Hamster animal description. Home hamster and care for him. Hamster Care

Hamsters are small, densely built rodents with short limbs, small ears, and short tails.

Body length varies from 5 to 34 cm, tail from 0.7 to 10 cm.

Females in some species are larger than males. The color of the thick fur on the back is from ash-gray (or brownish-gray) to dark brown-buff; on the belly - black, white or gray. Sometimes a black stripe runs along the back. There are very developed cheek pouches.

Inhabitants of the Palearctic; are found in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Syria, Iran, Siberia, Mongolia, northern China and Korea. They live mainly in open arid landscapes - forest-steppes, steppes, semi-deserts and deserts; in the mountains they are found at an altitude of up to 3,600 m. They also inhabit anthropogenic landscapes - fields, gardens.

They lead a terrestrial lifestyle. Some species swim well, gaining air in the cheek pouches. They live alone, dig complex burrows. They do not fall into a real hibernation, but they can fall into a prolonged stupor. They feed on plant and animal food, mainly seeds. Many species make food reserves, sometimes up to 90 kg (for example, an ordinary hamster).

Some species cause serious damage to agriculture by eating legumes and grains. They are a natural reservoir of pathogens of a number of infectious diseases. The skins of some species are harvested.

Very prolific, bringing 2-4 litters a year. Pregnancy lasts 15-22 days. There are from 1 to 18 cubs in the litter, which reach sexual maturity already at 6-8 weeks.

Life expectancy in nature is 1-3 years, in captivity - about 3 years. Hamsters are preyed upon by numerous predators, including red and black kite, buzzard, lesser spotted eagle, fox, stoat and badger. Young animals are attacked by kestrels, gray herons, black crows, rooks.

Houses usually keep Syrian, Djungarian, Campbell hamsters and Robor hamsters. Syrian hamsters are distinguished by the most diverse number of colors, patterns and types of wool. Long-haired Syrian males are very often mistakenly called "angora". The size of Syrian hamsters can reach 18 cm, weight - from 110-120 to 220 grams and sometimes even more. In representatives of dwarf species (upholstery), thick fur covers not only the body, but also the soles. The size of the animals does not exceed 10 cm in length, while the mass rarely exceeds 50 grams.

When choosing a hamster, it is important to consider that only Roborovsky hamsters live in flocks, while the rest of the hamster species are solitary. When keeping Syrian hamsters together, even of opposite sexes, fights arise. They can lead to the death of the weaker hamster. When keeping heterosexual Syrian, Campbell's or Djungarian hamsters (even from the same litter) together, the female will give birth too often, this will seriously damage her health and shorten her life. Also, a pregnant or giving birth female can kill or injure a male, protecting children.

The Syrian hamster is listed in the International Red Book ( Mesocricetus auratus) and Newton's hamster ( Mesocricetus newtoni).

scientific classification

Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordates
Class: Mammals
Order: Rodents
Family: Hamsters
Subfamily: Hamsters

The subfamily includes 19 species belonging to 6 (7) genera:

Genus Middle hamsters (Mesocricetus)

• The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is popular as a pet,
• Brandt's hamster (Mesocricetus brandti),
• Hamster Radde (Mesocricetus raddei),
• Newton's hamster (Mesocricetus newtoni),

Genus Upland hamsters (Phodopus)

• Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus),
• Campbell's hamster (Phodopus campbelli),
• Roborovsky hamster (Phodopus roborovskii),

• Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus),

Genus Gray hamsters (Cricetulus)

• Short-tailed hamster (Cricetulus alticola),
• Barabinski hamster (Cricetulus barabensis),
• Tibetan hamster (Cricetulus kamensis),
• Long-tailed hamster (Cricetulus longicaudatus),
• Gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius),
• Sokolov's hamster (Cricetulus sokolovi)

Genus Eversman's hamsters (Allocricetulus)

• Mongolian hamster (Allocricetulus curtatus),
• Eversman's hamster (Allocricetulus eversmanni)
• Genus Cansumys
• Kansky hamster (Cansumys canus)

Genus Tscherskia

• Rat-headed hamster (Tscherskia triton)

Hamsters, along with guinea pigs and decorative rabbits, are among the most popular pet rodents. Often, these are the first animals that parents buy for children - after all, caring for hamsters is quite simple. But the ease of care can be deceptive if you do not know the features of biology, so you should get to know these animals better.

The golden or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is most popular with pet lovers.

In the broad sense of the word, about 530 species of rodents are called hamsters, but of these, only 19 species should be considered real, the rest of the species are systematically and outwardly closer to mice and rats. The closest relatives of real hamsters are voles, lemmings and muskrats.

All species of these animals are small: their body length varies from 5-6 to 20-34 cm, and on average it is 8-12 cm. The main difference from other small rodents is a short tail - its length even in the largest individuals does not exceed 4- 6 cm. But short legs, small ears, sharp incisors and dark beady eyes, on the contrary, make hamsters very similar to other mouse-like ones. But one part of their body is highly developed. These are the so-called cheek pouches that run along the inner surface of the cheeks to the ears. Animals need these formations to collect and carry food, for example, in a large ordinary hamster with a body length of 30 cm, they can hold up to 50 g of grain at a time. As for the coloring of hamsters, it is rather monotonous: dark (gray or brown) top, white throat and abdomen. Many species have a black strap running along the back. Sexual dimorphism is absent or weakly expressed; in the latter case, the female may be slightly larger than the male.

With the help of cheek pouches, hamsters can even swim, for this they draw air into them and use them as ballast.

Real hamsters live in the Old World: from Western Europe to the Far East, where they inhabit mainly dry open biocenoses (steppes, deserts, fields). The South African hamster, as the name suggests, lives in South Africa. Since hamsters inhabit open spaces, they have to travel considerable distances daily in search of food. Mobile and nimble animals cope with this task easily. But at home, the small size of the cage, the easy availability of food, combined with its calorie content, can do them a disservice. Due to the lack of movement, such individuals quickly grow fat, begin to get sick and die early. A wheel in which all hamsters run with pleasure will help to maintain longevity.

The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) runs with its cheek pouches full of food.

Hamsters living in the temperate zone face the problem of winter cold. They solve it in different ways: for example, the Djungarian hamster simply becomes inactive in winter, the gray hamster is also inactive, but can also fall into short-term hibernation, and the common hamster, on the contrary, sleeps almost all the time, interrupting sleep only in order to have a good meal. By the way, all types of hamsters are very thrifty. By autumn, they stuff their bins with impressive volumes of food - sometimes, in one hole they found from 10 to 90 kg of food. In China and Korea, peasants even specifically look for the holes of rat-like hamsters in order to extract a bag of good grain from there. The burrows of these rodents are moderately long (the length of their passages can reach 2.5 m), however, in captivity, animals also feel comfortable in small cages.

The front foot of a common hamster.

The basis of the diet of hamsters is plant foods: wild seeds and grains of cultivated cereals, partly green shoots, root crops. These rodents fill the need for protein by eating larvae and adult insects (ants, locusts), and in rare cases even carrion. There are cases when ordinary hamsters killed mice.

Most hamsters lead a solitary life and do not tolerate neighbors. This must be taken into account when keeping in captivity, since long-term cohabitation in one cage of two or more individuals provokes aggression. In extreme cases, a stronger animal is able to kill a fellow, even romantic feelings will not save from the "crime": the female may well bite the male, who "lingered" too much on her territory after mating. An animal under stress can show aggression towards the owner and its own offspring: in the first case, the hamster is able to bite painfully, in the second, it simply eats the cubs. In general, these animals are quite shy, so you should not talk loudly and make sudden movements near the newcomers. But when the hamster gets used to the owner, it becomes completely tame. Such animals can be released to run around the room, but at the same time follow them. Firstly, the animal can go to explore the territory and get lost. At best, he will be found by the moves made in a sofa or a pile of laundry, at worst, they will be found dead in some crack. Secondly, the owners often step on a small pet by negligence, such cases are not uncommon when keeping hamsters.

Defending itself, an ordinary hamster is even able to rush at the enemy, although it usually prefers to retreat.

According to the type of sexual behavior, these rodents should be classified as polygamous animals. This means that the male can mate with several females and, as a rule, does not take part in the further care of the offspring. True, observations of Campbell's hamsters showed that their males often settle in the same hole with the female, help her with childbirth and care for offspring. But in captivity, these instincts fade away. Pregnancy in all types of hamsters lasts 18-20 days. Often, after giving birth, the female is ready for the next mating in a couple of hours, and after it happens, the newly pregnant hamster continues to feed the first brood. In total, there are from 5 to 18 cubs in the offspring (usually 8-10), and in a year one female in the natural environment gives 2-3 offspring. In captivity, fertility can be much higher, but it is often impossible to happen to a female, as this weakens her body.

Campbell's hamster (Phodopus campbelli) wild color.

Babies are born naked, blind and deaf, but ... toothy. Hamsters grow very quickly, after a couple of days they begin to hear and see, after 20 days they are weaned from feeding. They become sexually mature at the age of 6-8 weeks. In nature, hamsters rarely live more than a year, half of them die before they become parents. But in captivity, they can live 2-3 years, in rare cases - a little more. Such a high mortality is explained by a large number of natural enemies: hamsters are hunted by foxes, wild cats, ferrets and all kinds of birds - from owls and falcons to cranes and crows.

In general, these rodents are not rare, although the habitats of a number of species are rapidly declining. So the common hamster, once harvested in Europe for the sake of cheap but beautiful fur, is now listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, and the Syrian hamster, one of the most popular cage dwellers, is listed in the International Red Book.

For housing hamsters are best suited cage with frequent metal rods. Through the rare twigs, the animals can easily slip away, and you will have to look for them throughout the apartment. For the same reason, cages with wooden rods and cardboard boxes, which animals easily gnaw through, are not suitable as housing (even temporary). You can keep a hamster in an aquarium, but tall and narrow glass containers are not suitable for them, as they show the greenhouse effect.

Syrian hamsters like to climb the walls of the cage and other objects, hamsters of other types do not show such acrobatic abilities.

It must be remembered that these animals are very clean and housekeeping, so the cage should be divided into three sections: the general one, where the hamsters rest and run, the house where they hide, sleep, breed, and the "pantry" where they eat, and at the same time hide something tasty in reserve. In the general compartment, you need to install a wheel, the house should have a removable cover that makes it easier to clean, and in the "pantry" you should put a feeder and a drinker. You should also take care of the tray with a special filler that absorbs odors. To accustom the animal to the toilet should be from an early age (up to 3 months). It is enough to change the filler once a week. Periodically, the pet needs to put a bowl of sand in the cage - the hamster will bathe in it.

