The largest hamster in the world has settled in Texas. The largest hamster in the world

Hamsters are small rodents characterized by short legs, small tails and ears. If you take good care of them, they make wonderful pets. When purchasing, you should be guided by the breed, since it is this that determines all the characteristics of the animal. What breeds and types of hamsters are there?

Names of hamster breeds and external characteristics

Often the choice of an animal is based on its appearance, but it is worth knowing the characteristics of its character and habits in order to make the right and informed choice (see care and maintenance of a hamster at home).

Breeds of hamsters with photographs and names, distinctive external features

Syriac (also known as golden or royal)

The most popular breed for keeping at home, which is liked by both children and adults (see more about the Syrian hamster, features of care and character):

Body length – 13-19 cm.
Golden rodents are most common, but grey, beige and even black ones can also be found.

Usually has a calm character, loves affection and is very easy to tame. Rarely gets sick, but average duration life is short and averages 2 years.

The most popular breed of small hamsters (see everything about the Djungarian hamster, character and conditions for keeping):

Their length does not exceed 10 cm.
A distinctive feature is a stripe on the back and a diamond in the forehead area.
The standard color ranges from almost white to dark gray, with black, brown and gray colors predominating.

These little fidgets are distinguished not only by their tiny size, but also by their good-natured disposition. They very rarely bite and quickly get used to being handled. Despite this, they cannot be named good choice For small child. Not large sizes make their body very fragile, this does not allow them to be squeezed or squeezed.

At home, it is better to keep dzhungariks alone. Same-sex couples very rarely get along. The female and male will constantly bring offspring, which will lead to fights for territory and will force you to search for owners for the babies. With proper care and quality nutrition, the dwarf will live 2-2.5 years.

Not a separate breed, fluffy hamsters are a type of Syrian.

They are distinguished by long, fluffy and pleasant to the touch fur.
They can have a wide variety of colors: from cream to black. Spotted and tortoiseshell colors are rare.
Males have a fur coat up to 5 cm long, females are much more modest, their fur rarely exceeds 2 cm.

Campbell

Another representative of dwarf rodents, which are often mistaken for dwarf rodents.

Their bare hind legs give them away
And stripes on the sides.

Campbell's predominate colors are brown, sand and cream. Unlike other dwarf hamsters, they are difficult to tame. They can bite the owner and are not particularly friendly to other animals. For this reason, they should not be left in the same cage with hamsters. different breeds. This will inevitably lead to a fight.

At the same time, you should not think about which Campbell dogs are not suitable for taming. It just takes more time and effort.

Very miniature look.

Adult body weight is only 8 g
With a length of 8 cm.

The main feature of this species is that the male and female care for their babies together. This behavior is usually characteristic of mice. If you want to keep a couple, this is a great option.

Radde (Pre-Caucasian, Dagestan)

Outwardly similar to the Syrian, but:

It has large sizes - from 17 to 28 cm.
Usually brown with dark and light spots.

Radde – quite rare pet. This breed of large hamster is a pest in wildlife. It lives in burrows and rarely comes out into daylight. The rodent often becomes a carrier infectious diseases, which are dangerous for both cattle and people.

If you decide to get a radde, be prepared to work hard to tame it. Also, do not try to switch the night dweller to a mode that is more convenient for you. Staying awake during the day will negatively affect both the health and mood of the animal.

Roborovsky

The smallest and rarest representatives of their species.

Adults barely reach 4-5 cm.
They have long legs.
Unlike other dwarf breeds, they do not have stripes on their backs.

These kids are very active, fast and independent. They absolutely cannot sit still! If one of them escapes from the cage, it will be very difficult to catch him.

This species is not suitable for solitary living. Alone, they feel very sad and live very short lives. In the wild they form small communities. It’s worth starting a couple or a whole family at home. Then these sociable creatures will feel comfortable, and you will be interested in watching their life.

The length of the body is 10 cm, and the length of the tail is about 4 cm.
The dark gray color is combined with a white rim of the ears and a light belly.

In fact, white hamsters with red eyes are not separate breed. The same applies to black hamsters; they can be of almost any breed.

Like all albinos they are white with red eyes, pink nose.

The information from the table will help you find out how to determine the breed of hamster. Of course, not all breeds are listed there. There are 240 species in total, but not all of them can live at home.

Which hamster is better to get - Djungarian or Syrian?

		Syrian
Size	Up to 10 cm. Weight – 40 g.	Up to 18 cm, that is, almost 2 times more. Weight – 100-140 g.
Color	Mostly gray, there are albinos with light fur and red eyes.	Most often golden, but there are white, black and brown.
One or two?	Very sociable, live in nature friendly families. Feel free to have a few furbabies, but always have a second cage or carrier ready. No one is immune from quarrels!	Prefers to live alone and needs a separate territory. Couples rarely get along.
Cell	Despite its modest size, it needs spacious housing. Due to the high level of activity, a wheel and maze are required.	Also loves space. It is advisable to equip the cage with a wheel.
Smell	It is characterized by cleanliness. It has a moderate odor, characteristic of all rodents. Cleaning once a week is enough.	It has a sharp, specific smell, so the cage requires more frequent cleaning - 2-3 times a week.
Taming	Wild, difficult to get used to being handled, reacts poorly to affection.	Adapts faster to a new place and owner, loves to be scratched.
Health Features	He is prone to diabetes, so you should not feed him sweet fruits and dried fruits.	Given that proper nutrition gets sick very rarely.
Lifespan	At proper care- 3 years. It is a long-liver among this species of rodents.	Usually 2-2.5 years.

Before you go to the poultry market or go to the breeder, carefully study the information about the chosen animal. So you will find good friend and you won't be disappointed in it.

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Common hamster

This is a very beautiful animal, its body length does not exceed 30 cm. It comes in different colors. Lives in Northern Kazakhstan, southern Europe and Western Siberia.

The common hamster builds complex burrows, the depth of which reaches 2.5 m. In mid-August, the animal begins to stock up on various foods: potatoes, carrots, grain, etc. This is what the rodent eats in the cold season, when it wakes up and fills its stomach with a new portion of food, and also in the spring - until the required amount of fresh food appears.

In summer he eats roots, small insects, herbs and seeds. The female gives birth several times between April and October. As a rule, there are ten cubs in a brood.

Cis-Caucasian hamster

As the name implies, this species lives in the Ciscaucasia and Northern Caucasus. The body length of such a hamster is on average 23 cm, and the tail is 1.2 cm. Its legs and nose are reddish, the top is brown, and the bottom is black.

