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15 Fun Facts About Hamsters

Hamsters are small, hairy creatures with large cheek pouches and short tails. These little rodents are found in the wild, and some are popular as house pets. There are over 20 hamster species found in a variety of habitats throughout Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa, ranging from deserts and plains to sand dunes and agricultural fields. The European hamster is a severely endangered species. Hamsters are small, endearing critters that many people have owned at some point in their lives. They are adorable and full of attitude and charm, making them excellent pets. There are many amazing facts about hamsters that you probably didn’t know before, so let’s get started with the fun and fascinating hamster facts you didn’t know before.

1. 20 Species of Hamsters have been recorded

Hamsters are members of the Cricetidae family, which also includes voles, lemmings, rats, and mice. The 20 or more hamster species are highly diverse. Some, like the seven members of the Cricetulus genus, are ratlike, whereas the lone member of the Cricetus genus, the European or common hamster, has distinctive black fur on its belly. 

The golden or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) and three dwarf hamster species are the most popular for pets: the winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), Campbell’s dwarf hamster (Phodopus Campbell), and the Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii), the smallest of all hamster species.

2. Their teeth grow Throughout

The incisor teeth of hamsters, like those of all rodents, have no roots and never stop growing. They gnaw to maintain their teeth sharp while also preventing them from growing enlarged.  
Researchers researching rodent teeth revealed activated stem cells in the incisor teeth.

 This aspect, combined with rodents’ habit of regularly regrowing their teeth, offers scientists hope that they will be able to replicate the tooth regeneration process in humans one day.

3. Hamsters Hoard Food

By John Stockla

Hamsters are designed to store food. Their cheeks are like little totes that they can load with fruit, grains, roots, and leaves up to the weight of their own body. When they come to an abundant food source, they fill their cheek pouches and return to their burrows, where they have created food chambers for storage. Their name is derived from the German term “Hamstern,” which means “to forage.”

But, their cheeks have another purpose: they expand with air, allowing hamsters to float in water.

4. Some of them Hibernate ( Sort of)

While most hamsters do not hibernate over the winter, the golden hamster (also known as the Syrian hamster, which is widely kept as a pet) stays in its burrow, blocks the entrance with soil, and sleeps in a grass-lined nest, rising once a week to consume food it has stashed. Reportedly, during hibernating, its heart rate reduces from 400 to four beats per minute, and it only takes two breaths each minute.

5. They have a poor eyesight

By Augustus Binu

Hamsters have limited vision and can only see a few inches past their nose. They are not acclimated to bright light because they live in very low-light situations in the wild.
Hamsters dwell underground in burrows and dens in the wild, where it is quite dark. They would only leave their burrows to forage for food at dawn and dark.

Because hamsters are not very secure during the day, they usually sleep and hide underground in their dens while it is bright outside. Because they spend most of their time in the dark, their eyes are not acclimated to bright light.

They can see far better and more clearly in low light. Although there are no predators or threats inside your pet hamster’s cage, he keeps his ancestors’ crepuscular rhythms. Hamsters have very weak eyesight as a result of spending so much time underground and in low-light environments.

6. Hamsters can be trained to respond to their names and tricks

Hamsters, like dogs and cats, can be trained to come when called. The idea is to utilize food to inspire them and to stick to your training schedule. Hamsters cannot learn or understand their names in the same way that humans can, but they can identify noises.

By saying your hamster’s name regularly, it will ultimately understand the sound you’re making and associate it with positive things, like treats. Let your hamster consume the treat from your hand.

Simple tricks that hamsters can learn include pleading, jumping, rolling over, faking dead, and backflipping. You can teach a hamster a name and how to navigate a maze.

As a reward, out-of-cage time and treats such as seeds, nuts, fresh fruits, and vegetables can be used.

7. They can run up to five miles in a single night on their exercise wheel

These little rodents are designed to run large distances. In the wild, hamsters can sprint up to 5 miles (10 kilometers) per night in search of food or to avoid predators.

They are born to run as a species. It’s something they do instinctively, and they do it well. When hamsters run, they experience an endorphin rush comparable to what people experience when they exercise. They like this happy feeling, which is similar to getting a runner’s high. When combined with their innate drive to run, they are content to do so all of the time.

8. They are clean animals and keep on grooming themselves

By John Stockla.