Friendly family of Roborovsky hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii).

If several hamsters live in the house, each of them should be provided with a separate cage, and it is permissible to bring the animals together only for a short period of mating. The only exception is Roborovsky's hamsters, which can be kept in groups.

The basis of the diet of hamsters is dry food: oats, wheat, millet, corn, peas, cereals. They should be given daily in plenty, but at the same time you need to monitor your pet - the hamster will inevitably take part of the dry food to the "pantry" and hide it. Periodically, you can arrange fasting days so that the animal eats up supplies and they do not deteriorate. Also, the diet of these rodents should often and gradually include vegetables and greens: carrots, beets, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers, zucchini, pumpkin, dill, parsley, lettuce, dandelion leaves, plantain, clover. After a meal, the remains of succulent feed must be removed so that they do not ferment. Periodically it is necessary to give protein foods: boiled meat or an egg. Such feeding is especially important during pregnancy and lactation. Finally, a mineral supplement must be constantly present in the cage: it will not only saturate the body with calcium, but also allow the animals to grind their incisors correctly.

A baby hamster is trying a salad.

It is even more important for hamster owners to know which foods are contraindicated for animals. These rodents should be given high-calorie and sugary foods with caution - they can provoke obesity and diabetes. These dangerous goodies include pasta, sunflower seeds, nuts, bananas, pears, apples, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Spicy, sour, overly sweet and starchy foods are strictly prohibited: currants, gooseberries, barberries, melons, watermelons, all kinds of citrus fruits, potatoes, onions, garlic, sorrel and cabbage. The last vegetable, although it does not have a pronounced taste, causes strong fermentation and bloating.

As inhabitants of dry landscapes, hamsters drink little, being satisfied with the moisture contained in the feed. However, in captivity, they should always have access to water, and it should be changed daily.

Campbell's hamster black color (decorative form).

Determining the sex of a hamster at home is very easy. You need to pick it up and turn it upside down, and then find the genital and anus. In the male, the distance between them is 10-15 mm, in the female - only 3 mm. For mating, you should also determine the time of estrus in the female. It comes every 4 days, during this period, when stroking the back, the female raises her tail. The male is put in a cage with the female, and not vice versa. You can also bring animals to the "neutral" territory. Mating individuals younger than 3-4 months and older than 1 year is not recommended. In addition, it should be noted that Campbell's hamsters, outwardly similar to the Syrian ones, easily give hybrids with the latter, but such crossbreeds breed with difficulty. Therefore, in order to avoid complications, it is better to mate hamsters with representatives of their own species.

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wild hamsters

Hamsters belong to the order of rodents. Although several other species are known, golden hamsters are most often kept at home. 20 species of hamsters the size of a mouse or rat are distributed throughout the world. They have a squat body and a short tail, build underground dwellings in the steppes, deserts and fields .All modern golden hamsters are descendants of 13 animals discovered in the Middle East. The professor who found them was looking for a "Syrian mouse" kept in cages by children in ancient Assyria. The number of golden, or Syrian, hamsters in captivity is now much greater than in the wild. Syrian golden hamsters in their natural environment dig underground burrows where they live alone. They go out in search of food in the morning or afternoon, eating leaves, seeds and fruits, as well as animal food. Under natural conditions, they are fought as agricultural pests, so their numbers in nature are under threat.
The common hamster has a very beautiful tricolor coloring. It collects a huge amount of supplies for the winter. Stores were found in which the hamster stocks 90 kg of food - hundreds of times its own weight! Every two days the animal wakes up from hibernation to refresh itself.
Hamsters once lived in the dry steppes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. However, they adapt well to changing conditions and have now mastered cultural landscapes as well. Farmers are not too happy about this, as hamsters sometimes cause considerable harm. They eat grains and carrots, peas and potatoes - everything that grows on fields. The damage is especially great in years when the number of hamsters increases sharply. The number of hamsters fluctuates sharply from year to year. With an abundance of food and favorable weather, the animals multiply very quickly. They bring offspring twice a year, sometimes up to 12 cubs in one offspring. At 3 months, they already become sexually mature and also acquire offspring. In the "hamster" years, animals can be seen more often than usual, but even then it is not very easy. Hamsters come out of their holes at dusk and at night. The easiest time to watch for them is in the fall, when they are stocking up for the winter in their underground storerooms. Time is running out, and hamsters have to work during the day, forgetting about caution.

And then you can see the cheek pouches in hamsters. Animals put grains and pieces of plants in them. Having loaded the bags to capacity, they run into the hole and put their load in the pantry. The burrow has a nesting chamber, where one or more passages lead. The main enemies of the hamster are birds of prey and owls, as well as ermine and ferret. Hamsters live up to 4 years. A close relative of the common hamster is the golden hamster. It is smaller than a hamster and lives in a completely different environment, in one small area in Syria. About 16 species of rodents from Central and South America are called fish-eating hamsters. The basis of their diet is, if not always fish, then necessarily a variety of aquatic animals: mollusks, crabs, tailless amphibians. Upland hamsters (Phodopus) are characterized by thick fur, which also covers the soles of the hind legs, small size (up to 10 cm) and a very short tail. Two species of this genus are known, which are very similar in general terms. The Djungarian hamster (Ph. sun-gorus), which lives in the steppes and semi-deserts of Central Asia, South Siberia and North-East Kazakhstan, has been better studied.

It is active at dusk and at night. Its burrows have several entrances, burrows and a nesting chamber. The basis of the nutrition of the Djungarian hamster is seeds and green parts of plants, as well as insects. For the winter, the animal prepares stocks of seeds. Does not hibernate. Apparently, it often comes out of the hole in winter, as in places with snow cover the animals almost completely turn white by November-December.

Isolated from all other species of the subfamily, there is a South African hamster (Mystromys albicaudatus). It is also nocturnal, but is especially active during rainy weather, which is rare in those dry places.

Hamster

Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus)

Signs:
1 Strong, hairy body.
2 Short ponytail.
3 Short legs.
4 small ears.
5 blunt muzzle.
6 Large cheek pouches.
7 Hand-like front paws.

Value	Body length 20-30 cm, tail - 5-7 cm; weight up to 500 g
signs	A large, dense-looking rodent with a short tail; the fur is brownish-yellow above, black below, large white spots on the sides
Nutrition	Buds, leaves and seeds of various plants; sometimes small animals
reproduction	Pregnancy 17-20 days; up to 12 cubs, birth weight 4-6 g; 2 broods per year
habitats	Steppe regions, and now the cultural landscape on the plains and in the foothills; needs clay or loess soil; from Central Europe to the steppes of the Balkan Peninsula and Russia and further into Asia

The history of the discovery of hamsters

Golden hamsters were first discovered in Syria, and were scientifically described in 1839 by the naturalist Waterhouse. But only single specimens of this animal in museums confirmed that a new species of rodent from the family of hamsters was discovered. Only in 1930, Israeli zoologist Professor Aharoni from Jerusalem managed to catch the first live hamster. It happened near Aleppo, a place in Syria where a new species of hamsters was first discovered.

Professor Aharoni found a female with twelve cubs in a deep burrow. But during their transportation to England, only three or four animals managed to survive. From them very soon offspring appeared.

All hamsters kept in captivity in our time are descended from these animals caught in Syria, so we can say that they are all related to each other. In 1938, hamsters from England came to the USA. And after the Second World War, they were used as an ideal laboratory material and returned to Europe in this form.

In a short time, the hamster has gone from being a mere laboratory material to one of the most beloved pets. So, dwarf hamsters for laboratory research are used little. They have recently been "discovered" as near perfect pets and have become very popular. These hamsters quickly get used to people, become tame and willingly communicate with them.

Hamsters have become pets over the past few decades. Currently, there are about a million of them in Germany. There are even more of them in Russia. There are approximately 300 species of rodents in the world. They form the largest class among mammals. Hamsters themselves belong to the suborder of mice and the family of diggers.

The closest relative of domestic hamsters is a large hamster, or, as it is also called, a field hamster. It lives in Europe and Asia. But now this species is on the verge of extinction, although until recently it was the most numerous. Therefore, in many countries these animals are protected. But this does not help them much, since the change in the environment familiar to the hamster is proceeding at a rapid pace.

The field hamster lives in fields and arable land. But nowadays they are abundantly fertilized with pesticides, herbicides and deeply plowed land, which makes hamsters leave their homes. It is not recommended to keep such a hamster at home.

Another type of hamster is the middle hamster, it is found in Bulgaria, Romania and Asia Minor. Little is known about this hamster other than its habitat and biology. It has not yet been used as a pet.

Many species of dwarf hamsters, which include the striped and Siberian, are common in Europe. The stray dwarf hamster got its name for a reason. He was first seen in Romania, and soon he was found in the Peloponnese, in Greece.

The African hamster also belongs to the earthmoving family. And in North and South America, New World mice and Asian mole rats live. And, although they are very similar to simple mice, they are still the closest relatives of all the same hamsters.

Unusual color of hamsters

About forty different colors and about five types of various patterns of white spots have been bred.

As a rule, most domestic dwarf hamsters, which include Syrian and Roborovsky hamsters, have the same color as they have in nature. They have a gray-brown back, a light gray abdomen and a dark longitudinal stripe on the back. In nature, Syrian hamsters are golden in color. Their fur is red on the outside, and dark gray inside, the ears are gray, the cheeks and bangs are black, there are white stripes behind the cheeks, and the abdomen is white. If the hamster is short-haired, then it looks red, and if it is long-haired, then it looks red-gray.

The second most common color in the Syrian hamster is cream. Such a hamster has all the hair from the tips to the roots of the same color, only his ears are gray.

There are also black hamsters. They have only a belly with white spots, the rest of the coat is entirely black.

The dark gray hamster has the same color as the golden one, only the tips of its fur are not red, but dark gray, so it looks like dark gray with black cheeks and bangs.

Hamsters with a light gray color differ from dark gray ones in that some light areas have cream or even yellow tones. The silver color is close to light gray, but there is not the slightest hint of yellow or cream in it.

