Beautiful view of Hamster

Hamsters: Diet, habits & types

Hamsters have stout bodies with short tails and small furry ears.

Hamsters are small rodents that are commonly kept as house pets. They are distinguishable from other rodents due to their short tails, stubby legs and small ears. Hamsters have many different colors, including black, grey, brown, white, yellow, red or a mixture of several colors.

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Hamsters are small rodents that are commonly kept as house pets. They are distinguishable from other rodents due to their short tails, stubby legs and small ears. Hamsters have many different colors, including black, grey, brown, white, yellow, red or a mixture of several colors.

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HOW BIG ARE HAMSTERS?
There are 24 species of hamsters, according to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, and these animals come in a wide range of sizes. The European breed can grow as large as 12.5 inches (32 centimeters) long and are some of the biggest varieties of hamsters, according to the journal Biomarkers in Toxicology.

The dwarf hamster lives up to its name. These tiny hamsters grow to around 2 to 4 inches (5.5 to 10.5 cm) long, according to AZ animals. The most common pet hamster, the Syrian hamster, also known as the teddy bear hamster or golden hamster, usually grows to about 6 inches (15.24 cm) long.

Some hamsters are very social, while others are loners. For example, the Syrian hamster doesn't like living near other hamsters, according to the Hamster Society Singapore. They are very territorial and should never be put in a cage with other hamsters. It will bite the other hamster, and may even kill it. Dwarf hamsters, on the other hand, are social and like to have a friend nearby.

Wild hamsters will hibernate if the weather gets cold enough. Hamsters will wake up from their hibernation periodically to eat, according to the journal Hormones and Behavior. If there isn't enough food stored, hamsters will wait to hibernate until their surplus is to their liking

Male and female hamsters waste no time when mating with one another. If you put two opposite gender hamsters into a cage together, the female will become pregnant very quickly. Their gestation period lasts 15 to 20 days, according to the Young People’s Trust for the Environment (YPTE).

After the birth, the litter is blind until they are two weeks old and at 3 to 4 weeks the young are weaned. Female European hamsters tend to have two to three litters per year, according to the journal Scientific Reports. Hamsters typically live one to two years, but can live up to three years in captivity.

Generally, hamsters are ideal house pets because they are gentle and are easy to take care of. They will bite when startled or scared, though. They will also bite if they are awakened during their sleeping time, according to Pets Radar. Since they sleep during the day and humans are awake during the day, this means that biting is more likely.

Hamsters have very poor eyesight. Their scent glands on their backs secrete an easily identifiable smell. To find their way around, they leave a trail of scent by rubbing their backs against objects, according to the journal Physiology and Behavior. When a hamster needs to find their way back home, they will use this scent trail as a guide.

Hamster's teeth grow continually, according to AZ Animals. Chewing on wood or twigs keeps their teeth short. Without something to chew on, their teeth would grow so long they would injure the roof of the mouth and lips.

A mother hamster is very protective. If she fears that her babies are in danger, she will put the babies in her mouth pouches and carry them to safety, according to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA).