The "High Four"?

[Rodentist]

You know, when they yawn and stretch out one little arm?

I have always wondered....it this just a big yawn, or some kind of greeting? All of my boys, and the Little Lady do this...and I swear it is some sort of hello, but I also fear I am falling victim to anthropomorphism? What do you guys think? Its awfully cute regardless.

 

[user 78]

I think it really is just a big yawn, although I've noticed my girls do it more often when trying to move about to come say hello anyhow.

 

[LA]

In one of Debbie's books it says that if you just enter the room or go near the cage or if they come out to see you and do that it is a form of greeting. I notice they do it when I go up and then Wayne will come up a minute later and they will do it twice.

 

[Melissa]

Maybe it's both, hehe.

 

[jorats]

When people started saying that the yawn was actually a greeting, I started observing my big colonies. And you know... they do it even with nobody around so that tells me it's just a big yawn.
When you first go up to the cage, you wake them up, so they naturally yawn and stretch. Some of us do the same when waking up.

 

[Bronwyn]

I think the yawn is just a yawn too. They'll do it after having been romping around the bed for an hour, or when they likely don't even know I'm still in the room. My dog and cat do it as well. Not to mention the hamsters from my childhood...and they weren't friendly/intelligent enough to do such a thing, lol.