i hope you learn as much as i did
Hamsters are mammals which belong to the rodent family having large incisor teeth that are continually growing necessitating gnawing to prevent the teeth from overgrowing. The word 'rodent' is derived from the latin word 'rodere' which means 'to gnaw'.
Hamsters form the Family Cricetidae which is broken down into different Genera (including Cricetulus, Phodopus and Calomyscus). Within each Genera are various species of hamster. There are many different species of hamsters throughout the world and most hamsters inhabit semi-desert areas where they live in burrows. These burrows consist of many tunnels and separate chambers including chambers where the hamster will store food and sleep. Hamsters are nocturnal, sleeping during the hot days and waking in the cooler evenings. They have very poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing.
Most species of hamsters have expandable cheekpouches in which they can carry food and bedding back to their burrow where they will store food. The word 'hamster' comes froms the German word 'hamstern' which means 'to hoard'.
Only a few hamster species are widely kept as pets but the hamster is the most popular of the smaller rodents kept as a pet in many countries today.
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The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster inhabits the Steppes and semi deserts of Central Asia; the Altai mountains Tuvinskaya Autonomous Region (Tuva), Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), and the adjacent parts of Heilungkiang and Hebei provinces of Northeastern China, where it lives in sand dunes.
The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster (sometimes incorrectly labelled as the Siberian Hamster in pet shops) is the more common than the other species of Dwarf Russian Hamster, the Dwarf Winter White Russian (Siberian) Hamster, and is often seen in pet shops in many countries today.
Both the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and the Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster are sometimes labelled as Djungarian Hamsters. The Russians themselves refer to the Dwarf Winter White as the Djungarian but American Scientists refer to the Campbells as the Djungarian. It is however a very misleading name as neither species actually inhabit the area of Djungaria.
The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster is approximately 10-12cm in length when full grown, with males being larger than females. The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster has a plump rounded body and expandable cheekpouches. Russian Hamsters have furry feet and are sometimes referred to as the Furry or Hairy Footed Hamster.
The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster is sociable and will live with others of its own kind in single or mixed sex groups provided that hamsters are introduced at a young age. The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster is nocturnal but can be quite active for short periods during the day. It makes a good pet although because of its small size it can be difficult for small children to handle. The Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster can also be less tolerant of clumsy handling than the bigger Syrian Hamster and more prone to nip when annoyed. They are able to squeeze through the bars of some hamster cages and so cages designed for mice, glass or plastic aquariums make more suitable cages. The average lifespan of the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster is 1½-2 years although they can live longer.
Due to the similar appearance of the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and the Winter White Russian hamster and their ability to interbreed it may be difficult to distinguish which species a particular hamster is. So how do you tell if you have a Campbells, a Winter White or a hybrid?
Due to the similar appearance of the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and the Winter White Russian Hamster and their ability to interbreed it may be difficult to distinguish which species a particular hamster is, or indeed if it is a hybrid of the two species.
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The Dwarf Winter White Russian originates from Eastern Kazakhastan and South West Siberia where it lives amongst grassy steppes.
The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is the least common of the two species of Dwarf Russian Hamster kept as pets and is therefore rarely seen in pet shops. The Dwarf Winter White Russian is sometimes also known as the Siberian Hamster.
Both the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and the Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster are sometimes labelled as Djungarian Hamsters. The Russians themselves refer to the Dwarf Winter White as the Djungarian but American Scientists refer the Campbells as the Djungarian. It is however a very misleading name as neither species actually inhabit the area of Djungaria.
The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is more compact in shape than the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and has more prominent eyes, a roman nose and a curved spine towards the rear giving it a bullet shaped body. Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters are approximately 8-10cm in length when full grown with males being larger than females. They have expandable cheekpouches. Russian Hamsters have furry feet and are sometimes referred to as the Furry or Hairy Footed Hamster.
The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is so called because of its tendency to turn white in the winter. This is due to the shorter daylight hours and the hamster's coat may become lighter or have white patches or become almost completely white. Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters do not normally breed when in their winter white coat.
