Hamsters captivate pet owners with their chubby cheeks and busy personalities. These small rodents naturally hoard food to survive in harsh environments. Furthermore, they possess surprising athletic abilities that rival larger animals. Consequently, they remain one of the most popular pocket pets in the world. Explore these fascinating details about the furry hoarders.
Hamsters
The name “hamster” comes from the German word “hamstern.” Specifically, this translates to “to hoard,” which perfectly describes their habit of stuffing food into their faces.
Their cheek pouches extend all the way to their hips. Remarkably, these stretchy pockets contain no saliva glands, so the food stays completely dry while they carry it.
Hamsters run up to five miles (nine kilometers) on their wheels every single night. Thus, they cover a distance equivalent to four human marathons relative to their small size.
They possess an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol. In fact, studies show they prefer alcohol over water and can consume massive amounts without getting drunk.
Hawaii strictly bans hamsters to protect its agriculture. The state government fears that escaped pets would establish colonies and destroy local crops because of the tropical climate.
They eat their own poop to absorb missed nutrients. Specifically, they consume soft droppings called cecotropes to get essential Vitamin B and Vitamin K.
Their teeth never stop growing throughout their entire lives. Therefore, they must constantly gnaw on wood and hard food to grind their incisors down to a manageable length.
Almost all Syrian hamsters descend from a single litter found in 1930. A zoologist captured a mother and her babies in Aleppo, and this small group launched the global pet population.
Syrian hamsters are strictly solitary and territorial. Consequently, they will fight each other to the death if you keep two adults in the same cage.
They can inflate their cheek pouches with air to float. Cleverly, they use this biological life jacket to swim safely across rivers in the wild.
Hamsters have terrible eyesight and are completely colorblind. Instead, they rely heavily on their sense of smell to navigate their surroundings and find food.
They can enter a state of deep sleep called torpor if it gets too cold. Unfortunately, owners often mistake this hibernation-like state for death and bury their pets alive.
Male hamsters have scent glands on their hips. They rub these greasy spots against the walls of their enclosure to mark their territory for other males.
Mothers may eat their own babies if they feel stressed. Tragically, she will cull the litter if she thinks she cannot care for them or if she feels threatened.
Finally, the European hamster grows much larger than the pet variety. This wild cousin can reach the size of a guinea pig and fiercely defends itself against predators.
