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Ever wondered about hamster cheeks? Do their cheeks store food? Why do they stuff their cheeks full in the way that they do? Well the first time you see a hamster stuff its cheeks it is, admittedly, rather amusing! They shovel it in and their cheeks become fatter. But what’s even funnier is they way they ‘unload’ them at lightening speed! My Benji would ’empty’ his pouch into a stash near his bed and then slowly start nibbling when he was actually ready to eat it!
Hamster Cheeks
Hamster cheeks are actually pouches that can be used for storage — they work a bit like inflating a balloon. These large pockets stretch all the way back to a hamster’s shoulders. All of my hamsters have stored food in their cheeks. Try it with a line of fruit and nut mix when you fetch him out of the cage — you will notice it disappearing into his cheeks quite rapidly! He’s not eating it fast, he is storing it for later! They also like to store seeds in there such as sunflower seeds.