Transcaucasian hamster

This rodent lives in the foothills of Dagestan, at an altitude of 500 m above sea level. Its body length is about 16 cm, and its tail is 2.5-3 cm. This animal is very similar to its Caucasian “brother”, but its abdomen is gray and its chest is white.

rat hamster

The hamster lives in Korea, China and Primorye. The length of its body is about 23 cm, and its tail is 8 cm. The color is gray-brown. The burrows of the rat-shaped hamster are distinguished by a particularly complex design.

Now let's look at the breeds of hamsters that are suitable for home keeping.

Gray hamster

The rodent lives in the European part of Russia, in the south of Western Siberia. This is a breed of small hamsters. These animals are approximately the same in size as the Djungarian ones. The body length is 11 cm, and the tail is 2.5 cm. The ears are round and small, and the muzzle is sharp. The colors are different. You can find both a smoky-gray rodent and a reddish-sand one.

A representative of this breed feeds on plant seeds and insects. Stocks up for the winter.

The breeding season is April-October. There are up to three litters per season. Pregnancy lasts twenty days, and there are seven cubs in the litter. The animal rarely hibernates.

If you are going to get such a pet, then know that its care and maintenance are exactly the same as for Djungarian and golden hamsters.

Daurian hamster

The rodent is common in Transbaikalia and the Irtysh. The body length is on average 10 cm, and the tail - 2.7 cm. The color is reddish or brown, the bottom is gray, and a black stripe stretches along the forehead and back. IN winter time hibernates for a year, but not for long.

Transbaikal hamster

The rodent lives in Transbaikalia. Outwardly similar to the Daurian, but lighter, and its body length is slightly shorter. Diet: insects and seeds.

Long-tailed hamster

Lives in Sayan, Transbaikalia and Tuva. The body length is a little more than 10 cm, and the tail is about 4 cm. The color is dark gray, ears with a white border, and the abdomen is light.

It feeds on cereals, seeds and insects. In winter, it hibernates. It breeds in late spring and summer, with an average litter of 7 young.

Eversmann's hamster

The hamster is slightly larger than the house mouse. The ears are small, slightly rounded at the ends, and the muzzle is pointed. There are different colors. You can see ash-sand hamster, fawn-red and black-and-white.

The fur is velvety and soft. Hamsters feed on seeds, shoots of cereals, and sometimes eat larvae and insects. During the year, the female gives birth to three litters of four cubs.

Mongolian hamster

The animal lives in the semi-deserts of Tuva. Body length is about thirteen centimeters. The color is light gray. It feeds on seeds, insects and rhizomes. Such an animal is very active; the female gives birth to several litters per year, with an average of ten cubs. In winter, the rodent hibernates.

Now let's look at the most common breeds of domestic hamsters.

Djungarian hamster

This species is very well studied. The rodent lives in Western Siberia, Central Asia and in Kazakhstan.

This animal is half the size golden hamster. An adult reaches an average length of 10 cm. Outwardly, it is a very cute animal with a pointed muzzle and small ears. The back is brownish-gray with dark sides. The abdomen is light. A thin black stripe runs along the ridge. The ears are black and the paws are white. It becomes lighter in winter, especially if you live in a cool place.

Rodents are most active in the evening and at night. The main food is plants, insects and seeds.

Djungarian hamsters do not hibernate. From March to September, the female gives birth to cubs several times (from five to twelve).

The offspring mature quickly and begin to reproduce very early, at the age of about four months. The animals live well in captivity and are quickly tamed.

Siberian hamster

Lives in Tuva. This animal is very similar to the Djungarian hamster, but lighter. In winter it becomes almost white. It digs good holes, with several entrances.

Roborovsky's hamster

Lives in deserts. It feeds on cereals, seeds, and insects. The Roborovsky hamster is small in size, and the tail is also small. The paws and belly are white, the back is pinkish-fawn, and the ears are black with a white edge.

During the year, the female brings offspring several times, with six to seven babies in the litter.

Pregnancy lasts on average 20 days, puberty occurs at three weeks of age. The cubs open their eyes on the 13th day, and fur appears on the 7th day.

Syrian (golden) hamster

The rodent has a gentle disposition and is twice the size smaller than a rat. Its existence was first learned in 1839, but after a while this breed was considered extinct. In 1930, during an expedition to Syria, colonies of these rodents were spotted.

Such hamsters can reproduce already at the age of one and a half months; the duration of pregnancy is about two weeks. At the age of twenty days, babies are already able to lead an independent life.

These rodents are best suited for keeping at home.

The hamster's body length is approximately 8 cm. The color is reddish-cinnamon or ocher-brown. By the way, it’s not uncommon for black or white hamster. The breed of rodents is very unusual; there are even more original colors, such as butterfly (spotted) or fawn (apricot).

The wool is soft and thick. There are golden hamsters with both short and long fur.

Field hamsters

Now let's look at other breeds of hamsters that belong to the genus Reithodontomus. Externally, these rodents are very similar to house mice. There are sixteen known species of field hamsters that live in Colombia, Canada and Ecuador. We are interested in the most common breeds of hamsters of this genus.

White-footed hamsters

Such rodents reach a length of 17 cm, and their body weight ranges from 20 to 60 g. The color varies, but the paws and abdominal side are always white.

IN forest conditions feed on seeds, fruits, berries and mushrooms.

White-footed hamsters have permanent pairs; the male does not abandon the young female even after the cubs are born. The duration of pregnancy is about four weeks. Independent kids become at one month of age. When are hamsters considered sexually mature? At the age of three months. They live for about two to three years in natural conditions, in captivity live up to six.

They breed all year round, the female brings five babies in each litter.

Taylor's dwarf hamster

A very small species, the rodent’s body length does not exceed 8 cm, and its weight is 8 g. The color is usually gray-cinnamon. The animal is widespread in Texas, Arizona, Central America and the island of Aruba. These creatures are usually active at night and feed mainly on vegetation. They reproduce throughout the year, but with varying intensity. As a rule, there are three cubs in a litter. In a year, a female can bear offspring ten to twelve times.

A newborn hamster weighs about one gram. During feeding, the male and female live in the same place and care for the babies together. This behavior is not typical for mouse-like rodents. At twenty days of age, hamsters leave their parental “house”. At 2.5 months they can already reproduce.

Altiplano hamsters

Rodents live on the plains of the Andes. Body length ranges from 8 to 17 cm. The fur is thick, soft, brownish-yellow tones. As a rule, they are active at night. They feed mainly on insects, although plant foods are also present in their diet.

