Hamsters are among the most preferred rodent pets that are widely popular among children even though they are nocturnal creatures. They like little balls of fur and are quite delicate animals. They are considered to be an ideal creature for performing scientific tests and experiments on, which is not something that is supported by Animal Rights Activists across the world.
They live underground in burrows and sleep through the day. Hamsters, though small are intelligent creatures and their nature varies based on the treatment they receive from humans as well as their environment. They are basically solitary by nature and do not like to live in groups or couples. They mainly feed on fruits, green veggies, seeds and small underground insects.
Origin of Hamsters
The scientific name of Hamster is Mesocricetus Auratus and they have mainly originated from Aleppo, Syria. They were not known as pets or lab animals until 1939 when they became extremely popular even in regions where other rodents were detested. They became quite popular as pets in the USA after they were bred successfully in Syria and imported to the country.
Hamsters can be domestic as well as wild and this marks the difference in their nature, behaviour, structure and genes.
Structure of Hamsters
These little fur balls of joy are typical small and stout in size and form. Their tails are smaller than the rest of their body with furry ears, tiny legs and relatively larger paws. They have thick layer of fur on their body which is usually not too long. They even have a type of pouch in their cheeks in which they can store their food and carry it to their burrows.
They are found in varied colours and at times with multiple colours on their body, such as grey, black, black & white, yellow, yellow and white and even red or red and white. Their body length might vary from 5.5 cms-34 cms in length.
Advantages of Hamsters as Pets
- They are quite playful and are entertaining by themselves and are a great way to keep little children busy
- They are one of the few little rodents who can be tamed and trained
- They can be more friendly with humans than their own kind
- They do not multiply too fast or too often as they like staying alone and live longer in confinement
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Disadvantages of Petting Hamsters
- Being unsocial by nature they cannot be kept together for too long after mating and even the litter should be removed from the mothers after 4-5 weeks
- They are awake and highly active at night which can often be a source of disturbance for their keepers
- Hamsters become ill quite easily and should be taken care of quite ardently with regular veterinary care
- Also they make their cages too dirty which should be cleaned regularly
Caring for Hamsters
- Hamster cages should be installed with wheel runners to help them stay active and fit as they can get fat which is a serious issue due to their small size and they need to be kept happy with such activities
- A lot of patience and kindness is required to befriend hamsters as they can be quite difficult when it comes to trusting other beings
Hamsters are quite easy to keep as pets and performing medical tests in them should not be encouraged at any cost.
