Interesting facts about the steppe zone hamsters. Interesting facts about Djungarian and Syrian hamsters. Hamsters are extremely mobile animals. In the wild, they travel long distances in search of food. Therefore, a pet hamster should have a running wheel.

Because of their adorable appearance and their restless breed, hamsters often attract attention and generate a lot of curiosity, especially among children.

However, it is very important to inform yourself of everything you need to know about hamsters before getting one. Once all the important facts about hamsters are known, one can begin to understand their needs, their respective behavioral characteristics, and how to care for them.

For this reason, if you are thinking about getting a hamster as a pet or you are interested in learning more about these wonderful rodents, take a look at this article. Here we look at the 10 most interesting facts about hamsters.

There are many different types of hamsters

Although hamsters look physically similar to the naked eye, there are actually 24 different types of hamsters. The most popular types of hamsters are:

Golden hamster.
Chinese hamster.
Djungarian hamster (Russian hamster).
Roborovsky hamster.

Knowing the characteristics of each species is important in order to know how to provide them with appropriate care.

Hamsters are prone to stress

In the wild, hamsters are easy prey for many predators. For this reason, hamsters are constantly alert and able to react quickly to any danger. Therefore, the hamster is prone to stress and because of this needs a very positive environment in order to feel comfortable and safe.

Stress in hamsters has many causes, such as:

Passive lifestyle.
Weak mental stimulation.
Insufficient hygiene in the environment (cage).
Nutritional deficiency.
Pathologies that cause pain in hamsters or change their feelings.

Therefore, it is very important to know the symptoms of stress in a hamster. If you notice any signs of stress in your animal, we recommend taking it to the veterinarian in order to monitor the stress as quickly and adequately as possible.

Hamsters have a short lifespan

While a hamster's longevity varies depending on its breed, hamsters generally have a short lifespan. Of course, this lifespan can be longer or shorter depending on the care received and environmental conditions. In general, it is believed that a hamster can live from two to four years.

This life expectancy of hamsters should be taken into account before purchasing a pet, especially for a child.

Although these rodents usually require simpler care in regards to their health and well being, they will not be able to live as long as a cat or dog. Therefore, before buying a hamster for a child, it is important that you explain to the child in advance that hamsters have a short lifespan.

Hamsters eat their babies

Animal cannibalism has been the subject of numerous scientific studies, and even today it is not possible to state with complete certainty what the exact causes of such behavior are.

In hamsters, this phenomenon is of particular curiosity and concern, but in general we can confirm that this is because the mother hamster considers her children to be weak or unable to survive.

However, there are other possible reasons that confirm why your hamster kills its children, such as:

The stress of feeding and breeding a very large litter.
Nutritional deficiency in hamster children.
Having a hamster dad in a cage.
Lack of space in a hamster cage.
The nest of the female is located too far from the place where she breeds.

Sex identification in hamsters

Finding out the sex of your rodent is easier than you probably thought. The main way you can determine your hamster's gender is by looking at his tail. You need to observe the perianal zone of the rodent, which is just below its tail, and apply a little pressure to separate the hair from the skin.

In males, this area is more pronounced than in females due to the presence of her testicles. In addition, the distance between the anus and the penis is greater in the male hamster.

You can also check the umbilical gland to determine the sex of your hamsters. In male hamsters, a small “navel” can be seen in the umbilical zone, which is more noticeable than in females.

However, ideally you should wait until the hamster is sexually mature to correctly determine its gender. In general, these little rodents mature and become sexually active very quickly, about 30 to 50 days after birth.

After puberty, the hamster is ready to mate and breed. Therefore, it is very important to know about the reproductive cycle of a hamster. If you want to avoid unwanted litters, we recommend keeping your males and females in separate cages.

Hamster teeth never stop growing

Hamster teeth, as well as other rodent teeth, never stop growing. Thus, the hamster must constantly sharpen his teeth in order to maintain the optimal and symmetrical length of the teeth.

In the wild, hamsters look for small pieces of broken tree trunks or branches, which they chew to keep their teeth straight. However, in the case of pet hamsters, it is their owners who should be responsible for providing such elements to their pets.

In general, we recommend offering your hamsters twigs from fruit trees. Ideally, you should consult with your veterinarian on how to properly provide your hamster with proper dental care.

It's also very important to make sure that any branches or pieces of wood you offer your hamster are organic. The reason for this is that some trees may be covered in pesticides that are poisonous to hamsters.

Hamster Diet

The care and feeding of a hamster is an important aspect of hamster breeding, which allows us to strengthen their immune system, prevent diseases and ensure an optimal quality of life. Hamsters are omnivores that enjoy a varied and balanced diet that fully meets their nutritional needs.

There are commercial foods specifically designed for hamsters that facilitate the function of providing nutrients in a balanced way. However, we also recommend offering your hamster very healthy fresh, natural and organic foods.

These organic hamster foods include: grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables that are healthy. Of course, make sure you don't feed your hamsters food that is toxic to them.