Conclusion

Due to the fact that this article presents breeds of hamsters with photographs, you can examine the species you like in detail. You can even keep some representatives at home.

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The most depressed hamsters

Each animal has its own characteristics in character. Without knowing them, it is difficult for the owner to understand what his pet wants and what his mood is. The hamster is no exception. Just like people, they can get depressed. It often occurs in pets in winter.

Hamsters feel anxious and restless. American scientists decided to use this property of rodents in order to understand the cause of depressive state in people and find ways to eliminate it. The study involved 53 female and 48 male dwarf hamsters under the supervision of a professor at Ohio Medical University.

The animals were limited in their access to daylight to simulate winter days. Scientists also conducted special tests for anxiety. The researchers placed the rodents in a large cardboard box and observed how long the hamsters stood near the walls for 1 hour. This is exactly how restless hamsters behave.

In addition, the animals were given a sweet drink for several days. If a rodent did not drink it, it was considered “depressed.” As a result of such an experiment, it was found that hamsters are susceptible to seasonal depression.

The most depressed hamster is considered to be a rodent named Chmurka. The facial expressions and behavior of this animal speaks for itself.

Killer hamsters - horror in the cage

The hamster is a territorial animal, so it considers every other hamster its enemy. Even domesticated hamsters have a very strong survival instinct. Even if you place 2 rodents in a large spacious cage and provide them with food, one representative will still most likely be killed by the other. Hissing and growling are some of the signs that a confrontation will begin. Very often, if the female and the offspring from the male are not resettled in time, he kills them.

The most famous killer hamster is the Scorpio. He hunts scorpions and tarantulas and is not afraid of them at all.

Record holders for size

The largest hamster in the world is the capybara Caplin Rose. The owner of the giant pet is Melanie Typaldos. The weight of the animal is 64 kg, and the body length is 1.4 meters. Melanie named her pet after the huge rodent from the fairy tale “The Princess Bride.” Typaldos claims that the animal is very friendly and plays with children and even dogs.

The most favorite activity hamster - swim in the river, and then eat ice cream and fall asleep. Melanie even writes a blog about her pet, which is popular.

Beauty Queen

Hamsters are very cute and one of the most beautiful of all rodents. The aesthetically attractive Roborovsky hamsters are especially loved. These are the smallest representatives of rodents, maximum length which are 5 centimeters. This breed is very active and fast.

They are also distinguished by their friendliness towards their relatives and can easily live in the same cage. Roborovsky's hamsters have good eyesight and smell. They live, however, only 2-3 years.

There is the smallest hamster named Peevy. This miniature rodent lives in the UK. His height is 2.5 centimeters. Interestingly, Peavy is a regular hamster, not a dwarf one. Peavy stopped growing at just 3 weeks old.

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Video "Killer Hamster"

We present to you interesting video about the Scorpio hamster. In this video you will see how he fights with his prey - a scorpion.

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We characterize the rodent as a species

What types of hamsters are there? In total, there are 235 species in the world, plus or minus five more new breeds. But not all of them are able to get along with a person. There are much fewer domesticated ones. Wild rodents are not adapted to living in a cage and often die. But some experienced specialists are able to domesticate even a wild representative of this class.

The first thing to consider is that the hamster is a mammal. It belongs to the Khomyakov class, and when translated its name will mean “thrifty.” This is precisely why it differs from its relatives - it carries reserves behind its cheeks. Able to hold them in his cheeks long time. By constitution, the individuals are large, or more precisely, they have a dense physique. By external signs has similarities with rats and other rodents. There are also types of domestic hamsters that resemble a squirrel, only the tail part is smaller and much smaller.

Females are always smaller in size. But the color, shape of the eyes and body shape, along with the muzzle and tail, are determined only by appearance. The character is calm and measured and does not like to be held in arms for a long time. But if you teach a hamster from a young age to eat from a spoon and lie down with the owner to watch TV, then the animal will quickly get used to this.

The distinctive feature of such animals is not their color and shape, but the fact that they are blind. But on high level hearing and sense of smell are developed. It will not work to deceive and slip tasteless food. In this regard, animals are picky. Communication occurs between individuals using squeaks. In extreme cases, ultrasonic waves can be heard.

While the hamster is small, its fur is fluffy and soft. If the breed assumes coarse fur in adult life, then the baby will also have one. Only more tender, until the first molt. The color of the fur cannot be predicted. Unless, of course, the breed is monochromatic or rare. In such cases, the color will not change even after molting. Taking care of the animal yourself is easy.

Interesting fact. As a rule, hamsters do not bite. But since teeth develop throughout life, there is a need to grind them down, otherwise the animal is capable of causing pain to its owner. To avoid such incidents, it is recommended to purchase special toys and pebbles for normal grinding by the animal itself.

Literally all varieties of hamsters have a special structure of the oral cavity: the presence of pouches in the cheeks. Such bins contain up to 50 g of food. Moreover, they have developed glands. They serve as assistants for normal development for young animals, and as part of the digestive system for mature individuals.

It is worth considering that when the right approach to care for the little animal, it will live up to 6-7 years, but the average life expectancy is from 3 years to 6 years. In wild conditions the maximum life path– 2-3 years. This is due to a large number bacteria and viruses in nature, as well as large number predators.

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The large animal reaches a length of 35 cm, and the weight of the hamster can be up to 1 kg. It is this kind of animal that is considered a pest in the garden, as it surrounds the beds and collects supplies for the winter. The plumpest hamster can dig a hole up to 8 meters long. In it he puts food in special compartments.

But even such an animal cannot compare with the huge capybara, which looks like a rodent. Its height reaches 0.6 meters and length 1.4 meters. At the same time, an adult rodent weighs 34-66 kg. You can find the animal in Central and South America.

And the smallest hamster belongs to the Roborovsky breed. They are only 5-6 cm long.

Appearance of the largest animal

You can see in the photo what the largest hamster in the world looks like. There are some features in their body structure:

Pets' ears are short and covered with hard fur.
The tail at the base is thick.
The fingers have fairly developed claws.
Wide feet.

Rodents have a uniform color, which can vary from red to brown. Black individuals are rare. There are approximately 10 subspecies of such animals.

Where does it live?

The largest hamsters are quite beautiful. They live in forest-steppe and steppe zones V southern parts Europe. You can find them in the north of Kazakhstan and in the western part of Siberia. Animals prefer to settle on the outskirts of vegetable gardens and fields. The animal can change its color depending on its location.

How much does the largest hamster weigh?

