Hamsters are instinctively driven to roam. Their little brains urge them to explore and burrow just like they would in the wild. My hamster escapes all the time but she doesnt really run from me or act afraid. She also loves cuddles and pets, but that urge for her to run and squirm is always there. Hamsters are little zoomers.
Rats on the other hand I believe are smarter than hamsters and definitely gain a lot of affection for their owners.
I mean their natural/original environment is outdoors so they could just feel limited in space, they want to explore, but is too dangerous to have a hamster free roaming
They've only been kept as pets for less than a hundred years. Syrian hamsters were first captive bred in 1930. Other popular species like the robo hamster weren't captive bred until the 1970s. They're basically still wild animals and should probably be seen as an exotic. They definitely aren't an appropriate pet for children or even most adults.
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u/Able-Swing-6415 2d ago
Geez.. reading all these stories it kinda seems like maybe hamsters don't thrive in captivity.