Hamsters are nocturnal animals

Depending on the species, most pet hamsters are nocturnal. For this reason, it is not strange to see that many hamsters remain especially active at night or in the morning.

Hamsters have particularly large eyes that are dominated by rods and photoreceptor cells that are responsible for vision when there is little light in the environment. Therefore, we recommend avoiding disturbing your hamsters during the day when they are sleeping or resting.

Hamsters love to explore.

Hamsters are very curious animals and they love to dig and sniff their environment. Hamsters primarily use their whiskers to detect and collect various information about the various elements embedded in their space. Also, don't forget that these rodents usually burrow in the wild. This is why you should always offer this tunnel spot in its nest.

Hamsters are very smart

Like many other rodents, hamsters are especially intelligent animals. In addition to enjoying their well-developed senses like smell and hearing (especially important for socializing), hamsters can quickly learn tricks and exercises.

By using positive reinforcement in training, the hamster can begin to associate certain actions with certain events and episodes. For example, a dog clicker can be a good tool to use while training a hamster.

Mice are colorblind and do not tolerate daylight very well. are nocturnal creatures

Mice have an acute sense of smell and hearing. Their hearing range is similar to that of humans, but they can also hear in the ultrasonic range, and can communicate with each other using ultrasound.

The mouse has two thymuses (the thymus is the organ of lymphopoiesis, in which the maturation, differentiation and immunological "training" of T-cells of the immune system takes place). One is about the size of a pea and is located in the chest, and the other is the size of a pinhead and is located in the neck near the trachea.

The chemical composition of urine in male mice is very different from that of females.

Newborn mice that are born at any time of the year except spring are blind at birth and have no fur.

Mice can sleep for 12 hours a day.

Hamster Facts:

Hamsters are omnivores: they can eat seeds, grains, grasses, and even insects.

Hamsters have numerous offspring

Only 5 kinds of hamsters can be kept as pets

The Syrian hamster is the most common species found as a pet.

Syrian hamsters are tolerant of alcohol: long-term storage of fruits in the cheeks can lead to their fermentation

Hamsters are colorblind and also nearsighted.

Hamsters can burrow into the ground for shelter, where they dig holes about a meter deep and make several rooms within their underground homes.

The cheeks of hamsters can stretch until the head is two or three times the size of the animal itself. The female can even carry her babies in her mouth.

Hamsters have a short lifespan, maximum 4 years.

Hamsters have short tails: 2 -4 cm

Syrian hamsters were first mentioned by Alexander Russell in 1797 as a new rodent species in his publication: The Natural History of Aleppo. Of course, the interesting facts about rodents do not end there.

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Despite the fact that hamsters are far from humans in progressive evolutionary terms, their habits and habits are almost 100% similar to human ones.

These rodents, like people, can suffer from depression, rejoice, be offended, and even quarrel with each other.

To date, 19 species of the hamster subfamily are known, but some of them are either not fully understood or are considered extinct.

God did not reward these lovely creatures with good eyesight. Plus, hamsters see everything in black and white. However, they have well-developed hearing, smell and memory. Presumably, hamsters remember well their relatives in the 4th-5th generation, with whom they lived in the same cage.

An interesting fact is that hamsters swim well. They can draw a large amount of air into their cheeks, thereby creating an air cushion to keep them on the water.

Hamsters are one of the few animal species that are born with teeth. They grow throughout life, and if the hamster does not grind them down, the teeth will begin to bring discomfort to the animal.

Many people think that hamsters are vegetarians. But this opinion is deeply mistaken. In wildlife, these rodents make up for the lack of proteins and carbohydrates by eating bugs and worms. And at home, it doesn’t hurt to give a small pet a piece of chicken meat, offal, or a peeled shrimp.

An ascetic lifestyle will not upset a hamster at all, but then a caring owner must equip the cage with special miniature simulators so that the animal can expend energy.

The sad fact is that hamsters live no more than 5 years, but during this period they can give from 6 to 20 litters of offspring.

Hamsters, like true friends, feel the mood of a person well, so if you are sad, a little friend will try his best to cheer you up.

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Hamsters are cute pets that many people enjoy keeping at home, but few people know that in the wild these funny animals lead a rather aggressive lifestyle. They fearlessly attack any enemy that encroaches on their mink, and fights among themselves among hamsters are sometimes distinguished by cruelty. Although, of course, it's hard to believe it, looking like a fluffy pet running diligently in the wheel.

There are many types of hamsters in the world. The largest of them reach a weight of 400-450 grams, and the weight of the smallest representatives of the hamster family does not exceed 10 grams.