The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is sociable and will live with others of its own kind in single or mixed sex groups provided that hamsters are introduced at a young age. The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is nocturnal but can be quite active for short periods during the day. It makes a good pet although because of its small size it can be difficult for small children to handle. The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster can also be less tolerant of clumsy handling than the bigger Syrian Hamster but is generally nice natured. They are able to squeeze through the bars of some hamster cages and so cages designed for mice, glass or plastic aquariums make more suitable cages. The average lifespan of the Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is 1½-2 years although they can live longer.
Due to the similar appearance of the Dwarf Campbells Russian Hamster and the Winter White Russian Hamster and their ability to interbreed it may be difficult to distinguish which species a particular hamster is, or indeed if it is a hybrid of the two species.
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The Chinese Hamster originates from Northern China and Mongolia and is not technically a Dwarf Hamster but is often referred to as such due to its small size. The Chinese Hamster belongs to a group known as Rat-like hamsters.
The Chinese Hamster is not as widely kept as a pet as the Russian Hamsters and this is probably due to its mouse-like appearance and the fact that fewer numbers exist due to some difficulties in breeding them. There are also restrictions on the keeping of them in some US states such as California where a licence is required to keep or transport them within the state.
The Chinese Hamster has a slender mouse-like body which is approximately 10-12cm in length with males being larger than females. They have a noticeable tail and males have large scrotal sac. The natural colour is dark brown over the back with dark stripe along the spine and an off-white belly although other varities exist.
Chinese Hamsters are extremely timid and fast moving which often makes them difficult to catch but they are of good temparament and rarely nip. Their timid nature means they are often not very active when handled and so are not a popular pet with children who want a pet they can hold and play with. However Chinese Hamsters are a fascinating pet for those who prefer simply to observe, particularly when given a large and interesting environment in which to live.
Chinese Hamsters are not available in manu pet shops but can be obtained from specialist hamster breeders in various countries.
The average lifespan of the Chinese Hamster is 2½-3 years although they can live longer.
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The Roborovski Hamster originates from Western and Eastern Mongolia and Northern China. Roborovski Hamsters were imported into the UK in the 1960s by London Zoo but the present UK stock was imported from Holland in 1990. Roborovski Hamsters were later imported into the USA and are now available as pets in many countries.
The Roborovski Hamster is the smallest of the hamster species kept as pets, being only around 4-5 cm in length. The natural colour is sandy-gold over the back with a white belly and distinctive white "eyebrows" which gives them a very appealing appearance although other varities exist.
Roborovski Hamsters are extremely active and fast and so are not widely kept as a pet as they are much more difficult to handle than the other species of Dwarf Hamster. This makes them unsuitable pets for children who want a pet they can hold and play with but are a fascinating pet for those who prefer simply to observe, particularly when given a large and interesting environment in which to live. Roborovski Hamsters are, however, of very good temperament and rarely nip.
As Roborovski Hamsters are not a suitable pet for children they are rarely seen in pet shops but can be obtained from specialist hamster breeders in various countries.
The average lifespan of the Roborovski Hamster is 3-3½ years although they can live longer.
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The Syrian Hamster is sometimes referred to as the 'Golden Hamster' due to its original wild golden colouring although today there are many different colour and coat mutations. It is also sometimes referred to as the Standard or Fancy Hamster and Long Haired Syrian hamsters are sometimes referred to as 'Teddy Bear Hamsters'. In addition the Hairless Syrian Hamster is sometimes referred to as the 'Alien Hamster' and the Black Syrian Hamster is also referred to as the 'Black Bear' or 'European Black Bear' Hamster.
The Syrian Hamster is the most common type of hamster kept as a pet and is approximately 6-7 inches in length with a very short tail. It has hairless feet with four toes on the front feet and five on the back feet. The Syrian Hamster has expandable cheekpouches which it uses to collect and carry food and bedding and it can carry up to half its body weight in grain in its cheekpouches.
The Syrian Hamster is a solitary animal and will not usually live with another past 8-10 weeks of age and so it is important that they are housed separately as serious fighting, even death can occur if more than one are kept in the same cage. The Syrian Hamster is nocturnal, usually waking during the evening.
The Syrian Hamster makes a good pet and easy enough for small children to handle under supervision. The average lifespan is 2-2½ years although they can live longer and up to 3-4 years is not too unusual.