The white hamster has red eyes and gray ears. He has a completely white muzzle and everything else, and if there are cream spots, then this color is already called cream pied.

If the hamster has a brown color, then in the sunlight it looks orange. Such a hamster differs from the golden one in that it has dark red eyes and its undercoat is not gray, but light brown. There are spots on the cheeks and between the ears, but they are barely noticeable. This color is also called fox or fox. There is also such a color as smoked golden.

One of the rarest, and therefore one of the most beautiful colors found in our country, is the color called sable. With this color, the color of the tips of the coat can be anything from gray to dark brown, and the roots of the hair are light or cream. A distinctive feature of this color is light rings around the eyes. If the hamster's coat is evenly colored in a light brown shade, then its color is called gray. This hamster has dark red eyes.

But the color of the hamster is not necessarily monophonic. You can meet animals with white spots on their fur. In our country, two types of pattern are common - a white belt and a motley one. In the "white belt" drawing, the head and back of the hamster's body are painted in its main color. On the back, white color is present only in the middle. It seems that the hamster seems to be girded with a white stripe. In a motley hamster, only the middle part of the back remains white. But from the middle of the muzzle, a white stripe departs from him, and the back is painted not with a solid color, but with spots.

The Roborovsky hamster has a pinkish-fawn back color, its abdomen and paws are pure white, and small white spots above the eyes, ears are black with a whitish rim.

But in the Djungarian hamster, which does not belong to the dwarf ones, the back is brownish-gray or ocher-gray, which is sometimes darker on the sides, the belly is light, the border between the color of the back and belly is clearly expressed. A narrow black stripe runs along the spine of the hamster, it has white paws and blackish ears.

All the pros and cons of hamsters

Before buying a hamster, weigh the pros and cons, and only then decide whether you are really ready for this little cute animal to live in your home. Hamsters need attention and care, so think about whether you can give them to him in the amount that is needed?

You also need to remember that hamsters do not live long, about 2-3 years. Therefore, if you have small children, think about whether the death of a hamster, to which they have strongly attached their soul during his short life, will not be a big stress for them. Some children are very sensitive to the death of their pets and are very worried about their untimely death. The death of a hamster can make a child depressed, and you will not be able to explain to him why your pet died and how to live without him now.

Before buying a hamster, remember if your relatives who live with you are allergic to pet hair. If there is, then you need to decide for yourself who you prefer: a hamster or the health of your loved ones.

Hamsters are crepuscular and nocturnal animals. They sleep during the day and are active at night. If you know that you or your relatives are very sensitive to the slightest sound during sleep, then consider whether the hamster's nightlife will interfere with your sleep. But in any case, the cage with the baby can be placed in such a place that you do not hear the noise made by him.

Is there a place for a cage with a hamster in your apartment at all? If you live in a one-room apartment with your mother-in-law, son-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, think about whether you can find a good cozy place for a small animal?

But there are also positive aspects to having a hamster in your home: they are very tame and cute animals. As soon as your pet gets used to the new environment and as soon as you can tame it, you will immediately understand that this is not an animal, but simply a miracle. He is so small, funny, constantly doing something, constantly busy with some business. It is not even necessary to take him in your arms, he can do such things in his cage that you will come to indescribable delight. But in any case, you yourself have to decide whether you want to have a hamster or not. We can only help you a little in this difficult matter.

Buying a hamster

Want to get a pet but can't make up your mind? Stop at the hamster, because this cute, fluffy and businesslike animal brings almost no problems - it eats little, does not require walking and is always ready to play with its owner. By the way, the hamster is one of the most common animals on the planet, they are bred all over the world, and in the wild they live in Africa and some European countries.

If we talk about the breed, then the most common hamsters are Syrian or, as they are also called, golden. These are animals that are unpretentious in care and always friendly to the owner. Syrian golden hamsters dig underground holes in their natural environment, where they live alone. They go out in search of food in the morning or afternoon, eating leaves, seeds and fruits, as well as animal food. Under natural conditions, they are fought as agricultural pests, so their numbers in nature are under threat.
Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) body length 11 cm; originally reddish-brown with a gray belly, now white, tortoiseshell, striped, etc. forms are available; varieties with velvety fur have been bred. Average life expectancy is 3 years.

A variety of the Syrian breed - Angara, characterized by long hair.

Djungarian hamsters are especially large in size and have a black stripe on their back. But Roborovsky's hamsters, on the contrary, are very small - about five centimeters long, but they have surprisingly expressive eyes. What should you pay attention to in a pet store when choosing a hamster?

1. Purchase in the evening. It is in the evening that the animals begin a period of activity, so it will be easy to determine by their behavior whether the hamster is healthy or sick.

2. Appearance. In a healthy animal, the coat is dry and without bald patches, and the eyes are slightly shiny. Swollen corners of the eyes always indicate the illness of the animal.

3. Age. The most optimal age for buying a hamster is 1-2 months. He is still quite young to be able to be tamed, and, at the same time, an adult for self-service.

4. Gender. According to breeders, male hamsters have a calmer and more affectionate character, and besides, they are a little easier to tame than females.

It is not rational to acquire several hamsters at once: same-sex hamsters will constantly bring offspring, and opposite-sex hamsters will fight. If there is a desire to have several animals, then their cells should be separate.

Hamsters care and maintenance

The behavior of domestic hamsters is worthy of very close observation and study. If this representative of the rodent detachment lives in your house, you have probably already convinced yourself of this. There are about 60 genera of these mammals in the world ranging in size from 5 to 36 cm. Moreover, if their large individuals have always been a valuable object of fur trade, then domestic hamsters have become the most favorite live toys of children all over the world.

By nature, hamsters are very cowardly. They always move exclusively along the walls, clinging tightly to them, so that if they accidentally find a mink, they immediately whisk into it. But the reason for their behavior is not only in the search for shelter. The wall is a kind of protection for the hamster. Indeed, in open space they are accessible from any side, and so the hamster is completely confident in its security, at least from the side of the wall. He swiftly runs along it, constantly looking around at the open dangerous space. Therefore, it is natural that corners become their favorite place to stay - as they say, double protection.

It is in the corner that it is better to arrange a house for him. Nature has not taught hamsters to either defend themselves from enemies or build a home for themselves. Therefore, you will have to help him with this. If you keep an animal in a cage or in an aquarium, it is best to fix a small house in the corner (we emphasize, it’s small!) At a height of about 3-6 cm from the bottom of the cage. This distance must be selected depending on the size of your pet so that he can safely climb into the house and at the same time run freely under it. In another corner, it is desirable to hang a rotating squirrel wheel. Because hamsters accumulate a huge supply of energy, which they do not use at home - there is no need to run away and hide from predators.

Cell:
1 Dimensions 60 x 30 x 30 cm - walls made of metal or durable wood to protect against drafts and from damage by the teeth of rodents.
2 Sliding door for cage access and observation.
3 Nest chamber with sawdust, hay or paper bedding.
4 Shelf.
5 Ladder.
6 Retractable feeder.
7 Wheel for running.
8 drinker.
9 Unpainted hardwood for animals to chew on.
10 Pull-out, easy-to-clean tray for fine sawdust or peat with sand.

Cages need a thorough cleaning every 5-7 days for hamsters. Move the animal to a secure ventilated box or cage. Remove bedding. Wash all surfaces with warm soapy water, rinse and dry the cage. Put in new bedding.

Whatever the size of your cage or aquarium, the hamster will still rush along the walls at breakneck speed and will never come out into the center of the open space. It is clear that such a life of his is not interesting either to him or to you. What to do? There is a way out of this situation, and a very simple one. In the soul of a hamster, two opposing feelings are constantly fighting: fear and curiosity. And the second one always wins. You just have to provoke him. Conduct an experiment: put a wooden cube in the middle of the so-called aviary, that is, a cage or aquarium. The hamster will first squint at him, then stubbornly look at him, and in the end he will tear himself away from his wall and, looking around, will go to study a new object unfamiliar to him. So I advise you not to be stingy and buy at a pet store or just collect more all kinds of imitation items on the street that will not only decorate the aviary, but also make the life of your animal more eventful and interesting, saving the hamster from the wall complex.

The bottom of the cage or aquarium is best strewn with wood shavings. The shavings absorb the animal's excrement and drown out the unpleasant odor. It is also better to pour shavings into the house, and for comfort, you can still put a little cotton wool, but change it.

As a rule, there are no problems with food for rodents.

Hamsters are fed a diet of specialized foods, wheat, crushed oats, peanuts, dry dog ​​food, carrots, apples, lettuce, cabbage, watercress, and the occasional scraped meat. Clean fresh water must be available at all times. Be sure to rinse the greens; Introduce new foods gradually. Every evening, each hamster should be given 10 g of food. Hamsters store their food in their cheek pouches.
All kinds of cereals, seeds, dry legumes can be poured into the feeder. If possible, spoil your pet with fresh vegetables. Just one leaf of cabbage will bring a lot of pleasure to you and your pet. Indeed, in addition to cowardice and curiosity, hamsters have one more quality: greed. Therefore, it is quite amusing to watch how a rodent tries to completely shove a cabbage leaf into its cheeks, giving them the shape of a balloon, and then with difficulty sticks its head into its house in order to hide the found wealth deeper under the cotton wool. And most importantly: do not experiment and do not treat the animal to any other food. From their greed, hamsters stuff everything into their mouths. And if your pet crushes sauerkraut with pleasure, this does not mean at all that it should be so, but that, most likely, you will have to buy a new “toy” for your child the next day.

Hamster habituation period

If you got yourself this cute animal - a hamster - and even bought a home for it, then the first task that you face is the adaptation of the animal to new conditions, that is, its addiction. You know now that hamsters, despite their small size, still have some kind of thinking (how smart and smart they are, you will see more than once), so you, like any good-natured owner, must take care that your new "family member" was comfortable, cozy and good in every sense. In general, if you don’t want your pet to take revenge on you all his life for “inhospitality”, try to make sure that he likes it at your place, that is, make sure that he likes his own house and the conditions that you created for it.

In the event that you carried the purchased hamster home in some small cardboard box or small cage, you should not immediately upon arrival home persistently “smoke out” the animal from this mini-house, to which he had just begun to get used to.