All of them have developed cheek pouches where they hide their prey.
Some types of hamsters live in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 4 kilometers.
The tendency of hamsters to make huge food supplies stems from the fact that they do not hibernate for the winter and need something to eat.
Female hamsters raise cubs alone - males do not take any part in the fate of the offspring.
These rodents willingly feed on grain and plants, but do not disdain animal food, even hunting frogs and lizards.
The rat-like hamster really justifies its name - outwardly it looks more like a rat, although it is not.
In the wild, hamsters mostly prefer to live in the steppes and deserts.
Most hamsters are excellent swimmers, and they puff out their cheeks and use them as floats to float more confidently on the water.
In Vietnam, the law prohibits keeping hamsters at home, as these animals can carry some dangerous diseases.
Females of some hamster species can delay pregnancy if they are still nursing the previous brood.
Hamsters do not know how to distinguish colors, and in general their vision leaves much to be desired, but their sense of smell and hearing are at their best.
In their cheek pouches, hamsters are able to drag food in huge quantities - at a time, a hamster can shove about one-fifth of its own body weight into its cheeks.

Hamsters living in North America like to carry various shiny objects into their minks.
The teeth of these animals grow throughout their lives, so they need to constantly gnaw something in order to grind them down.
Hamsters do not know how to recognize height, and therefore can easily fall and break. This is due to the fact that in their natural habitat they simply did not develop a sense of height.
Their pregnancy lasts only 2-3 weeks, depending on the species.
In most cases, hamsters easily remember the name given to them. Although not all of them are attached to the owners.
Baby hamsters are born with teeth.
The famous Syrian hamster is listed in the Red Book, as it is currently on the verge of extinction.

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A lot of things can surprise you in these animals. Most of the myths about them do not correspond to reality.

Teeth

This organ distinguishes rodents from all other animals. They are even born with teeth. But not everyone knows interesting facts about hamsters regarding these organs:

hamster teeth do not have roots;
each individual has only four of them;
hamsters teeth grow all their lives;
so that they fit in the mouth, they are regularly ground down on a stone.

Wool

An amazing discovery was made by the Oxford University zoologist Kingdon, investigating the phenomenon of the shaggy African hamster, which was also called poisonous. This rodent kills predators exceeding its size and strength.

It turned out that the hairs of a hamster in a fur coat are arranged unusually. Outside, they have microscopic holes resembling a carved lattice. Because of this, the hairs absorb liquid and hold inside. Rubbing the fur with the juice of a poisonous plant, the hamster becomes dangerous to those who try to bite him.

cheek pouches

This is the most important distinguishing feature of all hamsters. In them, the animals hide food and everything that interests them. Having reached his shelter, the hamster dumps what he has brought and hides it.

The rodent is able to drag at one time in the cheek pouches a burden that makes up a fifth of its weight.

Cheek pouches are necessary for the hamster to gather supplies in the mink.

In addition to food, animals are attracted to various shiny objects. Moreover, a greedy hamster, having hidden a heavy metal nut behind his cheek, can die of hunger, without leaving his place because of the excessive weight of the burden, but he will not dare to spit out the find.

With the help of cheek pouches, rodents are excellent swimmers. They take in air in them and therefore are easily kept on the surface of the water. True, they cannot dive.

Offspring

Hamsters can bring offspring from 2 to 4 times a year. A female dzhungarik can be fertilized right on the day of birth. Pregnancy lasts 16-18 days, and feeding the cubs - 21.

So that one offspring does not interfere with another, the female can delay the onset of childbirth.
Usually there are no more than 8 hamsters in a litter. However, in the USA in 1974, on February 28, the Miller family was incredibly surprised when their pet brought 26 cubs at once.

Interesting facts about the common hamster: cannibal warrior

In addition to the domesticated species of these cute fluffies, their wild relatives still exist in nature. Steppe hamster (ordinary) is a real thunderstorm not only for fields and gardens, but also for animals. They say about them that, attacking a dog or a hare, these rodents win and ... feast on the fresh meat of their victim.

Hamster

They do not disdain to taste the flesh of a rival kinsman defeated in battle. These warlike creatures fight for possession of a female, for territory, protecting their supplies.

They say about steppe hamsters that they even attack humans. In fact, no deaths have been reported. Mostly zealous owners simply scare away a person, protecting the territory.

Interesting facts about Syrian hamsters: about food, friendship and family ties

These domestic rodents are not as warlike as wild steppe ones. But, preferring a solitary lifestyle, they will not tolerate a stranger on their territory. The Syrian hamster will ruthlessly bite to death the weaker one, which the inexperienced owner decides to hook up with him.

There is no concept of relationship for him. If he is not resettled in time, even his own offspring will suffer.

An interesting discovery about hamsters and food was made by zoologists: these rodents are omnivores. In addition to grains, seeds and fruits, they need animal protein. In nature, animals get it by hunting for insects, small living creatures, eating carrion. In captivity, they must be given boiled lean poultry meat, fish, otherwise the pet becomes aggressive and bites. The female may even eat her own offspring for this reason.

Djungarian hamsters, unlike other types of hamsters, have an interesting ability of the body - to fall into a stupor (not to be confused with hibernation!). This condition lasts for several hours and is most often associated with a low ambient temperature. There are also cases when hamsters fell into a stupor due to severe stress.