The weight of the animal is determined by the breed and also depends on feeding. It is worth considering that if a rodent becomes fat, then it becomes obese.
Here is the weight of the animal depending on the breed:

Roborovsky's pet – 20-40 gr.
Dzungariki – 35-65 gr.
Chinese rodent – 40-50 gr.
Campbell's - 40-60 gr.
Syrians - 100-200 gr.
Wild or rade – 500-700 gr.

Features of behavior

The biggest hamster can show character. If threatened, he is capable of attacking even larger animals. At the same time, he stands on his hind legs and clicks his teeth.

Here is the animal's diet:

fruits and vegetables;
grain crops;
plant roots;
insects and greens.

Such a rodent often walks with full cheeks, in which it carries food supplies. Rodents begin to stock up on provisions at the end of summer. Hamsters with stuffed cheeks can be observed at night, as they are nocturnal animals.

The animals can even swim. They take air into their cheek pouches and move through the water with the current. At the same time, the swollen cheeks prevent the individual from sinking.

Some rodents, thanks to caution and the ability to fend for themselves, live up to 4 years in natural conditions.

Features of home care

At home, a large hamster turns into a friendly and docile pet. This requires simple care for the hamster. The animal needs to be provided with a varied diet, including greens. Vegetables and seeds of cultivated plants. Adults are fed fish oil, white bread and oatmeal. It is worth purchasing vitamins E, D and A at the pharmacy.

Important! You can't feed a rodent exotic vegetables and fruits raw meat and fatty foods.

A small, medium-sized cage is suitable for a pet. You should not choose a home made of wood, which the animal can easily chew through. You will need a bedding made of pressed sawdust. They absorb moisture well and provide optimal conditions habitat. Don’t forget about special entertainment for the animal in the form of a manhole or a wheel.

With proper care, your pet will not cause problems, but will become a source of positive emotions household members.

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One of the most large species hamsters - capybara. This semi-aquatic rodent is a herbivore. Looks like the same hamster, only bigger. It is up to one and a half meters long and up to half a meter high. Males are smaller in size than females. The head of these animals is large. The eyes are located on the top of the head and are small in size. There is a small tail. The paws are low. The body has hard hair reaching a length of 8 centimeters. Color brownish-yellow. The belly is always darker than the body.

This type of hamster is found in the tropics, such as Central and South America, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina. This rodent loves to swim and dive. Capybara hamsters are always on the alert in water, as crocodiles and snakes feed on them. On land they are almost completely safe.

The food of this family is not varied; it is: grass, fruits of trees and plants, hay. If they are bred on a farm, they will not refuse small fish. Currently, the largest hamster in the world lives with his owner Melanie in South America, his name is Caplin Rous. Named after a character from one of the famous fairy tales, “The Princess Bride”. This rodent has become very famous thanks to his blog on the Internet. His owners actively post their pet’s life to the world. social media. This individual loves to swim, eat ice cream and sleep.

The fattest hamster (not counting the Capybara) is called Radde; its weight, according to statistics, reaches 600 grams.

The world's smallest Roborovsky hamster. Its body length is only 6 centimeters. He does not know what loneliness is, he is willingly sought after as a pet. A huge advantage of this breed is that several of them can be planted in one cage. They will be peaceful friends, this distinguishes them from larger species. Positive quality The advantage of the Roborovsky hamster is that it is easy to care for. The biggest disadvantage is its small size, it is easy to injure. You need to pick up such individuals very carefully so as not to harm them.

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The largest hamster in the world reaches 35 centimeters in length and a body weight of 0.7-1 kg. It is this rodent that is a pest in dacha areas; it is called a wild hamster. People try to fight him, but to no avail. He is resistant to poison and fearless. And even politicians can envy his arrogance. An animal can freely pass by you and go to your garden bed to gather supplies for the winter. If only he were alone, but there are many of them and they all fill their own pantries. The largest hamster digs a hole up to 8 meters long. There he stores food for the winter in specially designed compartments. No frost can reach it, taking advantage of this, in winter the rodent goes into hibernation.

But wild hamster looks like a small mouse compared to a capybara named Caplin Rous. This animal only looks like a hamster. Its height is 0.6 meters and its length is 1.4 m. The weight of an adult is 34-66 kg. This huge animal lives in South and Central America.

How much does a hamster weigh

The weight of a hamster depends on the breed and lifestyle. You can check how much a hamster weighs; it is best to use an electronic scale for this. They weigh it the same way as any other thing (just put it on the scales). But it is better for the pet to sit still.

Rodent weight table:

The smallest hamster

The smallest hamster is Roborovsky. Body length is only 5 centimeters. This can be seen in the table above. The only one home view who does not live a lonely life. They can be housed several individuals in one cage. Due to its unpretentiousness, it is quite easy to care for. But with such dimensions, you can cause injuries through your negligence. Therefore, be careful, the smallest is also the most fragile.
Looking at him, you wonder how he survives in the wild.

What types of hamsters are there?

Many people are interested in what types of hamsters there are before purchasing. And they are very different. From small to large. Pets can be tamed by hand without any problems, and the Syrian can even be tamed by name. They are picky eaters; more precisely, many foods can harm their health. They live alone in a cage. But hamsters can be wild, for example Radde. This is the exact opposite of domesticated rodents. The fearless beast without hesitation attacks an opponent who is several times larger than him. He is not picky about food and eats almost everything. We described it above; this is the largest hamster.

How a hamster stuffs its cheeks

There is probably no person who will not be made to smile by the way a hamster stuffs his cheeks. He takes food with his paws as if a person would with his hands. At the same time, it fills your mouth to capacity. And the capacity there is huge. The volume of the cheek pouches can reach a third of the body volume. Watch the video:

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The largest hamster in the world

The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) is considered not only the largest, but also the most beautiful among its fellows. Its size is truly impressive. An adult reaches 25–30 centimeters in length. It has an extremely bright, rich red coat color on the back, a black belly and three white spots on the side of the head, chest and sides. The nose and paws are white. Although sometimes there are individuals of black and white or black color.

The common hamster is widespread in the territory southern steppes and forest-steppes of Europe and Western Siberia. In addition, it is also found in Northern Kazakhstan.

A distinctive feature of this type of hamster is the “habit” of storing food, for which it digs deep holes with an extensive network of tunnels ending in “pantries”. The depth of a hamster's burrow in natural living conditions can reach two and a half meters.

During the warm autumn period The hamster's "pantries" are filled with winter supplies, which include corn, cereals, carrots and some other vegetables growing in nearby fields. A small animal by our standards stores about 15-20 kilograms of various products. The hamster has enough of these reserves until the new crop ripens in the fields.

