Watching your hamster pack items away in his cheek pouches can be a lot of fun, but why do hamsters put stuff in their cheek pouches anyway?

In the wild, having cheek pouches that extend all the way to the shoulder is very convenient. These pouches allow the hamster to pack a lot of food away in order to transport it back to the burrow. Some hamsters might transport bedding, or even their babies, in their cheek pouches!

Although your hamster doesn’t need to do this because he has constant access to food and bedding, he still has the instinct to pack his pouches. Just make sure you keep an eye on his behavior. Cheek pouches can become injured, or even hang out of your hamster’s mouth. If you worry that there’s something wrong with one of your hamster’s cheek pouches, schedule an appointment with your vet Carenco, LA.