Interesting Facts About Roborovski Hamsters

Roborovsky hamsters are the smallest among relatives. They are distinguished from other species by their friendliness and love of communication. They get along well with each other in the same cage. The main condition is the presence of an equal number of females and males. Although one male and several females will coexist remarkably in a cage. Aggression in this case is not observed. Indeed, in nature, male hamsters usually take care of not one female, but several.

Which breed of hamster lives the longest

Among rodents, a long-liver can be considered an individual that celebrated its fourth birthday. The usual lifespan of Jungarians and Campbell's hamsters is from 2 to 3 years. Roborovsky hamsters live a little longer - up to 3.5 years. But there are facts of longevity. Cases have been noted when representatives of dwarf breeds broke a record of 5 years. Syrian hamsters officially declared a period of 3.5 years.

There is a legend on the Internet that the oldest hamster in the world lived to be 19 years old. However, no confirmation of this fact was found.

Records: the fattest hamster in the world, the largest and smallest

Rodents with cheek pouches are known about 19 breeds. Among them there are tiny dwarfs - PeeWee from the UK, which has a length of only 2.5 cm with a tail. But this is not a natural phenomenon, but a physical deviation, due to which the animal stopped growing in childhood.

Hamster - dwarf PeeWee

Among the wild hamsters of Radde, a male 35 centimeters long and weighing just over a kilogram is registered. This fattest hamster prepared for the winter stocks not only in the pantry, but also accumulated on his sides.

Although the average hamster Radde stands out among his relatives: his weight ranges from 500 to 700 g. People call him nothing more than a “dog”.

most expensive hamster

The price of the animal depends on whether it is sold by a private person, a pet store or a nursery, whether the animal has documents with a pedigree and how rare the rodent breed is.

You can buy a hamster from a private trader 5 times cheaper than in a nursery. But there is no guarantee that the animal is healthy, that it has good genes. In a pet store, animals are sold after being checked by a veterinarian. However, sellers will not be able to guarantee a good pedigree there either. Therefore, if it is important for the owner to get a real thoroughbred pet, it is better to pay more, but get what you want without cheating and with supporting documents.

The most rare is the Roborovsky hamster. They were brought to Russia in 1970. But only recently it was possible to develop a species capable of breeding in captivity.

A married couple should be purchased immediately. It will cost about 2000 rubles.

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The smallest and largest hamster

The largest are individuals of the European breed. They can reach up to 35 cm in length.

Dwarf hamsters are considered the smallest, growing up to 10 cm in length and no more than 5.5 cm in width.
Dwarf hamsters have another interesting feature - they live the longest (up to 4 years).

Found high in the mountains

Hamsters can be found at altitudes up to 3600 km above sea level. Campbell's hamster in the mountainous part of its habitat rises to a height of 2500-3500 km. However, these rodents mainly live in forests, steppes and deserts, and are often found in fields and gardens.

swim well

Hamsters can swim by taking air into their cheek pouches. They usually go for such a feat if necessary. Wild hamsters are more courageous and persistent, but swimming can be stressful for domestic sissies.
However, among the jungars sometimes there are individuals who do not mind floundering in the water.

Make large supplies of food

Domestic hamsters, even if they get enough food, tend to stock up. They hide part of the food in their cheek pouches and carry it to a storage location. When his supplies are removed during the cleaning of the cage, he experiences stress.
In the wild, hamsters are rodents that, in the course of their life, cause great harm to agriculture, storing grain for the winter. Farmers sometimes make a lot of efforts to get rid of these pests. However, this wild rodent is fearless and cunning. Rapid reproduction, high vitality and unpretentiousness, the ability to quickly build minks and underground passages to them greatly complicate the fight against such pests. These underground burrows can store a very large supply of hamsters from local agricultural fields.

Among hamsters there are predators

It is a mistake to think that hamsters eat only plant products. Under natural conditions, these rodents also feed on insects, and in domesticated conditions, pieces of boiled chicken or low-fat fish, eggs and cottage cheese are quite suitable for them. Protein nutrition is especially important for pregnant and lactating females.

Can store food in the cheeks

Hamsters can keep food supplies behind their cheeks in so-called pouches for a sufficiently long period of time in order to eat it after a while.
At the same time, they are capable of storing reserves behind their cheeks in a volume that reaches approximately 20% of the weight of their own carcass.

Viet Nam banned from staying at home

There is a clause in the Vietnamese legislation according to which it is privately forbidden to keep and breed hamsters as pets, as they are carriers of many infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, a very urgent disease for developing countries. In case of violation of this law, a decent fine is provided.

The bite of wild hamsters is mainly dangerous, but the bite of a pet should be washed and disinfected.

quick-witted

Hamsters are very smart:

they can be taught to do some tricks;
respond to your own nickname;
they remember their relatives and caged neighbors.

The best time for accustoming to a nickname and learning tricks is from 2 weeks to 2.5 months of age. Hamsters can be taught to stand on their hind legs, climb on their shoulders and sit there like a parrot, roll over, go through an obstacle course, and raise a fake barbell. Jungars who love to jump can be taught to jump through a hoop. You can combine learned tricks and create a whole circus performance. You can not train a pregnant animal during the mating period, shout at him and show aggression during training, demand more than the animal can perform.