Some act completely soulless when they literally throw a hamster into a cage, turning over the box in which it is located. In this case, the hamster, as it were, forcibly enters the new conditions and already obviously treats them with distrust. It is better if you carefully turn the box on its side and put it directly into the new house (if it is an open box or aquarium) and let the animal crawl out of the "nest" into a larger room. If you are going to put the hamster in a cage, then bring the box to the open door and the hamster will soon crawl out "into the light" into a more comfortable home for him. After that, you can remove the box, replacing it with another dark "shelter" (this will be discussed later).

In order for your hamster to quickly adapt to new conditions, you must prepare in advance everything that is necessary for him to live in a cage, and not produce “furniture furniture” when the hamster is already in a new place - all these “returbations” in his presence can scare him . Therefore, it would be better if, even before the “settlement” of the hamster, you fill his new home with sawdust, paper or hay, place various “hamster structures” there, put food and drink. In this case, the hamster will be very pleased.

Housing ready for life and filled with all sorts of things will certainly arouse his interest, and he will begin to "settle" it with might and main: build a house from "improvised materials", stuff his cheeks with food, etc.

Yes, do not forget that hamsters are completely independent, they will definitely put everything in its place in their new home, possibly radically changing the environment that you have created for them. Try not to change anything, leave everything as it is. And, if you want the hamster to quickly get used to his new home, leave him alone for a while, do not pick him up, do not pull him out of the house unnecessarily. It is desirable that you give him at least half a day or a few hours for adaptation.

Where is the best place to put a cage for hamsters

Do you think you bought a hamster, put it in a cage, fed it and that's it? Nothing like this. Do not forget about such an important detail as the correct location of the cage. It is important that the cage for the hamster is on some elevation: on a table, chair or some other support. After all, hamsters, like other rodents, are very sensitive to what is happening "above", since the fear of birds of prey is inherent in them at the genetic level.

So, if you don't want your pet to get scared every time you bring your hands to him, make sure that he can see you well from the cage. Before determining a place for a hamster cage, remember that in nature hamsters are southern animals that live in deserts and warm steppes, accustomed to heat, but at the same time avoiding it: for this they are awake at night and burrow into cool soil during the day . In this regard, you must first of all take care that your pet is warm and dry; in no case should the cage be placed in a bathroom or on a glazed loggia where dampness prevails. The hamster should be warm, but not hot, which means that the cage with him should not be placed near heaters and central heating radiators. In addition, try not to put the cage on the floor, on the aisle near the door, next to the window and opposite the window - to avoid drafts, as hamsters can also catch a cold and get sick.

Like most rodents, hamsters are very susceptible to noise and can be very frightened by sharp and loud sounds, screams, knocks, so make sure that the cage is not near a loudspeaker, tape recorder, TV. In general, try to ensure that there are no electrical appliances near the cage that can send radio beams.

Try also not to place the cage near curtains and upholstered furniture with bedspreads - hamsters love to tear fabrics to arrange their nest, and if the fabric happens to be near the cage, it will not be difficult for them to get (jump) to it and break it with their teeth.

Also remember that hamsters are adversely affected by tobacco smoke and other harsh and harmful odors (for example, paint, acetone and other chemicals).

Taming a hamster

Your hamster's adaptation will be even more successful if you are kind and gentle with your furry pet. In order for the hamster to quickly get used to your hands, you must accustom him to them. If you keep it in your hands all the time, squeeze it and perform similar “manual manipulations”, then the hamster is unlikely to like it. Rather, on the contrary, he will begin to hate you. This is especially true for small children, who usually, when they see a fluffy animal, do not let it out of their hands for a long time, squeezing it tightly in their palms, casually stroking it against the wool and making it move in the direction they need. Naturally, such treatment of the hamster will only hinder successful domestication.

However, careful handling and gentle strokes for taming may also not be enough. First of all, you must "convince" your hamster that it is your hands that will feed, water and hold him, and therefore, he must not be afraid and trust your gentle hands. Put some hamster yummy (seed, nut or dried fruit) in your palm and calmly (without sudden movements) bring it to the animal sitting in your house. It is possible that the hamster will get scared and run away to the side, and maybe bite you out of fear or for protection. Do not be afraid, do this procedure periodically, and the hamster will eventually get used to your hands and not will be afraid to take food from the palm of your hand. You must be patient, but also persistent in your desire to tame your hamster, so sooner or later curiosity will take over, and he will calmly react to your “intrusion” and come up to your palm, recognizing it by smell.

So that the hamster is not afraid of human hands, you must ensure that young children are also careful in handling the hamster: do not squeeze him tightly, do not beat him, do not throw him into a cage from a height and do not force him to do something that the animal cannot and should not do by nature.

How do hamsters get along

Unlike other animals, hamsters can perfectly live alone. They don't need a company. On the contrary, hamsters can attack their relatives and be aggressive. What's more, some hamsters can experience a lot of stress being in the same cage with another hamster.

Thus, almost all types of hamsters, except for some dwarf ones, prefer to live alone.

However, recently such hamsters have been bred that are quite favorable to their relatives. Therefore, if you decide that you want to have several hamsters at once, it is better to choose representatives of this species.

In this case, it is necessary to take into account some features. So, it is better to combine hamsters in infancy. Even better if they are hamsters from the same litter. As a rule, it is easiest to keep two males. They are less aggressive towards each other. And yet, no matter what, remember that animals can fight.

If you look at the varieties, it is worth noting that dwarf Dzungarian and Roborovsky hamsters are more compatible with each other, especially in comparison with striped or golden ones. It is better not to place a female and a male in a cage at the same time. First, they may be too aggressive towards each other. It is better to combine same-sex individuals. And secondly, the female and the male can give you an unexpected surprise in the form of offspring that you did not plan.

Breeding offspring of hamsters

Rodents are known for their amazing ability to reproduce. In captivity, this can create problems with placement in cages or with the need to get rid of offspring. Hamsters in captivity breed with great difficulty, because when they are kept together, they often fight. During pregnancy and lactation, animals require additional nutrition. A few days before birth, you need to carefully clean the cage and give suitable nesting material. You should not disturb the mother in the first time after childbirth.
The cubs are born naked with their eyes closed. After 20-30 days, put the mother away to avoid her fighting with the cubs. Place young animals in individual cages at 5 weeks of age. Pregnancy 16 days, pups in litter 7. Milk feeding 3 weeks.
Sexual maturity occurs at 6-8 weeks, 1st mating at 10-12 weeks. Consult a specialist before mating hamsters (fights are frequent, leading to serious injuries). Nest box with bedding required.

As a rule, males and females are always very aggressive towards each other. Therefore, if you still decide to mate them for the sake of offspring, then you need to consider a number of important points. First of all, it must be remembered that it is not the male who should be planted with the female. On the contrary, it is easier for a male to navigate and tune in to mating in his territory. From the first time, mating may not work out due to the strong aggressiveness of the female. If a fight starts, immediately take out the male, otherwise he may die. Better try next time. As soon as you see that the female has ceased to be aggressive towards the male, then wait for the mating games to begin.

Usually mating lasts only a few seconds. After some time, mating is repeated. As soon as you see that the female has again become aggressive towards the male, it means that mating has already ended and the female must be removed from the cage.

Caring for the offspring of hamsters

After mating has occurred, the male hamster must be removed from the cage. This is especially true of the period of appearance of hamsters. You can connect them after the hamsters grow up and leave the female.

Childbirth must take place in a specially designated place. For these purposes, a nest or a house is suitable. After that, the hamster should not be disturbed, because she can eat her offspring.

In general, cannibalism for hamsters is not uncommon. Females very often eat a certain amount of their offspring. This is due to the instinct to preserve a healthy family. A female may eat her young for several reasons. Firstly, this may be due to the fact that the female does not have enough food. Secondly, she eats those cubs who have birth defects. That is why in the first period after childbirth, the female and her offspring must be provided with good nutrition and fresh water. Remember not to disturb her.

Also often this happens because the female is still very young (up to 4 months old) and is not able to take care of her offspring. There are frequent cases when such females are already bought pregnant, but not yet reached the optimal age for this process. That is why, before buying a young female in a pet store, you should clarify how she was kept in a cage - separately from males or not.

The reason for eating their own cubs may be attempts to take them away from the female. In any case, if precautions do not help, then it is necessary to look for a nurse for the offspring.

However, a few important points should be made clear. Firstly, the cubs must always remain warm, otherwise the other female will not accept them. Secondly, it is important that the hamsters smell her scent. To do this, take some sawdust from the cage of the foster mother and rub the babies with it. After that, do not touch the cubs so that your smell does not scare away the nurse.

You should also be prepared for the fact that the female may reject the cubs and eat them. Therefore, if the hamsters are already 2 weeks old, then the new female is unlikely to accept them, so you will have to feed them yourself.

It happens that the female dies for some reason. In this case, there will be no one to take care of her offspring. The chances that you will be able to raise hamsters that are less than a week old are very small. However, you can still try growing them yourself. To do this, you can buy infant formula and feed the babies every 2 hours from a disposable syringe without a needle. Make sure that the milk jet is not too strong, because they can choke. It is important to provide them with constant warmth, as at this age hamsters need it badly. When the pups are over 10 days old, you can start feeding them solid food. Sprouted wheat, beaten eggs and grated carrots can be used as such food. You can use baby food, which contains most of the necessary vitamins and minerals.

The development of hamsters is very fast. Already at the age of one day, they have a pigment, and after a while their bodies are covered with a brown fluff. Around the 12th day, the hamsters crawl out of the nest. Their eyes open only on the 15-16th day. Starting from the 9-10th day, you can start feeding the babies with slices of white bread.

After two weeks, the hamsters noticeably change. After some time, they begin to move freely around the cage, exploring it. Therefore, in order to avoid accidents, it is necessary to remove deep containers of water so that the offspring do not drown. Food must be placed so that hamsters can get it.

Sometimes the female can leave her babies for a while, more often this happens at night. But she usually always returns to the house and continues to look after them. There is no cause for concern here. But sometimes the female leaves and does not return, not wanting to care for her cubs. She can build a nest for herself at the other end of the cage and go about her business. In this case, you will not be able to change the situation, you will have to think about finding a nurse for them.

The immunity of cubs at a young age is still very unstable, so they can be susceptible to various infections and diseases. Try to follow the changes that happen to them. So, your kids can catch "milk fever". It is transmitted through contaminated mother's milk. This is a very dangerous disease that can lead to the death of cubs. The following symptoms are characteristic of this disease: the abdomen swells, and the skin becomes dry and hard. Usually "milk fever" affects hamsters 1-2 weeks of age. However, older hamsters can also get it. To avoid further death of the offspring, the female must be urgently shown to the veterinarian. He will prescribe her treatment with special antibiotics.

