Do Hamsters Remember Abuse? | Testing Memory of Hamsters
Hamsters, little rodents with short bodies, are cute and liked by people a lot. But sometimes, people may misbehave or abuse these little creatures because of fun purposes or when they get annoyed by a certain deed by the hamster.
Now the question is, do hamsters remember abuse?
Yes, they may remember the abuse, but not for a long time. They remember the abuse and get into trauma for a period of time.
In this article, you will learn whether hamsters have a good memory, how long their memory stays, and whether they remember abuse or not.
Is a Hamster’s Memory Good?
A hamster has dull memory. That means, they can not keep their memory for a long time. As their brain is small and unsophisticated, they can keep memorizing things for a short amount of time only.
Do you know that Siberian hamsters can only receive information as much as the daylight they receive? This was researched at John Hopkins University.
In the little head of the cute little rodents, they can only remember a certain amount of things-
- Owners’ scents
- Burrow’s location
- Way out from a maze
- Food location
Because of spatial memory, they can remember these things strongly. But mostly they rely on their senses rather than memory power.
How Long can a Hamster’s Memory Stay?
As we know that a hamster’s memory does not last long, it can be difficult to accumulate the stationary time of their memory. As their memory stays as long as the daylight stays, it is totally uncertain when they will forget something.
But there is an interesting theory about hamsters. If a hamster gets the scent of something for more than a few weeks, it will remember it for months, even years too.
An example can be given like this, you are wearing the same perfume too often. It will, later on, stick to your hamster’s nose for a long time. Even it can remember you as long as it lives.
Now, hamsters do this because they can not see the world as we do. Do you know how hamsters see the world?
Do Hamsters Remember Abuse?
Whenever someone or something plays a significant role in a hamster’s life, they do not remember that much. Abusing is a vital thing a hamster remembers strongly.
If someone abuses hamsters for a good period of time, they will remember it for a long time. They will not remember forever, but will not forget that fast.
One of the biggest changes you will find in a hamster will be after getting abused, they will have a behavioral change. Now, how to understand their behavioral changes after being abused-
- They will go to the nearest burrow where they will feel safe.
- They will create unpleasant noises like hiss, scream, etc.
- They will freeze and stare off into space.
- The cute rodents will learn to avoid those things and places where they got abused.
This is not for hamsters, other types of rodent animals also do the same after being abused. And hamsters will try to find an escape route whenever they will find the smell of that unpleasant thing that abused them.
Now, the good part is that these cute little animals will gradually forget the abuse and will start living with new owners. They will also create new bondings with their new owners too.
But one thing is for sure, although they have a very dull memory, they will not forget the abuse that easily.
🐹 Read More: 5 Reasons Why Do Hamsters Die So Easily?| How to Prevent Sudden Death
FAQs
Do Hamsters Remember Their Owners?
Yes, hamsters do remember their owners. Now, how they remember their owners have a unique strategy. These mystical little creatures remember their owners by their scent.
Hamsters are one of the most fearful prey that does not bond with others easily. But once they make bonding with people, they will recognize them instantly.
Can Hamsters Remember Things?
Hamsters can not remember everything. They forget whatever happens like the daylight comes and goes.
But they remember certain things. Some of them are their burrows, owners, abuse, etc.
Final Words
As one of the cutest creatures, hamsters are known to all. But their dull memory makes them vulnerable. If someone abuses hamsters, do hamsters remember abuse?
Abusing hamsters is a bad thing as it may create traumatization on hamsters’ head. They may not become friendly later on as they keep the abuse in mind for a long time. Also, abusing them is a crime.
So, let’s not do animal abuse and keep them safe and sound.
