Hamsters
Hamsters are a favourite pet for young children. Whether you are thinking of getting a hamster, working on a pet project or are just a fan of these cute little rodents come and explore our hamster activities.
About Hamsters
Hamsters are small nocturnal 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 colours, including black, grey, brown, white, yellow, red or a mixture of several colours.
Hamsters are native to Syria. There are 24 different species of hamsters, and the largest is the European Hamster which can grow to 13 inches long. Roborovski Dwarf hamsters are the smallest type of hamster and sometimes grow to as little as 2 inches long.
In the wild, hamsters prefer to live in warm, dry areas like sand dunes and the edges of deserts.
A hamsters diet typically consists of seeds, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, but wild hamsters will also eat insects, frogs, lizards and other small animals. Hamsters have pouches in their cheeks that they stuff with food and carry back to their colony to eat later.
Female hamsters tend to have two to three litters per year. Hamsters typically live one to two years but can live up to three years in captivity.
Some Interesting Facts...
- Hamster whiskers vibrate backwards and forwards at rates of up to 30 whisks per second during many different behaviours. These movements are known as "whisking".
- The word ‘hamster’ comes from the German word hamstern, which means ‘to hoard''.
- A hamster’s teeth never stop growing!