Colorblind

Hamsters have poor eyesight and use their sense of smell and hearing more. They see no further than 16 cm from themselves. But they have glands that secrete a specific smell, with which they mark their path on various objects. These animals are color blind, as they do not distinguish colors at all and perceive everything with their vision in black and white.

Are born with teeth

These rodents are born already with teeth. Moreover, in hamsters, the growth of teeth does not stop throughout their life. They grow all the time and need constant grinding.

Hamsters are interesting and funny pets, they can swim, they can even be trained, accustomed to a nickname. However, do not demand too much from your pets, take care of them and give them enough attention.

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Some More Exciting Hamster Facts

Syrian hamsters live on their own, they are solitary creatures and need their own space. If placed with other hamsters, they will become very aggressive and may even kill them.
The natural habitat of hamsters is shrinking all over the world. As a result, hamster populations are now under threat, and some species are on the verge of extinction.
Hamsters do not have very good eyesight, they are very short sighted and rely more on their sense of smell. Hamsters have scent glands that they use to leave marks on rocks and other objects, marking their path.
Hamsters do not distinguish color, i.e. they are colorblind
When they are frightened, they may bite, but usually hamsters are kind and gentle creatures and love to play with their owners.
Hamsters are quite easy to train to do various tricks and respond to their name.
Hamsters usually live between two and three years, however, one year of a human life is equivalent to about 25 years of a hamster's life!
A male hamster is sometimes called a boar, and a female hamster is sometimes called a sow.

As mentioned earlier, the most popular hamster breed today is the golden hamster, which is native to the desert regions of Syria in the Middle East. Here are some fun and exciting facts about him:

Female golden hamsters are larger than males
Males live longer than females
Individuals of this breed should live independently and will not share their space with other hamsters.
Golden hamsters live an average of two to three years, but can live much longer, up to 5-6 years, if they are properly cared for and fed.
Ideal food for them would be special hamster food, yogurt and fresh vegetables, as well as access to fresh and clean water.
Golden Hamsters Need Daily Vitamin Supplements
Wild golden hamsters are very rare in nature, mostly only in some areas of Syria. These hamsters are believed to be endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this breed as "Vulnerable"
Golden hamsters have 4 toes on their front paws and 5 toes on their back paws.
The breed has at least 40 different color shades.
The largest litter that a female golden hamster gave birth to was over 20 cubs!
The gestation period for the female is 16 to 18 days, making it one of the shortest of all placental mammals in the world.
Virtually all domestic golden hamsters are descended from a single female who gave birth to 12 cubs in 1930.
Hamsters are quite intelligent, they can remember their relatives

Taking care of pet hamsters usually means creating the right environment for them. Since these smart little creatures love to interact with their owners, it's important that you play with them as much as possible. Therefore, placing a cage with hamsters in a room where people are always present is a great way to keep them from feeling sad. Also, if you decide to get a hamster, it is important to remember that they are great escapers and can move long distances - in one night a hamster can drive up to 10 kilometers on his wheel!

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Hamsters are cute, fluffy and funny rodents. They are quite popular pets. Interesting facts about hamsters will be presented in this article.

1. In total, about 25 species of hamsters are known, from the largest (European), reaching 34 centimeters in length, to the smallest (dwarf), not exceeding 6 centimeters.

2. Hamsters are extremely mobile animals. In the wild, they travel long distances in search of food. Therefore, a pet hamster should have a running wheel.

3. A well-known feature of hamsters is their cheek pouches. By the way, they can fit as much food as the hamster itself weighs.

4. Unfortunately, the hamster's age is very short. One year of life of an animal is equal to about 25 human years. It is easy to calculate that on average hamsters live 2-3 years.

5. The eyesight of hamsters is poor and lacks color perception. They are aided by keen hearing and sense of smell.

6. Hamsters are nocturnal mammals. They sleep during the day and are active at night.

7. Hamsters are quite smart animals, they can be trained to respond to their nickname, as well as perform various tricks.

8. The teeth of hamsters constantly grow throughout their lives, so they can gnaw at the cage or the objects that are in it.

9. Hamsters feed mainly on cereals, but they also use a variety of food sources, including insects and lizards.

10. Hamsters remember their relatives with whom they lived in the same cage.

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Appearance

A hamster is a very small rodent, from 9 to 30 cm. It has a dense build, short legs and tail, and small ears. Sometimes the hair on the tail is folded into a brush, and the tail can be longer than 2 cm. In general, the appearance of a hamster is similar to a mouse. These animals live in burrows and underground. The body of this animal is stocky or elongated, with a neck interception. The hind legs are longer, like the limbs of jerboas, have powerful claws on five fingers, of which the lateral ones are shorter than the middle ones.

Semi-aquatic forms of hamsters may have webbing between the toes of the hind limbs. So, in underground hamsters, the body has the shape of a roller, the neck practically does not stand out. The color varies from light to dark brown, the back is darker than the abdomen. Some species have a stripe along the spine, and spots on the front of the body.