Only when the babies reach three weeks of age, they can be separated from the female. If you do not want to do this at this age, then you can keep them together for a whole month. After that, hamsters must be settled in different cages: males - in one, and females - in another. After you sort the young offspring by gender, they should be raised for another 2-3 weeks. At the same time, it is necessary to tame them. This is easy enough to do: just pick them up more often or play with them. Otherwise, hamsters will not grow up domestic, but wild. After 5-6 weeks, your pets are ready to move on to new owners.

Diseases

Domestic rodents are usually healthy if they are properly kept and fed. However, the lack of proper care immediately leads to sad consequences. Carefully select new animals and keep them in quarantine for 3 weeks before connecting them with other rodents. Carefully observe the animals and isolate any rodents with signs of disease. Consult your veterinarian if any problem persists for more than 24 hours.
Signs of disease.
1 Lethargy. Reluctance to move.
2 Unsteadiness, poor coordination.
3 Sneezing, nasal discharge. Cough. Labored breathing.
4 Dull eyes with discharge from them or swollen. Constant rapid eye movements from side to side.
5 Head tilted to the side (ear infection).
6 Ears with scabies (scabies).
7 Dull, disheveled coat.
8 Ulcers, cysts or tumors.
9 Misshaped teeth.
10 Dirty muzzle (irregular shape of teeth).
11 Loss of hair on the face and body.
12 Ulcers on paws. Ingrown claws.
13 weight loss.
14 Bringing the hind legs.
15 Joint stiffness.
16 Abnormal swelling or protrusion of the rectum.
17 The tail is swollen, with a scab or with ulcers, a wet tail in hamsters - signs of diarrhea, protrusion of the rectum, shortness of breath.

Possible dangers of a hamster

If you have just brought your pet into the apartment, give him some time to get used to the new environment and his home. After a few days, you will notice that the hamster is no longer afraid to walk around his cage, even doing it with pleasure. You should also not constantly strive to take it in your arms. Accustom him to you gradually, it is best to do this through food.

Hamsters are small animals, so they feel uncomfortable in a large apartment. You should not let your hamster out for a walk if you notice that he is afraid of the surrounding area. He will definitely want to hide somewhere where he will be more comfortable, and most likely he will come across some kind of danger. Walking around the apartment is fraught with a very great danger for the hamster, especially if you do not follow him. Hamsters skillfully and quickly climb cabinets, tables, curtains. But they become extremely awkward when they have to go down. Therefore, most often they simply fall and injure their spine.

Hamsters live in minks, so they will look for something resembling minks in the apartment. They often wander into all sorts of cracks and holes that are not at all suitable for hamsters to visit. This causes hamsters to get stuck in them.

Here is a list of items that pose a danger to a hamster's life:

- indoor plants, especially those that are considered poisonous, such as geranium, ivy, cactus; letting the hamster go for a walk, make sure that he does not come across them, because he will definitely decide to try what they are;

– electrical appliances, wires and sockets; they must be out of the reach of the hamster so that he does not start to gnaw on the wires;

- vessels with water, jugs, aquariums should be tightly closed;

— textiles such as carpets, fabric wallpapers and soft shoes; hamsters equip their holes with scraps of cloth, and these products contain paint and other chemical elements that can be dangerous to the health of a hamster;

- if you have a cat or a dog, make sure that the hamster does not come into contact with them, especially if they show aggression towards him;

- watch where you sit or where you step while your pet is walking around the apartment.

Hamsters are afraid of heights because they spend all their time on the ground and are not used to high altitudes. Therefore, if you take it in your arms, do not forget about it. He may be so frightened that he wants to break free, and he may fall and hurt himself.

For example, hamsters such as the Roborovsky and Dzungarian hamsters do not have a sense of height at all. Therefore, when walking on a table or other height, they can simply fall down and hurt themselves.

To pick up a hamster, the best and most correct way is to use the so-called "grip", where your fingers wrap around the hamster's body and close on his tummy. You can also lift it by the hair on the scruff of the neck. But this is recommended only for experienced people, because with such a grip it is very easy to injure the hamster or he will bite you.

Hamsters are members of the hamster family. These animals that live in the wild are quite dangerous animals that are very different in appearance and size from cute domestic rodents.

All wild hamsters are close relatives, and therefore have a similar constitution and body structure. Rodents differ only in color and size. These characteristics directly depend on the habitat of hamsters.

Animals that live in semi-deserts and deserts have yellow fur, sometimes sand and ashy shades. Inhabitants of forests and steppes have acquired brown and gray coloration, which allows them to successfully disguise themselves among trees and shrubs. The inhabitants of the mountainous regions have black or brown hair. In nature, there are also pure white individuals. The fur coat of hamsters inhabiting areas with a harsh snowy climate turns white for the winter.

Interesting fact

In laboratories, scientists have bred albino hamsters and very furry (angora) rodents.

The hamster family includes rodents with a dense physique and short limbs. Most wild hamsters have small eyes and rounded ears, and an almost invisible tail. A stripe stretches along the back of the rodents, which has a darker shade than the main color of the fur coat. In almost all species of hamsters, the belly is lighter than the upper body. In some animals, the paws are covered with wool - they belong to the genus of upland. Strong claws are located on strong limbs, well adapted for digging holes and burrows. On the muzzle of hamsters - a hard dark mustache.

The body length varies between 5-35 centimeters, the tail - 0.7-10 centimeters. In some species, the females are larger than the males. These rodents can weigh up to 700 grams.

All hamsters have sharp and very strong teeth, well-developed cheek pouches - special muscle cavities for temporary food storage and transfer of supplies to prepared storage areas.

Interesting fact

Hamsters have only 4 front teeth, which have no roots. The strong teeth of rodents grow all their lives, the animals constantly grind them down on a stone.

Distribution area of ​​hamsters

The habitat of hamsters is extensive. on the European continent, distributed in South and North America, found in Africa, live in the central, southern and eastern parts of Asia. These rodents settle mainly in arid regions - deserts and semi-deserts, in steppes and forest-steppe zones, even in mountainous areas. Hamsters can be found at an altitude of about 3000 meters above sea level. Often these animals also inhabit anthropogenic landscapes - parks, fields and vegetable gardens, orchards. Almost everywhere hamsters feel like owners.

What do hamsters eat?

Wild hamsters are inhabitants of the steppes and plains. Their natural diet includes legumes and cereal seeds - wheat, oats, peas, corn, sunflowers. Also dried herbs, vegetables and fruits, root vegetables, berries and nuts.

In the wild, rodents fully feed only in the summer and warm autumn months. The rest of the time, the main food for hamsters is pre-prepared supplies, which animals brought in cheek pouches to their underground storages.

Some types of hamsters cannot get enough of just one plant food, they often eat carrion and insects.

Domestic hamsters are not as hardy as wild rodents, and therefore they cannot eat exclusively grain from bags and natural reserves. The body of domesticated hamsters needs a balanced diet. Veterinarians recommend buying vitaminized feed mixtures at pet stores. The daily norm of special food for young active individuals is 14 grams.

In the summer, hamsters need to be given a lot of vegetables, herbs, berries and fruits. Domestic animals will be happy to eat carrots, radishes, zucchini and cucumbers, broccoli, young peas. From greens, hamsters can be given lettuce, dill and parsley, clover, dandelion leaves. Rodents also like sweet fruits and berries - peaches, apricots, bananas, apples and pears, strawberries, blueberries and currants. You can feed hamsters with walnuts, peeled peanuts, hazelnuts. No more than 3 times a week, as a special treat, animals can be given popcorn without salt, dried fruits and biscuits for rodents. However, it should be remembered that treats should not replace the main food.

Important!

Hamsters should not be fed milk and sour cream, white and red cabbage, potatoes, fruit seeds, citrus fruits and mushrooms. The body of domestic rodents does not tolerate sweet and fatty foods, flour products.

Domesticated hamsters need water. The liquid should be poured into a hanging drinker. Fresh water should be available every day.

Interesting fact

Since wild hamsters are inhabitants of deserts and steppes, under natural conditions they have a very limited ability to drink clean water. The body of these rodents is designed in such a way that they receive the right amount of moisture daily from vegetables and other green food.

Hamster lifestyle

As inveterate individualists, in natural conditions hamsters live alone. And only for the mating period, females and males are in the same hole. During the mating season, the male guards the female's territory from strangers. It is noteworthy that one male hamster can mate not with one female, but with several and at the same time protect the territorial interests of all his chosen ones.

Wild hamsters live in multi-chamber burrows dug on their own. Their shelters have a huge number of different passages and turns, separate places for sleeping and resting, storing supplies, and a toilet near the hole. Rodents dig holes up to 3 meters deep with many tunnels.

Hamsters are nocturnal. With the onset of darkness, the rodents leave their underground shelters and go looking for food. They are very responsible and thrifty animals that collect and store food in burrows. One wild hamster can stock up to 20 kilograms of grain, potatoes, carrots, peas in his shelter. All these stocks will be useful to rodents in the winter season. With the onset of the first frost, hamsters close the entrance to their shelter from the inside. For the winter period, representatives of the hamster family hibernate (not all species), but from time to time they wake up to refresh themselves. And only in the spring, when young vegetation suitable for food appears, hamsters leave their holes.

All hamsters, like other inhabitants of the underground, have poor eyesight, so rodents try not to leave earthen burrows during the daytime. Hearing and smell in these animals are well developed.

In nature, hamsters do not live as long as domesticated rodents. In an uncontrolled environment, it is not easy for them to keep alive. Foxes, weasels and ferrets, rooks and herons are mortal enemies of wild hamsters.

Hamster breeding

By smell, male hamsters find their girlfriends, which, as a rule, are several. If a competitor is encountered on the way to the female, a fight occurs between the males. The weak hamster retreats, and the winner continues on his way. The active breeding season begins with the onset of April and ends in October - during the period when rodents do not sleep.

Depending on the species, the pregnancy of female hamsters lasts from 15 to 22 days. The first litter in the mating season is born in May. In one brood, from 1 to 20 small animals are born. Hamsters are very prolific, in one year they bring 2-4 litters.

