Tiny rodents, hamsters are popular as house pets all over the world. Short tails, stubby legs, and small ears separate them from other rodents. As far as color is concerned, Hamsters can come in a variety of hues from black and grey to brown and white.
According to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, there are 24 kinds of hamsters, and they come in a variety of sizes. According to the journal Biomarkers in Toxicology, European hamsters can grow up to 12.5 inches (32 cm) in length, making them one of the largest hamster breeds.
There’s no mistaking the hamster’s diminutive stature. 2 to 4 inches (5.5 to 10.5 cm) long, these little hamsters. When it comes to pet hamsters, the most popular variety is the Syrian, which is also known as the teddy bear or golden hamster.
Though the first hamsters were discovered in Syria, they also live in Greece, Romania, Belgium, and northern China according to the book ‘The Hamster.’ According to World Atlas, they prefer warm, dry environments like steppes, sand dunes, and the margins of deserts.
Physical Characteristics of a hamster
Stubby, barrel-shaped tails and hefty, barrel-shaped bodies characterize Syrian hamsters As for their ears, they’re little yet rounded; their eyes are dark and sparkling. Small and naked, their paws have tiny, sharp claws.
Huge food storage pouches are hidden inside the hamster’s cheeks, which reach back almost to their hind legs. When empty, these pouches are barely discernible. Compared to Syrian hamsters, dwarf hamsters are more streamlined, with a bullet-like form. Paws are furred, and they have short tails.
Sizes of Hamsters
There are two types of Syrian hamsters: the larger females can grow up to 7 inches long and males can grow up to 6 inches. Russian dwarfs, winter white Russian dwarfs, and Roborovski dwarfs are only a few of the many varieties of dwarf hamsters. At barely 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, the Roborovski is the tiniest of the dwarf species. The others grow to a height of 3 1/2 to 4 inches. While the Chinese hamster is commonly referred to as a “dwarf” due to his typical length of 4 inches, he is not.
Hamster Coats
Syrian hamsters come in a variety of coat colors and patterns. This type of hamster is sometimes known as golden or fancy hamsters, depending on their coat color and whether or not they have the typical beige-and-white coloration. Syrian teddy bear hamsters are also known as long-haired Syrians. In addition to rex and satin, there are two other varieties of fur to consider: curly or wavy rex and glossy satin. Short-haired and long-haired hamsters can both have rex and satin coats. Depending on the coat type, Russian dwarf hamsters from Campbell’s come in a variety of colors. Soft, short coats characterize all other dwarf species.
Hamster Colors
There are a vast variety of colours and patterns to choose from in Syrian hamsters. As a result, they have evolved into a wide range of hues and patterns, including the golden-honey panda bear, the black and white panda bear, and the solid-black black bear, among others. A wide range of colours and patterns can be found among Campbell’s Russian dwarf hamsters.
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They appear in a variety of colours, including the winter white Russian dwarf. Sapphire is a purplish grey color with a dark grey stripe on the back and an ivory belly. The coats of pearl and sapphire pearl have white hairs strewn throughout. During the winter, these hamsters may shed their brown coats and regrow a white ones. The Chinese hamster’s natural color pattern is agouti, a combination of grey and brown fur with a light-colored belly and a dark stripe running down his back.
The white spotted Chinese hamster is a version of this color pattern, with a light grey body and a dark stripe on his spine. It is a sandy gold color with white on the belly and over the eye of the Roborovski dwarf hamster When hamsters are not properly cared for, they may be considered prey by other animals in the household, putting them at risk of being mistreated or even killed. In order to keep pets safe from one another, it is essential that hamsters live in a secure, roomy, and well-built enclosure.
How do hamsters behave?
Most hamster cages available at pet stores fall woefully short of the requirements of a little rodent. It’s possible for an animal to acquire “cage anger,” which is induced by stress and can lead to a wide range of behavioral difficulties, such as excessive urination and constant cage-bar biting that can cause catastrophic damage to teeth. Large hamsters and dwarf hamsters should have at least 800 square inches of unobstructed floor area. Because of the scarcity of commercial hamster cages that satisfy these standards, it’s advised that you make your own. Alternatively, you may use a 75-gallon aquarium fitted with a mesh lid as an alternative if you’re unable to make your own. Having a greater area for your hamster to explore will make him or her happier and healthier.
If your hamsters are large or small, check to make sure there aren’t any gaps larger than a half-inch or a quarter-inch in the bars of their cage. Since hamsters have the ability to flatten their body, they can squeeze themselves into incredibly tight spaces. People on the run often suffer injuries or die as a result of their own recklessness and inability to be tracked down.