However, cereals and vegetables are not the only type of food for the common hamster; it can eat plant seeds, grass, insects and even mice. Although, in most cases he prefers not to enter into conflicts with other animals.

By the way, about the smallest hamster in the world.

Vitaly Orlov, Samogo.Net

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Common pets, if you try to learn more about them, will reveal many amazing secrets. Interesting facts about hamsters will really surprise some people. When creating these small rodents, nature did not skimp on inventions.

There is a lot that can surprise you about these animals. Most of the myths about them do not correspond to reality.

Teeth

This organ distinguishes rodents from all other animals. They are even born with teeth. But not everyone knows interesting facts about hamsters regarding these organs:

Hamsters' teeth do not have roots;
Each individual has only four of them;
so that they fit in the mouth, they are regularly ground down on a stone.

Wool

An amazing discovery was made by Oxford University zoologist Kingdon while studying the phenomenon of the shaggy African hamster, which was also called poisonous. This rodent kills predators that are larger and stronger than it.

It turned out that the hairs in a hamster's fur coat are arranged in an unusual way. On the outside they have microscopic holes that resemble a carved lattice. Because of this, the hairs absorb liquid and keep it inside. Rubbing the fur with juice poisonous plant, the hamster becomes dangerous to those who try to bite it.

Cheek pouches

This is the most important distinguishing feature all hamsters. Animals hide food and everything that interests them in them. Having reached its shelter, the hamster dumps what it brought and hides it.

At one time, a rodent can carry a load in its cheek pouches that makes up a fifth of its weight.

Cheek pouches are necessary for the hamster to collect supplies in the burrow.

In addition to food, animals are attracted to various shiny objects. Moreover, a greedy hamster, having hidden a heavy metal nut behind its cheek, can die of hunger without leaving its place due to too much heavy weight burden, but will not dare to spit out the find.

With the help of rodents they swim perfectly. They take in air and therefore easily float on the surface of the water. True, they will not be able to dive.

Offspring

Hamsters can give birth 2 to 4 times a year. A female dwarf can become fertilized right on the day of birth. Pregnancy lasts 16-18 days, and feeding of the cubs lasts 21.

To prevent one offspring from interfering with another, the female can delay the onset of childbirth.
Usually there are no more than 8 hamsters in a litter. However, in the USA in 1974, on February 28, the Miller family was incredibly surprised when their pet gave birth to 26 cubs at once.

Interesting facts about the common hamster: cannibal warrior

In addition to the domesticated species of these cute fluffies, their wild relatives still exist in nature. - a real thunderstorm not only for fields and vegetable gardens, but also for animals. They say about them that when attacking a dog or a hare, these rodents win and... feast on fresh meat of his victim.

Common hamster

They do not hesitate to taste the flesh of a fellow rival defeated in battle. These warlike creatures fight for possession of a female, for territory, protecting their reserves.

They say about steppe hamsters that they even attack humans. True, cases deaths not registered. Basically, zealous owners simply scare away people, protecting the territory.

Interesting facts about Syrian hamsters: about food, friendship and family ties

These domestic rodents are not as warlike as wild steppe rodents. But, preferring a solitary lifestyle, they will not tolerate a stranger on their territory. he will mercilessly bite to death the weaker one whom the inexperienced owner decides to place next to him.

The concept of kinship does not exist for him. If it is not resettled in time, even its own offspring will suffer.

Zoologists made an interesting discovery about hamsters and food: these rodents are omnivores. In addition to grains, seeds and fruits, they need animal protein. In nature, animals get it by hunting for insects, small living creatures, and eating carrion. In captivity, they must be given boiled lean poultry and fish, otherwise the pet becomes aggressive and bites. For this reason, the female can even eat her own offspring.

Interesting facts about Djungarian hamsters

Unlike other types of hamsters, they have an interesting ability of the body - to fall into a stupor (not to be confused with hibernation!). This condition lasts several hours and is most often associated with low temperature environment. There are also cases where hamsters fell into a stupor due to severe stress.

Interesting facts about Roborovski's hamsters

- the smallest among their relatives. What distinguishes them from other species is their friendliness and love of communication. They get along well with each other in the same cage. The main condition is the presence of an equal number of females and males. Although one male and several females will coexist perfectly in a cage. In this case, aggression is not observed. Indeed, in nature, male hamsters usually take care of not one female, but several.

Which breed of hamster lives the longest?

Among rodents, an individual that has celebrated its fourth birthday can be considered a long-liver. The usual lifespan of dzhungarikas is from 2 to 3 years. Roborovsky's hamsters live a little longer - up to 3.5 years. But there are facts of longevity. There have been cases where representatives of dwarf breeds broke the record of 5 years. Syrian hamsters are officially declared to have a lifespan of 3.5 years.

There is a legend on the Internet that the oldest hamster in the world lived to be 19 years old. However, no confirmation of this fact was found.

Records: the fattest hamster in the world, the largest and the smallest

About 19 breeds of rodents with cheek pouches are known. Among them there are tiny dwarfs - PeeWee from Great Britain, which is only 2.5 cm long including its tail. But this is not a natural phenomenon, but a physical deviation, due to which the animal stopped growing in childhood.

Hamster - dwarf PeeWee

Among the wild, a male 35 centimeters long and weighing just over a kilogram has been recorded. This fattest hamster has prepared supplies for winter not only in the pantry, but also accumulated on his sides.

Although the average Radde hamster stands out among its relatives: its weight ranges from 500 to 700 g. People call it nothing more than a “dog”.

The most expensive hamster

The price of an animal depends on whether it is sold by a private individual, a pet store or a nursery, whether the animal has documents with a pedigree and how rare the rodent breed is.

You can buy a hamster from a private owner 5 times cheaper than in a nursery. But there is no guarantee that the animal is healthy, that it has good genes. In a pet store, animals are sold after being checked by a veterinarian. However, sellers there will not be able to guarantee a good pedigree. Therefore, if it is important for the owner to get a real purebred pet, it is better to pay more, but get what he wants without deception and with supporting documents.

The rarest is Roborovsky's hamster. They were brought to Russia back in 1970. But only recently has it been possible to develop a species capable of breeding in captivity.

Should be purchased immediately married couple. It will cost about 2000 rubles.

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Interesting facts about Djungarian and Syrian hamsters

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Why does a hamster bite and how to avoid it

Today I will tell you about Robert Bruno, who spent his entire life building a house out of iron, and about the Typaldos family, who sheltered the world's largest hamster in their house.
This post is not just about strange people, first of all, it is about true friendship and love.

