Five Species Of Hamster
The hamster is a very popular pet, especially among children. These rodents are friendly, independent and easy to care for. However, few people know that there are different species of hamsters and that each has a different personality.
Characteristics of all hamster species
The hamster belongs to a subspecies of rodents and there are nearly twenty different breeds, although only five are known as domestic breeds. Most hamsters hail from the Middle East and Southeastern United States, although these rodents have spread as a pet throughout most of the world.
The hamster family is distinguished from other rodents by the elastic bags they have between the cheeks and shoulders ; in them they can accumulate and transport food. When they’re full, it looks like they can double in size.
There are species of hamsters of very different sizes : the Syrian hamster is the largest, but there are also dwarf varieties. The difference in size is so great that Syrian hamsters can weigh up to 180 grams, while Russians only weigh 40 grams.
Hamsters have a life expectancy that varies between one and a half and three years. It is known of cases of animals that live up to four years, but this is uncommon.
Hamsters are solitary animals that don’t need to live in groups However, because of their personality, some are able to get along with other hamsters. Due to their great reproductive capacity, it is advisable that they live in separate cages to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
1. Syrian or Golden Hamster
As its name implies, the Syrian hamster is one of the species of hamsters that originate from the Middle East . Among the domestic breeds, this is the largest : they weigh between 100 and 180 grams and measure up to 15 centimeters in length.
They are also called “golden,” because their most common coat is light yellow in color. However, they can come in more colors, and even there is a variety with a longer coat than usual. Golden hamsters are a territorial breed that does not usually support living in the same cage with other animals.
2. Campbell’s Dwarf
This species of hamster comes from the steppes of Central Asia, from territories that belong to both China and Russia. They are half the size of the golden hamster, but they also have small, rounded ears.
They are usually gray in color with a lighter and even white belly. This species is usually able to adapt to life as a couple or in small groups. It is worth noting that, as they are very small, they are slippery and very active.
3. Dwarf Russian Campbell or White
It is often confused with Campbell’s Dwarf and also hails from the Russian steppes, although in this case it is originally from southwestern Siberia.
One of the characteristics that defines it, and that is common to the animals that live in the cold, is the fact that during the winter it changes its usual coat to one of white coloring . This allows you to enjoy all the heat from the sun during the day.
During summer and in hot weather, their coat is gray or brown with a slightly lighter belly. In the lower back, they usually have a darker band.
It is one of the most sociable and docile hamster species with humans. Perhaps that’s why he is one of the most common types of hamsters as a pet.
4. Hamster Roborovski
The Roborovski hamster is the smallest of its class of rodents, as it measures just nine centimeters. It also has a very small tail, which varies between 6 and 11 millimeters in length.
Like other species of hamsters, it comes from the Asian part of Russia, but its adaptation to the cold environment happens through the hibernation : this rodent sleeps during the cold months. However, when he is awake, he is an especially nervous and active animal.
They are gray or brown in color, with a lighter or completely white belly. Over its eyes it has a small white spot and the palms of its hind legs are hairy.
5. Chinese hamster
Of all these animals, this one has the longest tail ; it measures about an inch, when almost all other hamster species have much shorter tails.
It is not a dwarf hamster, as they are of medium size. That’s because your body measures between 10 and 12 centimeters in length and weighs between 35 and 45 grams. This species does not hibernate, although in winter it prefers to be active at night and rest during the day.
It is usually reddish-brown in color with a dark line running from the head to the tail, although it may also be reddish or white in color, with reddish-brown or gray spots.
Hamsters are very popular pets, especially in homes where there are kids . However, they are animals used to running away, which need to receive constant loving treatment to get used to humans. Like any animal, the hamster is not a toy and should be given the care it deserves.