For a large number of species, the coat is soft and smooth. The cheekbones of the hamster are low and round, rarely radiating back. Sometimes it also happens that the front section is shortened. The orbits of the eyes are small, the supraorbital processes of the frontal bones are absent. The bone of the upper jaw forms the cheekbone, which covers the outside of the hole under the eyes. The chewing muscle canal passes through the top. A distinctive feature of hamsters is their large cheek pouches, which are necessary for carrying food supplies.

Auditory openings vary in width, often enlarged. The lower jaw is usually with an angular process. The hamster has only 16 teeth, the anterior ones are larger than the posterior, cheek teeth with crowns located low or high. Cheek teeth with crowns of different heights, tuberculate, irregularities in two rows - a secondary complication of teeth, namely their shape. There are even teeth that take the form of a trihedral prism. These are fused dentin columns.

In the skeleton of the lower section, the fusion of two different-sized tibia bones is observed. The burrowing lifestyle made the limbs, ears, tail of hamsters shorter, incisors and claws became suitable for digging. Underground or semi-underground species have reduced eyes and isolation of the incisors from the mouth, but most hamsters retain large eyes, long tails, adapt to running, so their limbs are longer. If hamsters live near a pond, then they have the ability to swim. Adaptation to climbing is expressed in some members of the family.

Lone Animals

Hamsters are solitary animals, except for Roborovski hamsters. Therefore, in cages, even among individuals of different sexes, there may be fights, and a weak hamster may die. Also, the maintenance of females should be carried out more carefully: in Dzungarian, Syrian and Campbell hamsters, frequent births can be harmful to health. Late mating of the female will also be harmful - at the age of after a year. This leads to a lack of milk and maternal instinct.

reproduction

Reproduction takes place throughout the year in the south; in the north it is seasonal. The gestation period for a hamster is 16 to 35 days. From 2 to 18 cubs are born. Maturity comes early, by 40-50 days, but life expectancy is very short - 1-2 years, in captivity up to three years. This does not prevent their large numbers.

Hamster Habitat

Hamsters inhabit the earth over a vast territory. The exception is Antarctica and the island states - Iceland, the Arctic islands and the Australian-Malayan region, Iceland. Rodents can fill gardens, landscapes created by man.

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Djungarian hamster (lat. Phodopus sungorus) belongs to the rodent family. Its natural habitat is the South Siberian steppes. In nature, the Djungarian hamster lives in a hole and does not hibernate in winter. Outwardly, the animal looks like a big mouse with ears. His coat is fluffy, in summer it is gray, a noticeable dark strip runs along the ridge, in winter the rodent brightens and the cover becomes silver-gray. If you look closely at his habits, they are very similar to human ones. In particular, eating habits - hamsters hold treats with both paws and look very funny. They have impressive cheek pouches in which they collect all their supplies.

Such animals grow up to 10 centimeters in length, they weigh no more than 50 grams. These are very sociable and cute pets, with attentive black beady eyes and alert ears. The soles of the paws of hamsters are covered with wool. Pets should be handled with care - they are very fragile. Unlike the similar Campbell hamster, Djungarian hamsters are more peaceful: their counterparts tend to bite or be frightened by harsh sounds, while Djungarians are peaceful and somewhat phlegmatic.

photo: Djungarian hamster weigh no more than 50 grams

Djungarian hamsters are very clean and practically do not smell, so they will become wonderful pets. They are suitable even for a family with small children - they can sleep in their arms for a long time and love to be stroked. In a year, hamsters bring 2-3 litters, each of which has 3-9 babies. At the age of one month, they reach sexual maturity, so they will need to be planted in a separate cage. The pregnancy of a female hamster lasts 16-18 days.

photo: Djungarian hamster lives for about 2 years

As for the choice of housing for a hamster, it can be a cage with small cross bars or a glass aquarium. Here you can place a house, a feeder, a drinking bowl, a wheel for entertainment. If you wish, you can create several tunnels with the help of tubes and hoses - the animals love to climb them. Letting them run around the room, where they can easily get lost, is quite risky, it is better to choose a cage that is more spacious.

photo: Djungarian hamster is a nocturnal animal

In captivity, the Djungarian hamster can live 2-3 years;
Dzungaria are nocturnal creatures, the peak of their activity is in the evening and at night, but during the day they sleep;
Hamsters are very active creatures, they run long distances a day;
You will be able to make friends with your pet - at first he will hide in the far corners of the cage, but over time he will react to your voice, take food from your hands and even doze peacefully on your lap.

If you are interested in buying a Dzungarian hamster, then you can see and get to know them live in the UtiPuti petting zoo in Moscow, located near the Molodezhnaya metro station. Zoo staff will be happy to answer all your questions and give the necessary recommendations on keeping and caring for hamsters. Zoo website -

Hamsters, when kept as pets, are great little creatures. They love attention and love to play with their owners. They are cute, funny and extremely active little rodents, especially at night when the sun goes down. There are over 25 species of hamster, ranging from the large European hamster to the tiny dwarf hamster, many of which are popular pets.