Interesting fact

After fertilization, the male does not stay with the female. His mission is over and he does not take part in the upbringing of the kids.

The cubs are born with their eyes closed and begin to see clearly on about the 10th day of life. After two weeks, the body of small hamsters is completely covered with hair. At this age, babies are fed on mother's milk and eat greens. They grow very quickly and pretty soon they themselves are included in the process of replenishing the population.

Female hamsters are caring mothers. They take care of the offspring, but only until the young can take care of themselves. At the age of 3 weeks, young individuals are already looking for a suitable territory for life.

Hamsters become sexually mature at 6-8 weeks. In the wild, they live from 1 to 4 years, in captivity they can live for about 5 years. Young rodents are threatened by crows, rooks, herons.

Conservation status of the hamster

Most species of hamsters cause serious damage to agriculture by eating grains and legumes on farmlands. Also, these rodents are a natural reservoir of various pathogens, pathogens of severe infectious diseases.

The skins of some hamsters are harvested. In addition, rodents from the hamster family are used as experimental animals for experiments in research centers and laboratories.

Since hamsters are prolific animals, they manage to survive in the wild with a large number of enemies. However, two rodent species, the Syrian hamster and Newton's hamster, are now endangered. They are listed in the International Red Book.

People often keep fluffy cute hamsters as pets. These animals do not need a lot of free space for life, they are not whimsical in food, do not require special care and daily walks in the fresh air. It is not difficult to keep, but they need care and attention.

The personal territory for a small rodent (cage or aquarium) should be at least 50 × 40 × 40 centimeters in size. The bottom of the cage must be covered with a special filler, sawdust, dry grass or torn paper. Also in the cage it is necessary to install a house, a drinking bowl and a feeder, a wheel and labyrinths for the entertainment of a domestic hamster. The filler from the bottom of the cage should be cleaned once a week, and the individual drinker and feeder should be cleaned every day.

Interesting fact

By nature, hamsters are very cowardly. They try to move exclusively along the walls in case a suitable hole is found to hide in. However, the reason for this behavior of rodents with short legs is not only the search for shelter. The wall serves as protection for hamsters. Even in a small open space, the animals are accessible from all sides, and near the wall they feel protected.

Best age to buy a pet hamster – 1-2 months. The animal is still young enough to be easily tamed, but already old enough to live on its own.

Important!

Veterinarians recommend buying hamsters in the evening. It is during this period that small rodents are most active, so by their behavior it will be possible to determine whether the animal is healthy or sick. The appearance of the hamster is also important - his coat should be dry, clean and without bald patches.

Wild hamsters are difficult to tame, so you should only buy captive-bred domestic hamsters. By the way, it is irrational to choose several rodents at once. Hamsters of different sexes will constantly bring offspring, and same-sex animals will fight.

Interesting fact

Male hamsters are more calm, gentle and docile than females.

Hamster classification

The subfamily Cricetinae includes 19 species of hamsters, which belong to 7 genera:

• • • Genus Allocricetulus (Eversman's hamsters):
    • Mongolian hamster (Allocricetulus curtatus);
    • Eversman's hamster or Kazakh hamster (Allocricetulus eversmanni).
    • GenusCansumys:
    • Kansky hamster (Cansumys canus).
  • • Genus Cricetulus (gray hamsters):
    • Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) - a dwarf hamster, sometimes called a rat hamster;
    • Short-tailed hamster (Cricetulus alticola) - Tibetan dwarf;
    • Barabinsky hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) - striped dwarf hamster;
    • Tibetan hamster (Cricetulus kamensis);
    • Long-tailed hamster (Cricetulus longicaudatus) - long-tailed dwarf hamster;
    • The gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius) is a migratory hamster, sometimes called the Armenian hamster;
    • Sokolov's hamster (Cricetulus sokolovi).
  • • GenusCricetus:
    • The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) is a European hamster.
  • • Genus Mesocricetus (Medium hamsters):
    • Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) - this species is often called golden, such rodents are kept as pets;
    • Brandt's hamster (Mesocricetus brandti) - Turkish hamster;
    • Hamster Radde (Mesocricetus raddei) - Ciscaucasian hamster;
    • Newton's hamster (Mesocricetus newtoni) is a Romanian hamster.
  • • Genus Phodopus (Rough-legged hamsters):
    • Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) - snow-white Russian hamster;
    • Campbell's dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli);
    • Roborovsky hamster (Phodopus roborovskii).
  • • GenusTscherskia:
    • The rat-tailed hamster (Tscherskia triton) is a long-tailed hamster, also called the Korean hamster.

Mongolian hamster (Allocricetulus curtatus)

A species of rodents from the genus Eversman's hamsters. The habitat is the overgrown sands of Tuva and rocky semi-deserts; these animals are found in Mongolia and China.

Mongolian hamsters grow up to 15 centimeters in length (the tail is 1.5-2 centimeters). They are distinguished by a light shade of wool, the lower surface of the tail, paws and belly are white. There is no characteristic dark spot on the chest.

Hamsters are most active in the evening and at night. They feed mainly on small insects, herbs and seeds. In winter, they hibernate for a short time, wake up, then fall asleep again. The mating season begins in mid-spring and ends in early autumn. The female Mongolian hamster brings 2-3 litters in one year, in which from 5 to 14 cubs are born.

Eversman's hamster (Allocricetulus eversmanni)

It is distributed in the central and northern parts of Kazakhstan, lives in the Middle and Lower Trans-Volga regions, and is found in the south of the Trans-Urals. Inhabits the outskirts of plowed lands, the territory of grass-wormwood steppes and solonetzes. Tries to avoid areas with high levels of humidity.

Eversman's hamsters are small rodents, larger than mice. The length of their body reaches 13-16 centimeters, the tail is about 2-3 centimeters. The species is named after the zoologist Eduard Eversman.

These animals have a pointed muzzle, short legs and a small tail, small rounded ears. Finger tubercles are clearly visible on the soles of the limbs. The tail, wide at the base, has a thick and very soft hairline. The color of the skin on the back varies from black-brown to ash-sand. The belly of Eversman's hamsters is white, a sharp contrast is clearly visible with the dark color of the fur on the sides. The bottom of the tail and paws are pure white, there is a brown spot on the chest.

Hamsters of this species are nocturnal, becoming active at dusk. They dig simple shelters, consisting of the main nesting chamber and a vertical, sometimes inclined course. Often, Eversman's rodents use the burrows of other animals as housing. They feed on seeds and young shoots of cereal crops, tulip bulbs, insects and larvae.

The active breeding season lasts from April to September. In a year, the female gives 2-3 offspring, in which 4-5 small hamsters. In October, rodents usually hibernate.

The number of this species is low. Eversman's hamster is listed in the regional Red Books in several regions of Russia.

Kansky hamster (Cansumys canus)

The only representative of the genus Cansumus. Distributed in the central part of China in the provinces of Sichuan, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu. This type of common name in Russian does not yet have. In several European languages, the species is referred to as "Gansu".

The length of the body of rodents (together with the head) reaches 17 centimeters, the length of the tail is 7-10 centimeters. Kanese hamsters weigh about 100 grams. They have thick fur, thin paws, long white claws are clearly visible on the forelimbs. On the back of hamsters gray color prevails, at the base of the ears and on the cheeks there are white spots. The belly of the animals is white, also the tip of the tail is white. At the base of the tail is a characteristic long hairline.

The lifestyle of hamsters of this species has been little studied. Rodents are known to live in deciduous forests in mountainous regions at an altitude of 1-1.5 kilometers above sea level. Kanese hamsters build their dwellings on the ground and in stones. They are active at night, especially in spring and summer. The animals feed on grass and leaves.

Cricetulus griseus)

The natural habitat is the desert regions of Mongolia and Northern China. Hamsters live in burrows, where they spend most of the day. Small rodents leave their shelters only for a short time.

These animals grow up to 7.5-12 centimeters in length and weigh about 40 grams. Males are larger than females. In the wild, hamsters live 2-3 years.

Rodents have a dark brown coat color and a dark stripe on the back. They have small gray ears and black eyes.

Hamsters wake up at sunset and are active at night. They move very fast and can jump high. In addition, these animals climb perfectly, using their tail for balance. They feed on cereals and insects.

In many countries, Chinese hamsters are popular as pets, and this species is often used for clinical research.

short-tailed hamster (Cricetulus alticola)

It lives high in the mountains of Tibet. Distribution area - South Asia (India, Nepal), China. Settles at an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level. In China, it is found at altitudes up to 5000 meters. This species lives in mountain meadows, steppes, coniferous forests.

The body length of rodents is 8-10 centimeters with a weight of 40 grams. The color of the fur is uniform, without spots, gray-yellow or brown.

Short-tailed hamsters are active at night and sometimes during daylight hours. They feed on small insects and plant seeds. The breeding season lasts from mid-May to August, the peak of the birth of babies occurs in June-July. In one litter there are from 5 to 10 small hamsters, more often 7-8 individuals.

Baraba hamster (Cricetulus barabensis)

It occurs in the forest-steppe zone and semi-deserts of Mongolia, in Western Siberia and Tuva, lives on the Korean Peninsula and in the north-eastern part of China. Usually this species inhabits semi-deserts and steppes, but these hamsters quickly adapt to changes in living conditions and can live on farmlands.

Baraba hamsters show maximum activity in the first half of the day. For themselves, they dig simple shelters with 2-3 entrances and exits. In a hole, there are usually several chambers - a sleeping place and pantries for storing supplies. The nesting chamber is covered with grass. 4-5 animals can live in one hole. They feed on legumes and grain vegetables. Winter hibernation occurs in February-March. After hibernation, the mating season begins. Females bring from 2 to 5 broods per year, usually 6-7 babies in the offspring (maybe up to 10 individuals).

Zoologists distinguish 4 subspecies baraba hamsters:

• • 1. Cricetulus barabensis barabensis Pallas

They differ in the dark color of the top, a black stripe is clearly visible on the back. This subspecies is distributed in the West Siberian part of the range.

• • 1. Cricetulus barabensis tuvinicus Ishakova

They have light gray fur. They are found in Altai and Northern Mongolia.

• • 1. Cricetulus barabensis ferrugineus Argiropulo

Hamsters, the color of which is dominated by dark tones with an admixture of red shades. They live on the Korean Peninsula.

