Why Is Hamster Not Drinking Water? Causes And How To Solve It
Hamsters are adorable, friendly pets. They’re also extremely low-maintenance and relatively inexpensive pets to keep. However, you may have noticed that your hamster doesn’t drink water at times, and that can be a cause for worry.
Why is your hamster not drinking water? These pets can quickly become dehydrated due to their small size, which poses significant health risks. Age, the food the hamster is consuming, illness, a dislike of the flavor of the water, stress, hamster mental inactivity, and environmental changes are a few more reasons your pet might stop drinking water.
In this article, we will discuss what to do if your hamster is not drinking water.
My Hamster Not Drinking Water, Here’s Why
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Hamsters need to drink water to survive, just like other animals, so if your hamster isn’t drinking water, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Here are some reasons why your hamster might not be drinking water.
Medical Issues
Hamsters, like humans, have medical issues that can lead to not drinking water. Food and water are vital to a hamster’s health, but some problems can cause a hamster to stop drinking water. Listed below are some of the most common medical issues that hamsters face.
- Intestinal problems – include constipation, diarrhea, and other related conditions. These conditions can be caused by overeating food or not enough exercise. If a hamster suffers from any of these conditions, it will likely stop drinking water and food intake.
- Torpor – torpor is when a hamster enters hibernation mode during the colder months of winter or during times of stress (such as moving to a new home). Torpor is usually caused by lack of light in the cage or sudden temperature changes in the air outside of the cage. If left untreated for too long, this can lead to dehydration and hypothermia, so please seek medical attention immediately if you suspect your hamster has been affected by torpor.
- Dental problems: Your hamster may not be drinking water because it has dental issues and can’t open its mouth to drink. Visit a vet if you suspect your hamster has a problem with its teeth or gums.
- Pain: Hamsters can experience pain from many different causes, including injuries and infections, making it difficult to eat or drink normally. A vet may treat these issues before your hamster feels better enough to drink again.
Age
Hamsters can go through periods where they don’t drink much water. This is particularly true in older hamsters who may have lost some of their teeth and therefore have trouble drinking from bottles or sipper tubes.
Change in Diet
If you’ve recently switched your hamster’s diet, it could be that he is adjusting to the change and will return to his regular drinking habits soon.
Disliking the Water Taste
Some hamsters have preferences for what they eat and drink, just like humans do. If your hamster doesn’t like how the water tastes, he may avoid drinking it altogether. Try changing his drink to see if that helps.
Environmental Changes
The first thing to check is the environment. Is the cage getting too hot or cold? Are there too many people around the cage? Is it noisy? Is there too much light? All these things can cause stress, which can make your hamster stop drinking water.
Mental Stress
If your hamster has been stressed or frightened by an event, it can also stop drinking water. Things like being dropped off at a new home or moving to a new cage can cause your hamster to stop drinking water.
My New Hamster Is Not Drinking Water
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If you’ve just gotten a new hamster, you may wonder why your new hamster won’t drink water. It’s normal for them to refuse to drink water for the first few days. This is because they need time to settle in and get used to their new environment.
They might also feel insecure since it’s a new environment, so try to make them feel at home by putting them in familiar surroundings.
Offer them plenty of drinking water sources, such as a water bottle or a water bowl, so they can choose which one they prefer. Also, ensure that plenty of food is always available so they don’t starve while getting used to their surroundings!
Why Is My Syrian Hamster Not Drinking Water?
![Why Is My Syrian Hamster Not Drinking Water](https://caringtinypets.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Why-Is-My-Syrian-Hamster-Not-Drinking-Water.jpg)
As a Syrian hamster owner, you’re probably aware that your pet needs to drink water daily. For every 100 grams of body weight, a hamster has to drink around two teaspoons (or 10ml) of liquid daily. The daily water intake for Syrian male hamsters is approximately 5 ml. The daily water intake of Syrian female hamsters is about 14 ml.
However, it may suddenly stop it because of various factors like illness, change in weather, stress, and change in diet.
What to Do if Your Hamster Is Not Drinking Water
![What to Do if Your Hamster is Not Drinking Water](https://caringtinypets.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/What-to-Do-if-Your-Hamster-is-Not-Drinking-Water.jpg)
Is your hamster not drinking water? No problem! Here are some ways to get your hamster to drink more water.
Change Their Environment
If your hamster’s surroundings are dry and boring, they may not want to drink. Try changing their habitat by adding a little water feature or a bird bath—they’ll love the sound of running water and will be compelled to investigate it. You can also try putting food near the water source so that they get used to eating near it.
Make Sure They’re Comfortable
Hamsters don’t like being cold or wet, so make sure their cage is at room temperature and try not to change it up too much (i.e., don’t move them around too much or put them in different locations).
Add Flavor
Another thing you could try is adding some flavoring—like apple juice or orange juice—to the water so that it tastes better and makes your hamster more interested in drinking it.
Make Sure Their Cage Has Plenty of Water Available
Some people use an automatic watering system for this. However, if you’re not comfortable with that option, ensure you have a bowl or a water bottle that you regularly refill with fresh water.
Here are some of the common asked questions.
Why do I never see my hamster drink water?
It could be sickness, a change of environment, a change of diet, or stress.
What do you do if your hamster is not drinking water?
If you suspect your hamster is not drinking because of illness or stress, take him to the vet immediately so they can check him out and ensure everything is okay.
Why is my new hamster not drinking water?
He may be feeling insecure in his new environment and not want to take a chance with eating or drinking anything until he feels more comfortable and secure.
Why is my Syrian hamster not drinking water?
It might be due to the change in environment, diet, or other factors contributing to hamsters’ stress.
Bottom Line
A hamster not drinking water can be caused by one of several reasons, including change in diet, medical conditions, age, change in environment and others. Notably, most of them aren’t particularly serious. However, if your pet has been refusing to drink water for some time now and hasn’t shown any signs of recovery, it is advisable to take it to the vet for a check-up.