Here we have presented some fun and interesting facts about these cute little animals, some of which you may already know.

Hamsters belong to the hamster family
The largest breed is the European hamster, which can grow up to 34 centimeters in length.
The smallest breed is the dwarf hamster, reaching 10.5 centimeters in length and 5.5 in width.
Some dwarf hamsters live to be 4 years old!
Some breeds of dwarf hamsters can delay pups if they are already feeding another brood!
Hamsters are nocturnal mammals, which means they are more active at night and sleep during the day.
Hamsters have a natural instinct to dig and burrow
The diet of hamsters consists of dried foods, nuts, seeds, vegetables and berries, but they are animals that are called omnivores, which means that they eat meat in the same way as vegetables.
Hamsters can store food in their cheeks, so they pick up available food and then take it back to their colony to eat later.
Hamsters have short tails, a broad body, small ears, short legs, wide feet, and large eyes.
They have dense fur that can be long or short. The coat color of hamsters can be black, brown, gray, yellow, white, red, or a mixture of any of these colors.
The most popular domestic hamster is the Syrian golden brown
The Syrian hamster can grow up to 15 cm in length and live up to 6 years with proper care.
There are 4 main breeds of hamsters: Syrian, Russian dwarf, Chinese and Roborovsky hamster

Hamsters have been kept as pets for quite some time now. For the first time they were found in Syria and got the name "hamsters" from the old German word "hamstern", which means "treasure" in translation. Although hamsters were first discovered in Syria, they are common in many other parts of the world.

Some More Exciting Hamster Facts

Syrian hamsters live on their own, they are solitary creatures and need their own space. If placed with other hamsters, they will become very aggressive and may even kill them.
The natural habitat of hamsters is shrinking all over the world. As a result, hamster populations are now under threat, and some species are on the verge of extinction.
Hamsters do not have very good eyesight, they are very short sighted and rely more on their sense of smell. Hamsters have scent glands that they use to leave marks on rocks and other objects, marking their path.
Hamsters do not distinguish color, i.e. they are colorblind
When they are frightened, they may bite, but usually hamsters are kind and gentle creatures and love to play with their owners.
Hamsters are quite easy to train to do various tricks and respond to their name.
Hamsters usually live between two and three years, however, one year of a human life is equivalent to about 25 years of a hamster's life!
A male hamster is sometimes called a boar and a female hamster is sometimes called a sow.

As mentioned earlier, the most popular hamster breed today is the golden hamster, which is native to the desert regions of Syria in the Middle East. Here are some fun and exciting facts about him:

Female golden hamsters are larger than males
Males live longer than females
Individuals of this breed should live independently and will not share their space with other hamsters.
Golden hamsters live an average of two to three years, but can live much longer, up to 5-6 years, if they are properly cared for and fed.
Ideal food for them would be special hamster food, yogurt and fresh vegetables, as well as access to fresh and clean water.
Golden Hamsters Need Daily Vitamin Supplements
Wild golden hamsters are very rare in nature, mostly only in some areas of Syria. These hamsters are believed to be endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this breed as "Vulnerable"
Golden hamsters have 4 toes on their front paws and 5 toes on their back paws.
The breed has at least 40 different color shades.
The largest litter that a female golden hamster gave birth to was over 20 cubs!
The gestation period for the female is 16 to 18 days, making it one of the shortest of all placental mammals in the world.
Virtually all domestic golden hamsters are descended from a single female who gave birth to 12 cubs in 1930.
Hamsters are quite intelligent, they can remember their relatives

The most interesting facts about hamsters will reveal many secrets about them. When nature created these fluffy and charming animals, she did not stint on fantasy.

The word "hamster" means "the earth-destroying enemy." Most likely, this means that the animal bends the stems of various cereals to taste the seeds.

From the article you will learn interesting facts about hamsters.

Hamster teeth

Surprisingly, hamsters are already born with teeth. The latter have some features that distinguish hamsters from other rodents:

such animals have only 4 incisors and 12 molars;
their teeth grow throughout their lives;
hamsters grind them on a stone;
The teeth of these rodents do not have roots.

Hamster hair

The hamster is an animal with fluffy and soft fur. But it is better not to touch the wool of the shaggy African hamster. This animal is able to destroy a predator that is stronger and larger than the rodent itself.

The hairs of the African hamster's coat are very unusual - on their surface there are small holes that vaguely resemble a carved lattice. Due to this, the hairs can absorb liquid and keep it inside. The hamster rubs its fur with the juice of poisonous plants, because of this, the animal becomes dangerous for anyone who wants to bite him.

Hamster cheek pouches

This feature distinguishes hamsters from other rodents. The cheeks of the animals are used to hide food and other things that will interest him. Cheeks are a kind of bag for a rodent, with the help of which he brings things to his home. Greedy little animals can put even a heavy nut behind the cheek. The hamster will not spit out a brilliant find, even if he finds something tasty.