On the high bank beautiful river not far from the city of Lubbock, in the very center of Texas, thirty-seven years ago construction began on perhaps one of the most unusual houses on the planet.

Texan Robert Bruno, a salesman from a garden equipment store, began building a house according to his own design back in 1974. Robert has never been a professional architect, as he is called on the Internet. He loved iron very much and was always surprised why people don’t build houses from this truly energetically “strong” material.

Bruno was interested in iron all his life, even trying to make sculptures from metal. He first conceived the house as a large sculpture of a pig standing on the very cliff of the canyon.

Look at the house from this angle, it really does look like a pig. Although Robert later abandoned this idea, he was even offended when someone called his house a pig.

The house stands on four legs, and you can enter it through the “butt”; there is a small bridge built there. To build the house, 110 tons of metal were used and 37 years were spent!! Just think about the numbers and imagine that this was a person’s HOBBY.

From the entrance you almost immediately find yourself in a large living room, a traditional American “living room”. The unconventionality here is that the walls, of course, are also made of iron, and huge windows face the sunny side.

The stability of the structure is ensured by very specific columns.

Despite the unusual wall decoration to the human eye, the furniture and fittings are quite ordinary.

Shower room

Dining table

An iron house gets very hot, so special attention During construction, Robert paid attention to the ventilation and air conditioning system.

Stairs and ceilings.

A semi-spiral staircase leads to the second floor, of course, also made of iron.

Here, upstairs, in the “patch” there was supposed to be something like a music salon for guests: on the far right, in the far corner, there was a place for a synthesizer and a guitar, a small stage.

Downstairs is Robert Bruno's bedroom. Quite modest - a mattress, a bedside table...

And here is Robert himself, in the photo on the right. I was not able to find the owner of the house, and I will never be able to find it again...

Robert Bruno died four years ago, in 2008. Henry Martinez, his best friend, opened the Iron House for me. They worked together for 25 years, and Henry was a true family friend, privy to all the secrets. After the death of a friend, the company passed to Henry, and now he is in charge of the business started by Robert. He also works on the house, as far as possible, but does not complete the construction, but for now he simply preserves it from destruction.

When we met, Henry was worried when he talked about his friend, it was clear that this was very difficult for him, he could barely hold back his tears. He said that just tourists often come here, but also architects from all over the world are interested in the house. Many world-famous architecture magazines have written about Bruno’s project, but there is a lot of incorrect information on the Internet. By the way, they haven’t gotten here from Russia yet, according to Henry.

In the evening of the same day, when I wrote the next travel notes, Henry called me and thanked me for my time and attention to this house and offered to be in touch. He is interested in what Russian readers will say about the project of his lifelong friend.

The next day I went to the capital of Texas, the city of Austin, next to which, in a small village, the Tipaldos family lives - mother and daughter. Ordinary American family, an ordinary American house...at first glance.

But you probably noticed something strange in the previous photo? "Strange" is the family's pet, named Garibaldi.

Gary is a hamster. The world's largest rodent. In fact, it’s not even a hamster, but a capybara, but for some reason it’s more pleasant to call it a hamster.

The animal is called a capybara, and they are usually found only in the wild of South America. How did he get into the house, and even into North America?

Gary is a young hamster, he was adopted by the Typaldos family two years ago. Before this, the women already had experience with capybaras: the family became famous throughout the Internet with their previous favorite: a female capybara named Kaplin Rouz (the surname Rous is an abbreviation for Rodent Of Unusual Size - a rodent of unusual size). Unfortunately, Kaplin passed away, but good people sent the family a baby capybara.

How to find out the breed of a hamster? To understand the types of these rodents, you need to know their main features. We will help you in this matter: we will tell you what breeds of hamsters there are. So let's get started.

There are more than 240 species of hamsters in the world. They live in different countries and even on different continents. As a rule, they live in the steppe, forest-steppe or in deserts and semi-deserts. Although sometimes hamsters can be found in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 2.5 thousand meters above sea level.

These animals dig holes for themselves (complicated) with different turns, passages and, of course, storerooms. As you know, hamsters are thrifty animals. Some representatives stock up to one hundred kilograms. At night, the animal goes hunting. Hamsters eat plant and animal foods.

Their coat colors are different (ash, brown and others).

What types of hamsters are there? Now we will take a closer look at the types of these small rodents. Let's start with the most popular.

This is a very beautiful animal, its body length does not exceed 30 cm. It comes in different colors. Lives in Northern Kazakhstan, southern Europe and Western Siberia.

In summer it eats roots, small insects, grasses and seeds. The female gives birth several times between April and October. As a rule, there are ten cubs in a brood.

Cis-Caucasian hamster

Transcaucasian hamster

rat hamster

Now let's look at the breeds of hamsters that are suitable for home keeping.

Gray hamster

A representative of this breed feeds on plant seeds and insects. Stocks up for the winter.

The breeding season is April-October. There are up to three litters per season. Pregnancy lasts twenty days, and there are seven cubs in the litter. The animal rarely hibernates.

If you are going to get such a pet, then know that its care and maintenance are exactly the same as for Djungarian and golden hamsters.

Daurian hamster

Transbaikal hamster

The rodent lives in Transbaikalia. Outwardly similar to the Daurian, but lighter, and its body length is slightly shorter. Diet: insects and seeds.

Long-tailed hamster

Lives in Sayan, Transbaikalia and Tuva. The body length is a little more than 10 cm, and the tail is about 4 cm. The color is dark gray, ears with a white border, and the abdomen is light.

It feeds on cereals, seeds and insects. In winter, it hibernates. It breeds in late spring and summer, with an average litter of 7 young.

Eversmann's hamster

The fur is velvety and soft. Hamsters feed on seeds, shoots of cereals, and sometimes eat larvae and insects. During the year, the female gives birth to three litters of four cubs.

Mongolian hamster

Now let's look at the most common breeds of domestic hamsters.

Djungarian hamster

This species is very well studied. The rodent lives in Western Siberia, Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

This animal is half the size of a golden hamster. An adult reaches an average length of 10 cm. Outwardly, it is a very cute animal with a pointed muzzle and small ears. The back is brownish-gray with dark sides. The abdomen is light. A thin black stripe runs along the ridge. The ears are black and the paws are white. It becomes lighter in winter, especially if you live in a cool place.

Rodents are most active in the evening and at night. The main food is plants, insects and seeds.

Djungarian hamsters do not hibernate. From March to September, the female gives birth to cubs several times (from five to twelve).

