A hamster is a small rodent that is very active at night. Hamsters have sharp front teeth that continue to grow throughout their lifetime. They use these sharp teeth for gnawing. Hamsters are very nimble and have lots of energy. In the wild, a hamster can run as far as five miles (eight kilometers) in a single night. Hamsters are nocturnal which means they sleep during the day and come out at night. Hamsters have poor eyesight, but they do have a keen sense of hearing and smell. They use their whiskers to feel their way around objects.
Hamsters were first known to be bred and kept as pets in England beginning around 1880. Unfortunately, they died out by 1910. Around 1930, more specimens were introduced back into England. These hamsters were found by a professor and his students while travelling in the Syrian desert. The descendants of these hamsters are what is known today as the Syrian Golden Hamster.
Although there are many types of hamsters in the wild, only a few types are kept as pets today. The most common is the Syrian or Golden hamster.
Syrian/ Golden Hamster:
Syrian hamsters are about 7??long and weigh about 6 oz.
Their life expectancy is about two to four years with most only living for two years.
Syrian hamsters come in a wide variety of colors and coat types now.
Pet stores give various names to different colored or coat type Syrians such as Teddy Bear or Black Bear hamsters.
Teddy Bears are really just long-haired Syrian hamsters and Black Bear hamsters are also just Syrian hamsters that are black.
Syrians are generally are very easy to tame and are friendly and active. Syrian hamsters are solitary creatures and upon sexually maturity must be kept in separate houses.
Dwarf Hamsters:
There are four types:
Djungarian (Russian Campbell)
Siberian (Russian Winter White
Roboroski (Roborosky)
Chinese
There are similarities among these dwarf hamsters, but there are also some important differences.
Djungarian dwarf hamsters are usually friendly and are the most common dwarf hamster found in pet stores. These dwarf hamsters are gray-brown to light gray on the back with ivory on their sides and white on the belly. They have a thin dark stripe down their back.
Campbell hamsters like to live in pairs or small groups, preferably of the same sex (unless you want a continuous supply of babies on your hands).
Djungarians or Campbells were named after W.C. Campbell who found them in Mongolia in 1902. These dwarf hamsters grow to about 3-4??(7.6 -10cm) and weigh about 1 oz (28.35g).
Their life span is about 1 1/2 to 2 years.
The Siberian (Russian Winter White) dwarf hamster is a close cousin of the Djungarian dwarf hamster. This dwarf hamster has a gray back, white belly with a dark line separating the gray and white fur. Their fur turns white in the winter (so they can hide from their enemies in the snow). They also have a thick, black stripe down their backs and a dark patch on the top of the head. The grow to about 4??(10cm) and can weigh between 1-2 oz.(28.35 - 56.70g).
Like Campbell hamsters, Siberian males can help raise babies and these hamsters can live in pairs or small groups.
Siberian hamsters live about 1 1/2 to 2 years.
The Roborovski is the smallest of the dwarf hamsters. They are very quick and jumpy which makes them hard to handle. They can live in pairs or small groups. They have a sandy colored coat ranging from brown to apricot and have a white patch above each eye. Roboroski hamsters grow to about 2??(5.1 cm) in length and weigh about 1/2 to 3/4 oz. (14 -21g).
The life expectancy of the Roboroski hamster is about 3-3 1/2 years.
The Chinese hamster is the least sociable and most aggressive of the dwarf hamsters. Some people do try to keep them in pairs or small groups, but they tend to fight and are best kept in separate cages. It has been my experience that they are not so easy to tame and tend to bite. The Chinese hamster has a gray or gray-brown coat and a light gray belly. They also have a dark stripe down their back and a dark patch on the top of the head. They grow to about 4-5??(10-13cm) and weigh about 1 to 1 1/2 oz. (28-42g).
They usually live about 1 1/2-2 years.
Orignal From: Types of Hamsters
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