be the article for you. So, let’s find out this behavior of the hamsters.

Are hamsters good at climbing?

One might think that hamsters are not that great when it comes to climbing as they are too small. Hamsters are good at climbing. In fact, they would spend most of their time exploring things in the surrounding area. It would in fact make them happy and active. They really enjoy doing that as it will keep them busy and less stressed.

In fact, hamsters can climb up to 25 inches. They would usually use their nails to climb. Simultaneously, they pull themselves up using their strong muscles. It is noteworthy that hamsters can climb anything be it stairs, vertical tubes, ladders or even ropes. However, hamsters cannot climb the glass. They may hardly manage to climb the scale walls though.

Bear in mind if you spot your hamsters climbing, it could also be a sign of stress and anxiety. Furthermore, they would tend to climb cages with the purpose of escaping there. So, in that case, you should not consider it normal behavior.

Do hamsters like to climb?

Hamsters like to climb. That said, it would depend on the hamsters’ personalities. If you spot one hamster climbing, you cannot assume that all hamsters can climb.  However, many hamster species do this to explore the environment. You could commonly spot them doing this, especially during the night.  Hamsters may keep climbing as they would do this as a way of releasing their stress. In other words, climbing would make the unhappy hamsters happy.

Even though hamsters are big fans of climbing, they may probably end up hurting themselves when they try to climb. Hamsters don’t have proper eyesight and they may not have a precise idea on what exactly is In Front of them. Chances are that they may miss the step. So, if your hamster is somewhat really keen on climbing, you need to ensure that they will not come across any obstacles or accidents.

These creatures are very curious animals who would prefer to have different kinds of toys when you keep them at home. They will climb to those toys and explore their surroundings as well. Furthermore, once they do the climbing, it would help their muscles to stay strong. However, they have to properly grip onto surfaces as if not they may slip off from the smooth surfaces.

Although hamsters are tiny creatures they are usually known as a strong set of animals. Hamsters have small limbs which can help them to hold their weight. Besides they would be crucial for pulling them up onto higher ledges with so much ease. That being said, if we consider hamsters such as Roborovski and Russian hamsters, they are not that interested in climbing. In other words, they are poor climbers as they don’t have the muscle tone or sufficient strength as the other larger hamsters.

Can hamsters climb straight up?

The answer depends on the surface they try to climb. If the surface is without holes and smooth like glass, they can not climb it. But if we are talking about a rough surface with a lot of holes, hamsters can easily climb straight up on that kind of surface. They use their tiny legs and sharp nails to climb rough surfaces.

Hamster climbing upside down

There are some hamster species that can climb upside down. In fact, they would find it easy rather than going back on the route they climbed. If you spot your hamster climbing upside down, it could be due to several reasons. For example, if they have excess energy they would tend to do that.

Suppose that hamster doesn’t have proper ways of burning their energy, then they may consider climbing upside down. Literally, If you have placed them in a  small cage without any item to keep them entertained,  they think climbing upside down is the best thing to do.  However, if you happen to see them climbing upside down,  it could be due to muscle fatigue or due to a loss of grip.

How steep can hamsters climb?

On average Hamsters can climb up to 7-15 inches. That said, there are certain hamster species that can climb up to 25 inches.

Can hamsters climb glass?

No they cannot climb the glass. The reason for that is because the surface of the glass is too smooth for them to dig in their claws and hold onto a grip. Many hamster owners tend to use glass tanks over barred cages simply due to this reason. Besides they cannot chew on the glass as well.

Hence it is very unlikely that there will be a risk of breaking their teeth or getting cracked. So, if you happen to see any hamster trying to climb out of the glass tank, it would be most probably due to the stress it is going through. This literally means they would want some stimulation in terms of mental well-being. Let’s talk more about this.

Why is my hamster trying to climb the glass?

If you place your hamster in a glass tank and if they try to climb the glass that means they are in some sort of discomfort. Besides, if they feel like they are under threat or if they don’t have adequate space, they will tend to climb the glass. Hamsters are quiet creatures. As such they will get afraid with the slightest uneasiness. Besides, hamsters are curious and they would want to explore the things around them. If you think this is the root cause for the hamsters’ climbing, you need to provide some item to grab their attention and to keep them entertained.

Apart from that, hamsters are usually an active set of animals and they would want to climb the glass due to that. Ideally, you can provide a hamster wheel to keep them occupied. Additionally, you can also provide them with an exercise ball as well. Furthermore, try giving them more space as they want to have adequate space to be happy and healthy.  In addition to that, if the hamsters are scared, they may also tend to climb the glasses to escape. If you observe that kind of situation, find out what scares them and solve it immediately.

Can hamsters climb stairs?

Hamsters can climb stairs very easily. So, if they happen to escape, they would very easily go up and down the stairs. Apart from that hamsters can jump pretty well too. In fact, they can jump up to seven inches in the air. That being said, there are some hamsters that can jump up to 15 inches in the air too. In fact, some hamster species can even jump up and down the stairs. Hence why you need to ensure that the hamsters don’t escape from the cages. If they happen to leave the cages, it would be difficult to locate them.

Hamster climbing wall

It would be somewhat rare to spot hamsters climbing the walls. Wall surfaces are smooth and flat. This means they cannot have a good grip on those as they climb. Having said that, hamsters can climb the corner of the wall using their limbs and shuffling them upwards. Further, if the wall is soft, they would use their nails and dig with them. However, it is very rare you could spot this happening as many hamsters species would tend to climb the walls only if there is a serious problem. For example, if they feel like they are exposed to a predator, they would climb walls.

Can Hamsters Climb Ladders?

Yes, they certainly can. However, they can climb the ladders, if it is not vertical and if it doesn’t have a steep incline only. So, if you happen to place a ladder at a 45-degree angle, it would be easy for the hamsters to climb the ladder. However if by any chance, they happen to climb the ladder, chances are that their steps could get stuck inside the ladder gaps. To avoid that happening you could consider using sphagnum moss so that it would avoid any potential injuries which may take place. Further, you may also come across safe and secure ladders in standard pet stores as well.

Can Hamsters Climb Rope?

Hamsters can climb on the ropes quite easily. Ropes usually have a rough texture which would allow the hamsters to grip onto those quite firmly. Many people tend to use ropes as a way of keeping them occupied. All you need to do is simply hang a piece of thick rope from the roof hamster’s cage. Thereafter you could place a large amount of bedding beneath so that it would be safe for the hamsters if they fall. Avoid putting anything hard as then it would be harmful to the pets.

Can hamsters climb smooth walls?

Hamsters cannot climb on smooth walls, as they will lose their grip when they try to climb on the smooth walls. There is no place to hold on therefore hamsters can not climb smooth walls.

Can hamsters climb plastic bins?

This depends on the hamsters’ size. If I further elaborate on this, a Syrian hamster would be able to climb the plastic bins quite easily. They would do that quite easily as long as you don’t put a lid on the bin. Considering that there is a lid on the plastic bin, then it would be really tough for them to climb the walls and rescue themselves from the bins.

However, sometimes hamsters may even tend to chew the plastic lids and then escape from the bins. Hamsters are renowned for their sharp teeth and chewing the lids is not a big deal for them at all.

On the other hand, if we consider the dwarf hamsters, they will not climb the plastic bins. They can chew the walls and escape from them. All they need is a little space to put their head.

Do hamsters like climbing toys?

Hamsters do like climbing toys as they prefer to jump and climb. For example, some of the dwarf hamster species are big fans of jumping and climbing. They are fond of climbing through tunnels or scrambling through vegetation. Hence, hamsters would love to have toys that would mimic those. So to do that, you could consider giving them a little rope to hang closer to the floor for them to hang and climb. Besides, you could also consider placing a climbing frame for them to play as well. However, I suggest you avoid providing any larger item. If you do so, it would hurt them.

Can Hamsters Climb Out of Their Cage?

Hamsters climbing out of the cage would depend on the cage’s size. For example, if it is the standard size, it is very unlikely that they will climb out of the cage. On average, hamsters can climb up to 18 inches and the majority of the cage walls are higher than this height. But if your hamster’s cage is smaller than that, they can easily climb and escape.

Read also : Why Is My Hamster Climbing The Cage?

How Do I Stop My Hamsters From Climbing The Cage

Hamsters are restless animals and they cannot stay still for a long time. They like to keep moving from one corner to the other corner. So, there is nothing much you could do to stop them from climbing. So, whenever you spot them climbing the hamsters, the best thing you could do is to hold them tight so that they will not break free and jump off from their hands. Furthermore, you need to provide adequate bedding in your hamster’s cage too.

My Hamster Does Not Climb Anymore!

If you happen to see that your hamsters are not climbing anymore, you need to start monitoring the situation. There could be a couple of reasons which could affect this. It could probably be due to a recent fall that your hamsters have experienced. Further, if they are traumatized it could also stop them from climbing. Furthermore, hamsters’ age could also play a major role in impacting the climbing. In addition to that, hamsters may not tend to climb if they are suffering from an injury too. So, if you come across any of these, pay a visit to the veterinarian and get their opinion on how to proceed with it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do Syrian hamsters like to climb?

Yes, Syrian hamsters like to climb and wander around large areas. This is how they have naturally constructed.

Can hamsters climb anything?

Hamsters can climb almost everything except a few (such as glass). Literally they can climb on anything where they can have a firm grip on.

Can dwarf hamsters climb vertical tubes

Hamsters can climb vertical tubes and those tubes mimic burrows they get in the wild. Due to this you could spot many cages coming up with the vertical tubes as well.

Conclusion

I hope now you were able to clear all the doubts you had in regards to hamsters climbing. To sum up, climbing is an activity that many hamsters would do as it would keep them entertained. However, you need to ensure that they don’t get hurt by doing this. Besides, you need to always keep monitoring them and see whether you could spot any sign of stress or fear too.

Trust now you are thorough with this subject and that now you know on the surfaces they would climb and the surfaces they would not be able to climb. On that note, it will be the end of this article and I hope you found this article informative and useful.