To keep predators at bay, wild Hamsters developed grooming behavior. Because hamsters are prey to many animals, they must devise strategies to avoid attracting predators. If they do not continue to groom themselves, their scent will attract predators such as snakes, wildcats, and owls.

That is why hamsters have developed a cleaning routine that allows them to remain undetected by their predators. These little hairy mammals are highly specific about this behavior because it keeps them alive in the wild.

Hamsters like to begin grooming after any tiny interaction with materials that can leave a scent on them. Interaction with other animals, such as hamsters or humans, is part of this. Hamsters even clean themselves after eating.

9. Hamsters are social creatures and a companion of the same sex

By Augustus Binu.

Except for hamsters from a few breeders, it is thought that all non-Roborovski dwarf hamsters in North America are hybridized to some extent.

Dwarf hamsters, regardless of species, are gregarious creatures that can live in couples or small groups. It is, however, a difficult task that should not be attempted by individuals who are new to hamster rearing.

All too often, pet dealers and backyard breeders tell well-meaning people that dwarf hamsters can coexist, and before long, there is carnage and damage (or babies!). As a result, it is recommended that only experienced keepers attempt to keep dwarf hamsters, in social groups.

10. European Hamsters Are Critically Endangered

The black-bellied, European, or common hamster, which was once prevalent throughout Europe, is now critically endangered. This hamster’s range and population have dropped considerably over Western, central, and Eastern Europe, with an estimated 75% of its native area no longer inhabited.

The most serious risks to these small creatures include changes in agricultural practices, commercial and residential development, pollution, and climate change.

Whilst conservation, monitoring, and reintroduction efforts have been successful in some areas of the hamster’s habitat, the European hamster’s decline has been rapid. To avoid extinction, conservation plans must be implemented in all nations where they occur.

11. They Are Prone to Bacteria and Viruses

Hamsters are carriers of salmonella and, while uncommon, are susceptible to Lymphocytic choriomeningitis, a virus that can cause flu-like symptoms. 

 Bite, direct contact with the animal, and indirect contact with contaminated things are the principal routes for zoonotic disease transmission from hamsters and other rodents to people.  It is hazardous for young children and pregnant women.

12. Hamsters Are Banned in Hawaii

These rodents are forbidden in Hawaii due to their fast reproductive rate and the fact that Hawaii’s environment is comparable to the hamsters’ native habitat.  

If hamsters ever escaped into the wild, they might swiftly develop enormous colonies throughout the state, posing a concern for agriculture and other natural species.

Hummingbirds, snakes, gerbils, hermit crabs, and salamanders are also prohibited in Hawaii.

Read 15 Amazing Facts about Hawaii

13. They Are Promiscuous

Hamsters, both male, and female, are polygamous, which means they have several mates. Throughout the breeding season, males wander from burrow to burrow, mating with any female they meet who hasn’t already mated.

After mating, the female develops a copulatory plug to prevent additional insemination. Hamsters are territorial, and after mating, females typically kick the male out.

Females typically have two to four litters every year鈥攖heir gestation period is only 15 to 22 days鈥攁nd litter sizes can range from one to thirteen young, with an average of five to seven.

14. Hamsters like to sleep in enclosed spaces

, , via Wikimedia Commons

For this purpose, items such as paper towel tubes and tiny flowerpots can be placed in the cage. Choose a clean, dust-free absorbent substance for bedding, such as shredded paper or Timothy hay. Pine and cedar shavings should be avoided since their odors might cause respiratory difficulties! Wood shavings, corn cob, and walnut shells, in general, should not be used as bedding since they are dusty and indigestible if eaten. Hamsters also enjoy burrowing, so provide lots of material for nesting (such as white paper towels or shredded paper).

15. They love Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

Fresh veggies and fruits are the favorites of hamsters. As a general rule, your hamster’s diet should consist of approximately 75% pellets and seeds, 20% fresh foods, and just 5% treats.

Every day, give your pet little pieces of fresh, clean produce. Wash the food before serving it, and discard any uneaten foods by the end of the day to avoid spoilage.

Greens such as kale, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, and raw spinach are among the best fresh foods. Fresh fruit is a favorite, but don’t overdo it on the sweet stuff or your pet may grow overweight. Add tiny amounts of apples, bananas, berries, grapes, and melons to your pet’s diet a few times per week. Keep away from citrus, however.

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