The offspring mature quickly and begin to reproduce very early, at the age of about four months. The animals live well in captivity and are quickly tamed.

Siberian hamster

Lives in Tuva. This animal is very similar to the Djungarian hamster, but lighter. In winter it becomes almost white. It digs good holes, with several entrances.

Roborovsky's hamster

During the year, the female brings offspring several times, with six to seven babies in the litter.

Pregnancy lasts on average 20 days, puberty occurs at three weeks of age. The cubs open their eyes on the 13th day, and fur appears on the 7th day.

Syrian (golden) hamster

The rodent has a gentle disposition and is half the size of a rat. Its existence was first learned in 1839, but after a while this breed was considered extinct. In 1930, during an expedition to Syria, colonies of these rodents were spotted.

Such hamsters can reproduce already at the age of one and a half months; the duration of pregnancy is about two weeks. At the age of twenty days, babies are already able to lead an independent life.

These rodents are best suited for keeping at home.

The hamster's body length is approximately 8 cm. The color is reddish-cinnamon or ocher-brown. By the way, it is not uncommon to have a black or white hamster. The breed of rodents is very unusual; there are even more original colors, such as butterfly (spotted) or fawn (apricot).

The wool is soft and thick. There are golden hamsters with both short and long fur.

Field hamsters

White-footed hamsters

Such rodents reach a length of 17 cm, and their body weight ranges from 20 to 60 g. The color varies, but the paws and abdominal side are always white.

In forest conditions they feed on seeds, fruits, berries and mushrooms.

White-footed hamsters have permanent pairs; the male does not abandon the young female even after the cubs are born. The duration of pregnancy is about four weeks. Babies become independent at one month of age. When are hamsters considered sexually mature? At the age of three months. They live for about two to three years in natural conditions, in captivity they live up to six.

They breed all year round, the female brings five babies in each litter.

Taylor's dwarf hamster

Altiplano hamsters

Conclusion

Due to the fact that this article presents breeds of hamsters with photographs, you can examine the species you like in detail. You can even keep some representatives at home.

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Today, the largest hamster on Earth is a capybara named Caplin Rous. This animal lives with its owner Melanie Typaldos. Meanwhile, Kaplin Rus even maintains her own blog on the Internet, so her popularity knows no bounds.

For reference, we will tell you a little about the capybara - it is a semi-aquatic herbivore from the capybara family. Outwardly, it is very reminiscent of a hamster, only of increased size. The body length can reach 1.4 meters, and the height can be about 60 centimeters. Females are slightly larger than males, their weight is 36-66 kg, and males - 34-63 kg. The head is large and massive, the neck is thick, the ears are small and round, the eyes are small, located high on the head, and there is a small tail. The legs are short, the front legs are three-toed, and the hind legs are two-toed. The body is covered with coarse hair, the length of which can vary greatly - from 3 to 12 centimeters, there is no undercoat. The color is yellowish-brown, the belly is slightly darker.

The capybara is found in temperate and tropical parts of South and Central America. You can see it in Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela and so on. The animal loves water, dives well and swims well, and the high location of its nostrils and eyes allows it to keep them above the water when swimming. The main enemies of these animals are anacondas, crocodiles, and alligators. All of them can attack capybaras while they are in the water. But they don’t have many enemies on land.

The main diet includes grass, hay, tubers and plant fruits. True, in captivity an animal can eat special commercial food and even small fish.

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The common hamster is widespread in the southern steppes and forest-steppes of Europe and Western Siberia. In addition, it is also found in Northern Kazakhstan.

During the warm autumn period, the hamster's "pantries" are filled with winter supplies, which include corn, cereals, carrots and some other vegetables growing in nearby fields. A small animal by our standards stores about 15-20 kilograms of various products. The hamster has enough of these reserves until the new crop ripens in the fields.

By the way, about the smallest hamster in the world.

Vitaly Orlov, Samogo.Net

samogoo.net

One of the largest species of hamsters is the capybara. This semi-aquatic rodent is a herbivore. Looks like the same hamster, only bigger. It is up to one and a half meters long and up to half a meter high. Males are smaller in size than females. The head of these animals is large. The eyes are located on the top of the head and are small in size. There is a small tail. The paws are low. The body has hard hair reaching a length of 8 centimeters. Color brownish-yellow. The belly is always darker than the body.

The food of this family is not varied; it is: grass, fruits of trees and plants, hay. If they are bred on a farm, they will not refuse small fish. Currently, the largest hamster in the world lives with his owner Melanie in South America, his name is Caplin Rous. Named after a character from one of the famous fairy tales, “The Princess Bride”. This rodent has become very famous thanks to his blog on the Internet. Its owners actively post their pet’s life on worldwide social networks. This individual loves to swim, eat ice cream and sleep.

The fattest hamster (not counting the Capybara) is called Radde; its weight, according to statistics, reaches 600 grams.

The world's smallest Roborovsky hamster. Its body length is only 6 centimeters. He does not know what loneliness is, he is willingly sought after as a pet. A huge advantage of this breed is that several of them can be planted in one cage. They will be peaceful friends, this distinguishes them from larger species. A positive quality of the Roborovsky hamster is that it is easy to care for. The biggest disadvantage is its small size, it is easy to injure. You need to pick up such individuals very carefully so as not to harm them.

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Names of hamster breeds and external characteristics

Breeds of hamsters with photographs and names, distinctive external features

Syriac (also known as golden or royal)

The most popular breed for keeping at home, which is liked by both children and adults (see more about the Syrian hamster, features of care and character):

Body length – 13-19 cm.
Golden rodents are most common, but grey, beige and even black ones can also be found.

Usually has a calm character, loves affection and is very easy to tame. Rarely gets sick, but the average life expectancy is short and averages 2 years.

The most popular breed of small hamsters (see everything about the Djungarian hamster, character and conditions for keeping):

Their length does not exceed 10 cm.
A distinctive feature is a stripe on the back and a diamond in the forehead area.
The standard color ranges from almost white to dark gray, with black, brown and gray colors predominating.

These little fidgets are distinguished not only by their tiny size, but also by their good-natured disposition. They very rarely bite and quickly get used to being handled. Despite this, they cannot be called a good choice for a small child. Their small size makes their body very fragile, which prevents them from being squeezed or squeezed.

Not a separate breed, fluffy hamsters are a type of Syrian.

They are distinguished by long, fluffy and pleasant to the touch fur.
They can have a wide variety of colors: from cream to black. Spotted and tortoiseshell colors are rare.
Males have a fur coat up to 5 cm long, females are much more modest, their fur rarely exceeds 2 cm.