• • 1. Cricetulus barabensis fumatus Thomas

The color of the back is dark with red tints. Such rodents live in the Amur region in Russia, are found in Northeast China.

Tibetan hamster (Cricetulus kamensis)

It lives exclusively in the mountains in the West of China. Settles in elevated meadows and open steppes. This species is found at altitudes of 3000 to 4000 meters above sea level.

Tibetan dwarf hamsters grow up to 8-11 centimeters in length, the tail reaches 5-6 centimeters (45% of the body length). The fur of rodents is distinguished by a dark gray tint, sometimes with black streaks. The underside is greyish white, there is an undulating transition where the two colors meet. The tail is covered with warm protective hairs, has a dark stripe at the top, the rest is white.

These animals are active both at night and during the day. They dig simple burrows for themselves, which include a nesting chamber and places for storing food. They feed on seeds, crops, and tiny insects. The mating season lasts from May to August, usually 7-8 cubs are born at a time.

gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius)

It lives in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. The distribution area stretches up to the western part of China. The southern edge of the range passes through Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Israel and Jordan, Northern India.

Previously, hamsters of this species inhabited only dry meadows, steppes and semi-deserts. Now rodents also live on farmlands, in gardens, on private plots. Gray hamsters prefer to settle in dry areas, avoid areas with high humidity and forests.

These animals grow in length up to 9-13 centimeters, their tail is small - about 2.5 centimeters. The hair on the back is gray, the belly and tail are light. The eyes of rodents are large, the ears are small.

Gray hamsters lead a terrestrial-underground lifestyle, like most mouse-like rodents. They dig fairly simple burrows with several pantries for storing food. In the winter season, these animals are inactive, they can hibernate. Hamsters eat green parts of plants and seeds, they can eat invertebrate small animals.

The female hamster brings litter 2-3 times a year. Pregnancy lasts 20 days. In one brood, 7-8 babies are born. After a few months, the young growth reaches puberty and by the end of the first year of life gives a new generation.

long-tailed hamster (Cricetulus longicaudatus)

Inhabits the mountain steppes of Tuva, Sayan, found in the South-West of Transbaikalia. Lives on rocky mountain slopes, as well as in rocks. He arranges burrows for himself among the rocks under the stones, often uses the shelters of other animals.

Hamsters grow up to 9-12 centimeters in length, the tail reaches 5 centimeters (40% of the body length). The muzzle of the animals has a wedge-shaped shape, rounded ears look quite large, the tail is covered with a short but warm pile. The color of the back in rodents is dark gray, in older individuals it has a reddish tint. The belly is light gray, and the tail is two-tone (grey top, white bottom). The limbs are silvery white. The ears are dark with a clear border of white.

Long-tailed hamsters are active at night. They feed in nature on plant foods - cereals, seeds of shrubs. A special delicacy is wild almonds. In small numbers, rodents also eat beetles.

The period of active reproduction starts in March-April. In one brood, 4-9 small hamsters are born.

Hamster Sokolov (Cricetulus sokolovi)

Inhabits the sandy regions of Mongolia, found on the border of Mongolia and China.

Sokolov's hamster is a representative of the genus of gray hamsters. The species is named after the Russian zoologist Vladimir Sokolov. The body length of these small rodents varies between 7-12 centimeters, the tail length is about 2-3 centimeters. Gray coat color prevails. A stripe runs from neck to tail. On the belly, the fur has a light gray tint. The ears are gray with dark brown spots in the center.

This species has been little studied, there is no exact information on the reproduction of these hamsters.

Hamster (common)Cricetus cricetus)

The only species of the genus Cricetus is distributed in Eurasia. These rodents live in meadow-steppes, steppe and forest-steppe regions, and also inhabit farmlands on the borders of cereal fields and shrubs.

The common hamster is the largest member of the hamster family. Adult male rodents grow up to 27-35 centimeters in length, tail - from 4 to 8 centimeters. These animals weigh about 700 grams. Their tail is thick, thinning towards the end, covered with a short but stiff hairline. The feet are wide, well-developed claws can be seen on the fingers. The wool of hamsters of this species is soft and thick. The color of the fur is contrasting (the back is reddish-brown, the belly is black). On the sides are large light spots, usually separated by a patch of black fur. Rodents also have light spots behind their ears and on the sides of their heads. Zoologists distinguish more than 10 subspecies of common hamsters.

Animals lead a twilight lifestyle. During the day, they hatch in a complex and deep hole (rodents pull out shelters up to 8 meters in length, depth - up to 2 meters). They can occupy ready-made gopher burrows. A permanent dwelling usually has 4-5 exits to the surface, a separate sleeping place and several chambers for storing supplies. Ordinary hamsters lead a solitary lifestyle outside the active breeding season, they show aggression towards their relatives. They feed on plant foods, insects and larvae, small vertebrates. About 10 kilograms of various plant foods are stored for the winter.

In the period from April to October, the female feeds 2-3 broods, in which up to 10 (and sometimes 20) small rodents are born.

Under natural conditions, hamsters live up to 4 years, in captivity - from 3 to 6 years. The common hamster is protected in the Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine, Belgium and France, Germany and Belarus.

Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

In the wild, it is found in Syria (near the city of Aleppo) and Eastern Turkey. These hamsters live in self-dug deep burrows, which usually consist of several vertical passages (only one comes to the surface) and two chambers. The dwelling is located at a depth of about 2 meters.

Syrian hamsters weigh about 100-125 grams with a body length of 13-15 centimeters. The females of this species are larger than the males. Due to the natural bright golden color of hamster fur, it is often called golden. Rodents have soft and thick hair, lighter on the belly. In addition, the animals have small black eyes and gray ears. A characteristic feature of this species is the presence of capacious cheek pouches for transporting food supplies.

Golden hamsters are active at night, during the daytime they sleep. Rodents live in an arid climate, always kept alone (the exception is the mating season). They mark their burrows with secretions of odorous glands. They feed on nuts and plant seeds, often eating various insects.

In late autumn, Syrian hamsters hibernate and wake up only in March-April. Long hibernation is replaced by a period of active reproduction. Pregnancy in females lasts 16 days, sometimes up to 20 days. In one brood, 12-15 (according to some sources up to 20) small rodents are born. In the wild, the animals live up to 2 years, in captivity - about 3 years.

Just a few years ago, golden hamsters began to be bred for keeping at home. During this time, about 40 different breeds were bred, which differ in fur color, type of wool and patterns of white spots. The most popular are long-haired (angora) and short-haired Syrian hamsters.

Brandt's hamster or Transcaucasian hamster (Mesocricetus brandti)

It lives in Turkey, is found in Lebanon and Israel, in the eastern Ciscaucasia at an altitude of 300 meters to 2500 meters above sea level. This species is distributed mainly in the mountain steppes. Transcaucasian hamsters settle on the slopes of gentle hills and beams in places where cereal vegetation predominates, as well as in fields.

These small rodents from the hamster family are named after the famous German zoologist Johann Brandt. Animals grow up to 18 centimeters (tail 2-3 centimeters) and weigh about 200 grams. The coat of hamsters is soft, especially thick on the tail. The belly is gray-brown, there is a black spot between the front paws on the chest. The head has a reddish-yellow hue, the chin is light, the paws are white with bare soles.

Brandt's hamster is nocturnal, always kept alone. Digs horizontal burrows with one exit to the surface. It feeds on seeds and tubers of plants, grain crops. Stores a lot of food in the burrow for the winter. Hibernates in December, wakes up in March-April. During hibernation, it wakes up to eat. Lives in the wild for about 2 years.

Hamster Rudde(Mesocricetus raddei)

Inhabits the steppe zone of Ciscaucasia, foothills and mountain steppes of the North Caucasus, inhabits the territory of Georgia. Rodents settle in thick grass close to springs, in thickets of weeds, on the outskirts of gardens and fields.

The specific name is given in honor of the Russian geographer and naturalist Gustav Radde. The body length of hamsters is approximately 25-28 centimeters, the tail is 1.5 centimeters. The coat has a brownish-brown color, the underside of the body is dark gray or black. On the sides of the neck on both sides there are 2 black stripes, between which light spots are visible. Paws and nose are distinguished by a reddish tint.

Rudde hamsters are active at night. For themselves, they dig deep holes with one, less often with several exits. At a depth of about 1 meter, the burrow branches into separate chambers - a pantry for supplies, a sleeping place. In winter, rodents hibernate. They feed on peas, clover, various root crops.

Rudde hamsters are highly prolific. On flat terrain, females bring offspring 4 times a year, in mountainous regions - 2 times. This type of hamster is harmful to agriculture. These wild rodents destroy vegetation, the size of damaged areas by one animal reaches 50 sq.m.

Hamsters Radde are carriers of tularemia - a dangerous infectious disease.

Newton's hamster(Mesocricetus newtoni)

The species is named after the British zoologist Alfred Newton. These hamsters are distributed in the North of Bulgaria, in Romania, on the territory along the right bank of the lower Danube. Newton's hamsters choose dry places, rocky forest-steppes, steppe meadows, grain fields, vineyards for life.

The length of the body of rodents reaches 15-17 centimeters, of which 1.5-2 centimeters is the tail. Animals weigh 120-150 grams. The fur has a gray-brown color, a black stripe runs from the head to the middle of the back. The underside of the body is a yellowish-gray tint, the chest and throat are dark brown or black.

Newton's hamster leads a predominantly solitary lifestyle, showing maximum activity at dusk and at night. Digging shelters with multiple entrances and chambers - a separate bedroom and pantry. This type of hamster is omnivorous. Rodents feed on the green parts of herbaceous plants, fruits and seeds, and small invertebrates.

The start of the mating season falls on April, reproduction continues until the end of November. Pregnancy in females lasts 20 days. In a year, rodents bring 2 litters, in which from 6 to 16 babies. The life span of Newton's hamsters is 2-3 years.

(Phodopus sungorus)

In the wild, it lives in semi-deserts and dry steppe zones of Central and Central Asia, in the western part of Siberia, in Kazakhstan. Inhabits sagebrush and grass steppes without bushes, more rarely - zones with semi-fixed sands and cultivated lands.

Rodents weigh 40-65 grams, grow up to 10 centimeters in length. Their muzzle is pointed, the ears are small, the soles of the limbs are covered with thick hair. The color on the back is brown-gray, the belly is light, along the line of the ridge there is a narrow strip of black. In winter, the fur becomes almost white.