A hamster can put a burden on the cheeks, which will be a fifth of the weight of the rodent itself.

Cheek pouches are not only a secure pocket for food, but also great airbags while swimming. Hamsters, gaining air in their cheeks, perfectly stay on the surface of the water.

Hamster offspring

Animals can carry offspring up to 4 times a year. A pregnant female walks for 18 days, and feeds her children up to 21 days. No more than 8 hamsters can be born at one time. By the way, the female Djungarian hamster is able to become pregnant again in the first days after childbirth. And the females of these animals can postpone the time of birth.

Some unusual facts about hamsters

Below are interesting facts about hamsters:

Despite the fact that hamsters are small in size, they are quite smart and often show ingenuity. If you give your pet a name, he will start responding to it pretty soon. Unfortunately, wild hamsters are not as smart as domestic ones.
Domestic hamsters perfectly remember their relatives, with whom they once lived in the same cage.
Many people think that the animal needs a couple, but this is far from the case. In reality, the situation is different - hamsters love loneliness and can live without a mate. On the contrary, if two hamsters are kept in a cage, then they will start a struggle for territory - this can lead to the death of animals.
One year for a hamster is equal to 25 years of human life. As a result, the animal lives no more than 4 years. Of course, the fact is sad enough for those who love small pets.
Hamsters have very poor eyesight. Basically, these tiny animals navigate based on their sense of smell and good hearing. They see the world around them in black and white.
Hamsters are small animals, but this fact does not prevent them from traveling great distances. Wild rodents run about 10 kilometers a day. Therefore, if you decide to get a hamster, then be sure to put a running wheel in his cage.
Many people think that a hamster only eats grains. A tiny animal will never refuse a piece of vegetable or fruit. Moreover, animal protein is a real delicacy for a hamster. In the wild, hamsters regularly eat worms and beetles. Treat your pets to pieces of chicken or fish.

These hamsters are wild relatives of domestic animals. The steppe common hamster is a thunderstorm for fields, vegetable gardens and animals. Many saw how these crumbs attacked a hare or a dog. The rodent won and immediately began to feast on the meat of the victim.

Hamsters fight not only with dogs, but also with their relatives. There can be many reasons for the battle: the protection of stocks, the desire to possess a female, the defense of one's territory, and so on.

There were cases when the steppe hamster attacked a person. A wild hamster attacks simply to defend its territory.

Wild hamsters of this species are very warlike. They can't stand outsiders in their territory. These rodents are solitary. If you decide to put a weaker animal in a cage with a Syrian hamster, you can be sure that the first will bite the second to death.

The Syrian hamster will not even transfer its offspring next to it - if the babies are not transplanted in time, they will be destroyed by the parent.

An interesting fact about hamsters was revealed by zoologists: these animals are omnivores. If you don't feed your pet meat and fish, it will become aggressive and bite. The female can even eat her newborn babies.

Djungarian hamsters

Here are some interesting facts about Djungarian hamsters. They have a very unusual feature - from time to time hamsters fall into a stupor. This state lasts about 2 hours. Usually the animals fall into a stupor if the ambient temperature is below normal. Stupor can also be caused by recent stress (for example, moving from a pet store to your home).

Unusual Facts About Roborovski Hamsters

This type of hamster is distinguished by its tiny size. They also differ from their relatives in sociability and friendliness. These animals need a pair. Hamsters will not show aggression, even if you place several males and one female in a cage.

What breed of hamster lives the longest

As mentioned above, hamsters live no more than 4 years. If the animal has lived these years, then it is considered a long-liver. Syrian hamsters live 3.5 years, Roborovsky hamsters - no more than 3 years. Dzungaria can live up to 4 years.

Hamster records: the largest and smallest

There are over 19 breeds of hamsters. Among them are dwarf English hamsters - PeeWee. Their length is about 2.5 centimeters along with the tail.

A case has been recorded when a hamster reached a length of 35 centimeters. This is a radde animal. Hamsters of this breed are considered the largest, their weight can reach about one kilogram.

How much does a hamster cost?

The price of a rodent depends on many factors:

from the one who sells the animal (pet store, private person or nursery);
availability of pedigree and documents;
how rare the animal is.

For example, a hamster in a private trader is much cheaper than in a nursery. But a private person will not give you a guarantee that the rodent is healthy and has a good heredity.

When buying an animal in a pet store, you can be sure that the hamster has been checked by a veterinarian, but there is also no guarantee of a good pedigree.

Therefore, if you want to get a thoroughbred hamster, then contact the nursery. For the rarest rodent, you will give no more than 1 thousand rubles.

Results

Hamsters are funny animals. If you decide to get this rodent, then be sure to study the features of the animal, as well as the distinctive features of each breed.

Do not forget to feed your pet with meat - this will help you avoid aggression from the animal. Be sure to put a stone in the cage so that the pet can grind down the teeth, and install the wheel - the hamster must actively move.