If you own a pet hamster, admit it or not; you may have Googled about this topic a few times and found nothing useful. But really, do hamsters fart and if they do, what could be the motivation behind this slightly uncomfortable action? Read on for more information on the topic.
Hamsters are fluffy and cute animals, and this is why most people like to keep them as pets. They are monogastric omnivores, which means that just like humans and dogs, they have a single-chambered stomach. The difference is that they have a much smaller digestive system.
Table of Contents
More About Hamsters
Hamsters belong to the biological order, Rodentia, which means that they are similar to rats. They are small, fluffy and one of the cutest animals to own as pets. Because of their fur, they look almost tailless.
People keep them as pets because they are relatively cleaner, affordable to manage and accessible too. Aside from the above facts, hamster owners don’t know much about their digestive system and how it works.
What is a Fart?
According to Dani Rabaiotti of the Zoological Society, London, “fart” is not a scientific word. It is not that easy to define the term because it comprises of different biological processes. Farts consist of the gas particles that most animals release from the opposite end of their mouth.
This is, indeed, the simplest definition of the term. Many researchers and biologists still don’t know whether all animals fart or not.
Farts across the Animal Kingdom
Animals can exhibit different behavior when it comes farting. For humans and many other mammals, this process occurs because of digestion. Our guts have good bacteria and microbes that aid in digestion and break down food. This leads to the productions of gases like carbon dioxide and methane.
These microbes especially help us to digest fibrous food elements, such as grains, fruits, and many vegetables. Horses fart the most because their diet mostly consists of grains and vegetables. So, the more fibrous food we have, the more farts we will give. This is the same for elephants and rhinos.
Zebras and other animals may fart when startled. Cows fart and burp a lot; around 200 kgs of methane gas every year. Octopuses expel out a jet of water, also referred to as the “pseudo-fart,” which enables them to swim faster. Whales fart a lot too, and many marine biologists have even captured it on their cameras.
Farting in Omnivores and Carnivores
Similarly, omnivores and carnivores eat a lot of meat which produces farts too. Red meat is full of sulfur which is a great contributor to gassiness. Lions, tigers, and cats fart too, and the gas they release is primarily methane.
Human beings fart up to 11 times a day on an average. There are some species in the animal kingdom that swallow air and release it out as farts.
Hamsters And Rats Fart Too
Let’s talk about hamsters now, shall we? If you own a pet hamster, you need to know that its digestive system works differently from most of the other mammals. It is relative to rats and so, has a similar process for digestion.
Rats and hamsters cannot burp or regurgitate, but they can release the smelliest farts. You can’t hear their farting sounds because these animals are tiny, but if you reward them with treats, you are inevitably going to smell them. This is why experts recommend giving a moderate diet to hamsters and rats, including some veggies, fruits, and other nutritious food elements.
A Hamster’s Digestive System
As a pet hamster owner, you might have seen your buddy eat a lot. This is because the bacteria in its alimentary canal, starting from the mouth to the anus, break down the food particles to release nutrients. However, a big chunk of these foods passes out through the anus in the form of droppings. Thus, your fluffy buddy consumes a lot of food all the time to have more energy.
Hamsters love to eat seeds, nuts, and vegetables, but since they are tiny, they eat in small portions. Hence, they digest food quickly and become hungry again. You, as a pet owner, should not give too much food to your hamster because it will decay very quickly and might cause health problems. Also, hamsters love to stuff their mouth with food at once so be sure to offer food to them in small portions.
Your pet’s stomach has two parts; the first one is a forestomach and the second is the glandular stomach, separated by a ridge.
The Fore Stomach
The lining of a hamster’s forestomach has muscularis mucosae, having muscularisinterna and externa. In addition to this, it also has three types of gastric glands located near the ridge, having mucous glands which aid in digestion.
The Glandular Stomach
This section has a simple columnar epithelium which contains some gastric glands. Some of these glands include the muscularis interna and externa, the muscularis mucosae, the lamina propria, the serosa, and the submucosa. If for any reason, indigestion occurs in a hamster’s stomach, it will stop eating. It could be because of gas or some other issues. Visiting a vet may help under severe conditions.
A hamster’s digestive system also has a cecum, a pouch-like organ connected to the intestines, responsible for microbial fermentation. Bacteria and enzymes break down the food particles, and as a result, your pet farts. This means that yes, your hamster does fart and it can be very smelly too.
Conclusion
In light of the information above on a hamster’s digestive system, it is evident that hamsters do fart just like some other mammals. They may spread a stinky gas in the air, but you still can’t resist their cuteness. The only difference between humans and hamsters in relation to farting is that unlike us, theirs is more of an involuntary action than it is an act of mischief.
If you own more house pets, you may need to know more about their digestive systems too. Cats and dogs also fart, and the smell of their farts depends on their diet. Parrots can’t fart but they mimic human fart sounds quite well.
You May Also Interested In:
- 6 Best Rated Hamster Wheels Reviews and Buying Guide
- Can Hamsters Eat Cheese?
- Are Hamsters Smart?
- Can Hamsters Eat Carrots?
- 5 Signs Your Hamster Is Dying
- 5 Things About Can Cats Eat Cilantro
- Can Hamsters Eat Apples?
- Do Hamsters Shed?
- What Fruit Can Hamsters Eat?
- Do Hamsters Eat Meat?
- Are Hamsters Omnivores?
- Hamster vs Guinea Pig: Which Pet Is The Best For Me?