Djungarian hamsters become active after dark. They dig shelters with several passages and a nesting chamber. Stocks of crop seeds are prepared for the winter period, they do not hibernate. The diet includes green parts and seeds of plants, and animals also eat insects.

The mating season falls on March-September. During this time, the female manages to leave 3-4 broods, in which there are 6-8 cubs. Young growth quickly matures, hamsters from the first brood are able to breed as early as 4 months. These rodents live 2-3 years.

Djungarian hamsters are easily tamed and actively breed in captivity. They are popular as cute pets in Europe and Asia, but less so in the US.

DwarfCampbell's hamster(Phodopus campbelli)

Distributed in the North of China, in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia. In the wild, it lives in steppe zones, semi-deserts and deserts. Rodents of this species live in pairs or groups with a leader.

These hamsters are named after Charles William Campbell, a member of the British Consular Service in China. The length of their body (together with the head) varies in the range of 7.5-10.5 centimeters, the tail of the animals is short - 0.4-1.5 centimeters, weight - about 25 grams. The head is rounded, the muzzle is short. Wild hamsters have dark gray fur with shades of brown, with a dark stripe running down the back. The fur on the belly is gray, the soles of the limbs are covered with white hair. Campbell's pet hamsters come in a variety of colors from white to black. Fur color does not depend on the season.

Dwarf rodents are nocturnal. They dig holes up to 1 meter deep with several entrances (usually 4-6 of them), a pantry for food supplies and a nesting chamber. Sometimes gerbil burrows are used. They feed on seeds of various plants and nocturnal insects. During the winter season, they do not hibernate.

The breeding season begins in April and ends at the end of October. Pregnancy of female dwarf hamsters lasts about 20 days. For one year, rodents bring 3-4 litters, in which from 4 to 9 small hamsters. Cubs develop very quickly, and already on the 16th-20th day of life they become completely independent. Sometimes males take part in the care of offspring. While the female leaves the babies, the male brings them food.

Campbell's hamsters are kept as pets. Hamster breeders claim that they are more difficult to tame than any other species.

(Phodopus roborovskii)

Distributed in Mongolia, also lives in the adjacent regions of Russia and China. Inhabits sandy deserts overgrown with caragana.

This representative of the genus of legged hamsters is named after the Russian naturalist, explorer of Central Asia Vsevolod Roborovsky. Hamsters of this species are one of the smallest. Adults grow up to 4-5 centimeters in length and weigh no more than 30 grams. Their tail is very short, practically does not protrude from the wool. The color of the fur on the back is sandy-golden, the paws and belly are white. Small light spots are visible above the eyes, the ears are black with a white trim, there is no characteristic stripe on the back.

Roborovsky hamsters live in shallow sandy burrows with 1-2 passages and a separate nesting chamber. They are active mainly at night and in the evening. The breeding season is May-September. The female brings a litter 3-4 times a year, from 3 to 9 cubs are born in one litter. Pregnancy lasts approximately 20 days, little hamsters become independent 25 days after birth.

Today, Roborovsky hamsters are popular as pets. They can be kept as a group in the same aquarium.

rat-like hamster(Tscherskia triton)

The only representative of the genus of rat-like hamsters inhabits the North-Eastern part of China, is distributed on the Korean Peninsula, is found in Russia (in the Amur Region, Primorsky Territory, Jewish Autonomous Region). It is one of several rodent species that cause serious damage to China's agriculture.

The body of the rat-like hamster reaches a length of 18-25 centimeters, the tail grows up to 7-10 centimeters. These animals weigh 100-200 grams. Their coat is soft, gray-brown color prevails, lighter on the belly. The tail is monochromatic, dark brown, sometimes with a light spot at the end. Paws are white, soles are covered with hair.

In China, rodents live in arid flat areas; in Russia, hamsters have chosen swampy plains overgrown with shrubs, as well as river valleys. These animals dig complex deep burrows with horizontal and vertical passages, a capacious chamber for storing supplies. Rodents feed mainly on seeds and acorns, agricultural crops, plant leaves, less often insects and bird eggs.

Rat-like hamsters are nocturnal, in autumn and spring they are also active during the day. They do not hibernate for the winter period, but they do not appear on the surface from an earthen hole either. The breeding season falls on May-August, during which time the female hamster manages to feed 3 growing broods. Many animals are born in one litter - from 8 to 10 small hamsters, but sometimes 20. In nature, rodents live for about a year.

These hamsters are used as experimental animals in scientific laboratories.

Many people are well acquainted with hamsters as home inhabitants, cute animals, funny and friendly.

But in nature, these inhabitants are dangerous animals, which even outwardly differ significantly from their tamed counterparts. They pose a threat both to humans and to the crop grown in the garden.

Features and habitat

In 1930, they were caught in Syria hamster-like animal. Interest in this animal was based on the search for the "Syrian mouse", with which children played in ancient Assyria. His offspring became the progenitors of the modern large family of hamsters.

The spread of rodents in Central Asia, the steppe regions of Eastern Europe, and then extensive settlement to China and the USA was partly due to the use of animals as laboratory material and the domestication of unpretentious creatures. In total, more than 20 species of self-propagating rodents of the main breed of the steppe hamster (common) are distinguished.

On the photo steppe hamster

This is a small animal up to 35 cm long, with a dense body, a large head on a short neck. The tail reaches 5 cm. Weight on average up to 600-700 gr. Small ears, antennae on the muzzle and black expressive eyes in the form of large beads create a cute look for a fluffy kolobok on short paws with fingers armed with short claws for digging holes and holes.

The animal is protected by sharp and strong teeth, which are updated throughout life. The coat of a hamster consists of a hair base and a dense undercoat that provides protection even on sub-zero cold days. The coat color is most often yellow or brown, less common are tricolor spotted, black and white individuals.

There are more than 40 bred varieties with shades of red, orange and gray, spots of different shapes and locations. Distribution area animal hamsters wide because of their unpretentiousness. It can adapt almost everywhere: mountainous places, steppes, forest belts, suburbs - it hides in burrows from enemies and bad weather.

The main condition for habitat is the availability of food. they are very fond of territories along grain fields, often they have their holes right on arable land. Various pesticides, herbicides in the cultivation of the land make the animals leave their homes and move to other places. The settlements of people beckon with an abundance of food, so barns and yard buildings with supplies are often visited by the steppe inhabitants.

A feature of hamsters is their amazing thriftiness. Burrows reach gigantic sizes compared to the size of animals: up to 7 m wide and up to 1.5 m deep. In stores, the weight of the accumulated feed is hundreds of times greater than the weight of an average hamster.

Special cheek pouches in the form of elastic skin folds make it possible to carry up to 50 g of feed by increasing the volume several times. Farmers suffer losses from hamster robberies. Entire systems have been developed to counter rodent invasions. They themselves are also the object of hunting in nature for birds of prey and, and.

Character and lifestyle

By their nature, hamsters are loners, aggressively disposed against everyone who encroaches on their territory. They protect their possessions up to 10-12 hectares in size. The size of the enemy does not matter, there are known cases of attacks by rodents on.

If related rodents run away from a meeting with a person, steppe hamsters can attack. Rodent bites are painful, can infect many diseases, and leave lacerations.

Ruthlessness is manifested even to their own individuals. The weaker ones cannot get away alive from strong and toothy relatives if they consider them an enemy at marriage time or simply notice an unwanted guest near their supplies. The activity of the animals is manifested at twilight. Hamsters are nocturnal animals. During the day they hide in burrows, gaining strength for a fearless hunt.

Deep dwellings are located 2-2 meters underground. If the soil allows, then the hamster will go as far as possible into the thickness of the earth. The living chamber is equipped with three exits: two "doors" for ease of movement, and the third leads to a storeroom with supplies for winter animal life.

The hamster uses the accumulated food only in the hungry frosty time and at the beginning of spring. In other seasons, food consists of food from the external environment. Above the burrows there are always dug heaps of earth, sprinkled with husks from grains. If a web has accumulated at the entrance, then the dwelling is abandoned, hamsters keep the houses clean.

Not all hamsters hibernate, some species even turn white, so that attacks on the snow cover are hardly noticeable. Those who wait out the harsh weather in a shallow sleep periodically stay awake in order to refresh themselves with accumulated reserves. When the earth begins to warm up, in February, March or early April, it is time for the final awakening.

But before leaving completely, the hamster will still eat supplies, gain strength, and then open the entrances and exits of the hole. First, males emerge from holes, and a little later, females.

Peaceful relations between them are established only for the marriage period, otherwise they exist on an equal footing. The ability of hamsters to swim well is amazing. They inflate their cheek pouches like a life jacket that keeps them afloat.

Hamster food

The diet of rodents is diverse and largely depends on the region of habitat. Grain crops will prevail near the fields, vegetable and fruit feed near human habitation. It is not uncommon for hamsters to attack young chickens if there is no one to protect them.

On the way to vegetable gardens or orchards, animals will not refuse medium-sized and small animals. Plant foods predominate in the diet: corn grains, potatoes, pea pods, rhizomes of various herbs and small shrubs.

Next to a person's home hamsters eat all in a row, he is an excellent poacher. Residents always try to get rid of such neighbors. Whatever hamsters eat, stocks for the winter are collected from various grains and seeds of plants.

Reproduction and life span of a hamster

Hamsters breed quickly and actively due to the fact that the male has several families. If he is defeated by a strong relative in a marriage dispute, then he will always have another female to continue the race.

Offspring are born several times a year, each litter consists of 5-15 cubs. Having appeared blind and bald, hamsters already have teeth, and on the third day they are covered with fluff. After a week, they begin to see. First they live in the nest under the careful supervision of the mother.

The female can take care even of other people's babies. But the children, if they do not accept the foundling, they can crush it. In nature, animals do not live long, up to 2-3 years. In captivity with good care life span pet hamsters increases to 4-5 years.

It is interesting that small cubs, 1-2 months old, getting into the home world of people, do not differ in aggressiveness. Buy a hamster for a child, you can be fearless, you just need to remember that his quick departure can become a psychological trauma.

At the same time, it is useful even for children to distinguish hamster Norman from popular cartoon and a living being with its own needs and character.

Handy and playful hamsters, for example, will bring joy and revitalization to any family. But a small steppe dweller requires care and attention to his needs. Hamster can become a favorite of both children and adults.