Do Hamsters Like Music? (What Genres Do They Prefer?)

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Having a pet hamster is a fun and very interesting experience. Their funny behavior combined with their adorable appearance means there’s never a dull moment with your furry friend. However, while owning one of these little critters is a lot of fun, many owners also have a lot of questions about them. After all, they are exotic animals, and most people do not know everything about them. This often results in questions. One question that people often ask themselves is: “do hamsters like music?”.

Questions such as these are very important to ask yourself. After all, you don’t want to expose your hamster to something that they do not like.

Luckily, most hamsters do actually like music quite a bit! They do not enjoy all genres equally and you should never put the volume up too loud, but on the whole, they do definitely enjoy a good tune from time to time.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about playing music for your hamster!

do hamsters like music?

Do hamsters actually like music?

There are no scientific studies that confirm whether hamsters like music. However, experiments have been performed on mice and rats, which show that they do actually enjoy listening to music. Now, hamsters aren’t rats, but they’re both rodents and it’s not too big of a stretch to assume that they enjoy listening to some good tunes every now and then as well.

Anecdotal evidence supports this as well, with many hamster owners reporting that their pets seem to enjoy it when they put on some good music.

Of course, it is important to note that no two hamsters are the same. They’re all unique and have their own preferences. They like different foods, games, ways to be petted, and yes, even different music. Some like it more than others. The best way to figure out what kind of music your hamster enjoys the most is by simply playing them some and seeing how they react.

How can I tell whether my hamster likes music?

To tell whether your hamster likes the music that you’re playing you should keep an eye on their body language.

If you notice that they’re getting closer to the source of the sound and have relaxed body language it probably means that they’re enjoying it, or that they’re at least curious. On the other hand, if they’re moving away from the source of the sound and have tense body language they most likely do not enjoy it. It might scare them or they might simply find the sound unappealing. If this happens, it’s best to turn the music off.

Here are some body language signs to keep an eye out for to tell if they’re relaxed:

Signs your hamster enjoys the music 🎵
  • Stretching and yawning
  • Getting closer to the source of the sound
  • Erecting ears
  • Closing their eyes
  • Grooming

Here are some signals that they’re stressed:

Signs your hamster is not enjoying the music ❌
  • Chattering teeth
  • Running away and hiding
  • Ears forward with cheek pouches puffed up and mouth open
  • Narrowed ears and laid-back ears

What kinds of music do hamsters like?

Typically, hamsters enjoy classical, jazz, calm, and relaxing music. Of course, there are also hamsters that enjoy louder and more aggressive genres like rock and heavy metal, but that’s much less common.

The reason why they like calm genres such as classical and jazz the most is that they’re prey animals. Loud, unexpected noises can be very scary for them. Hamsters do not have very good vision. As such, they rely on their hearing a lot to make sure that there are no predators sneaking trying to attack them. Loud music makes this more difficult and can thus be stressful.

To figure out what kind of music your hamster likes most it’s a good idea to start playing some classical music since that seems to be the most popular genre among them. Look out for the signs mentioned above, if they don’t like it, try a different genre.

Did you know that there are even channels on YouTube that contain specialized playlists for hamsters? Check them out and see if maybe yours enjoys it!

How loud should the music be?

Hamsters have very sensitive ears. In the wild, they’re under constant threat of being attacked by predators. The wild world is very scary for them. Especially because they’re nocturnal, they rely heavily on their strong hearing to keep them safe.

Since their hearing is so sensitive, it’s important that you do not play the music too loudly. Even if the song you’re playing might not seem loud to you, hamsters have stronger hearing than us. As such, it might be too loud for them already.

The best way to go about it is to play the music at a low volume to ensure that you’re not damaging their sensitive ears. Keep an eye out for the stress signals mentioned above as well. If you notice that they’re showing signs of stress it might not be that they do hate music, it might simply mean that you’re playing it at too loud of a volume! Try turning down the volume a lot and see if the behavior of your furry friend changes at all.

Do all hamsters breeds enjoy music?

There are a total of 5 different hamster species that humans keep as pets. There are quite a few differences between them. Luckily enough, all the different types, from the larger Syrian hamster to the incredibly small Roborovski enjoy listening to music from time to time.

However, it should be noted that the dwarf hamster breeds are typically more scared and fearful. As such, they might be more easily intimidated by music.

Final words

Hamsters definitely like music, but they do not like all types equally. Typically, they prefer genres that are slow, calming, and soothing, such as classical and jazz over music that’s loud and exciting such as heavy metal. It’s important that you keep the volume down when playing music to them because their ears are very sensitive. Music that is too loud can easily be overwhelming for them.

ThePetFaq Team
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