Campbell

Another representative of dwarf rodents, which are often mistaken for dwarf rodents.

Their bare hind legs give them away
And stripes on the sides.

Campbell's predominate colors are brown, sand and cream. Unlike other dwarf hamsters, they are difficult to tame. They can bite the owner and are not particularly friendly to other animals. For this reason, they should not be left in the same cage with hamsters of different breeds. This will inevitably lead to a fight.

At the same time, you should not think about which Campbell dogs are not suitable for taming. It just takes more time and effort.

Very miniature look.

Adult body weight is only 8 g
With a length of 8 cm.

The main feature of this species is that the male and female care for their babies together. This behavior is usually characteristic of mice. If you want to keep a couple, this is a great option.

Radde (Pre-Caucasian, Dagestan)

Outwardly similar to the Syrian, but:

It has large sizes - from 17 to 28 cm.
Usually brown with dark and light spots.

Radde is a rather rare pet. This breed of large hamster is a pest in the wild. It lives in burrows and rarely comes out into daylight. The rodent often becomes a carrier of infectious diseases that are dangerous for both livestock and people.

Roborovsky

The smallest and rarest representatives of their species.

Adults barely reach 4-5 cm.
They have long legs.
Unlike other dwarf breeds, they do not have stripes on their backs.

These kids are very active, fast and independent. They absolutely cannot sit still! If one of them escapes from the cage, it will be very difficult to catch him.

The length of the body is 10 cm, and the length of the tail is about 4 cm.
The dark gray color is combined with a white rim of the ears and a light belly.

In fact, white hamsters with red eyes are not a separate breed. The same applies to black hamsters; they can be of almost any breed.

Like all albinos, they are white with red eyes and a pink nose.

Which hamster is better to get - Djungarian or Syrian?

		Syrian
Size	Up to 10 cm. Weight – 40 g.	Up to 18 cm, that is, almost 2 times more. Weight – 100-140 g.
Color	Mostly gray, there are albinos with light fur and red eyes.	Most often golden, but there are white, black and brown.
One or two?	They are very sociable and live in friendly families in nature. Feel free to have a few furbabies, but always have a second cage or carrier ready. No one is immune from quarrels!	Prefers to live alone and needs a separate territory. Couples rarely get along.
Cell	Despite its modest size, it needs spacious housing. Due to the high level of activity, a wheel and maze are required.	Also loves space. It is advisable to equip the cage with a wheel.
Smell	It is characterized by cleanliness. It has a moderate odor, characteristic of all rodents. Cleaning once a week is enough.	It has a sharp, specific smell, so the cage requires more frequent cleaning - 2-3 times a week.
Taming	Wild, difficult to get used to being handled, reacts poorly to affection.	Adapts faster to a new place and owner, loves to be scratched.
Health Features	He is prone to diabetes, so you should not feed him sweet fruits and dried fruits.	Given proper nutrition, he rarely gets sick.
Lifespan	With proper care - 3 years. It is a long-liver among this species of rodents.	Usually 2-2.5 years.

Before you go to the poultry market or go to the breeder, carefully study the information about the chosen animal. This way you will find a good friend and not be disappointed in him.

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But the wild hamster looks like a small mouse compared to the capybara named Caplin Rous. This animal only looks like a hamster. Its height is 0.6 meters and its length is 1.4 m. The weight of an adult is 34-66 kg. This huge animal lives in South and Central America.

How much does a hamster weigh

Rodent weight table:

The smallest hamster

The smallest hamster is Roborovsky. Body length is only 5 centimeters. This can be seen in the table above. The only domestic species that does not live a solitary life. They can be housed several individuals in one cage. Due to its unpretentiousness, it is quite easy to care for. But with such dimensions, you can cause injuries through your negligence. Therefore, be careful, the smallest is also the most fragile.
Looking at him, you wonder how he survives in the wild.

What types of hamsters are there?

How a hamster stuffs its cheeks

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Appearance

The body structure of individuals is quite specific:

the ears are short and covered with coarse hair;
feet are wide;
the tail is quite thick at the base;
the fingers are crowned with fairly developed claws - they are the ones that provide the rodent with fast movement in space.

From above, the body is usually monochromatic, the color varies from red to brown, the color of the abdomen is black. A pair of light spots can be seen on the sides of the belly, which are separated by an area of dark fur. Light spots are also located behind the rodent's ears, as well as on the sides of the head. The most rare individuals are:

Black.
Black with light legs and chest.

In total there are about 10 subspecies of individuals.

Habitat

In nature, the largest hamster in the world lives in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, which are located in the south of Europe, animals also live in the west of Siberia, in the northern part of Kazakhstan. There are frequent cases when individuals chose their habitat and much more northern territories. Favorite place The animal's habitat is the outskirts of fields and vegetable gardens. It often happens that common hamsters are found in Moscow near the Moscow River and forested areas. It is not yet possible to determine the exact number of rodents within the city.

In the Moscow region, individuals of this species have not survived. The main reason for this is:

construction of buildings near rodent habitats;
overgrowing of meadows;
destruction of burrows of representatives of this species by people.

Lifestyle and habits

The largest hamster in the world is distinguished not only by its size, but also by its temperament. This is the only representative of the hamster family, which, if threatened, attacks not only representatives of its own species, but also larger animals. There are often cases when hamsters even attack people. At the same time, the rodent takes a fighting stance, standing on its hind legs, loudly clicks its teeth in warning and then attacks.

An adult representative of this species feeds:

grain crops;
vegetables and fruits;
greens;
plant roots;
insects.

It often happens that smaller rodents also get eaten by animals of this species. The individual carries reserves in capacious cheek pouches, which it empties by applying strong pressure on them with its front paws. Food supplies begin to replenish at the end of summer. In the pantries you can find up to 25 kilograms of grain, each variety of which is stored separately. One day, more than 90 kilograms of supplies were removed from the hole.

The burrows of representatives of this species often reach 2.5 meters in depth. There can be up to 10 exits. All burrows include several storerooms and a nesting chamber. Since this representative of hamsters is a nocturnal animal, it spends most of the day without appearing on the surface. With the exception of the mating season, the animal leads a solitary lifestyle.

The mating season begins in April and continues until August. During this period, females are in burrows and wait for males to come to them. As soon as the male enters the female’s territory, he marks her and, depending on whether the female likes the smell, mating occurs. At the end of the act, everyone returns to their hole. Males visit females every 5-6 days.

The animal can swim well. To do this, the rodent takes air into its cheek pouches and moves in the water with the current. The air in the cheeks prevents the individual from drowning like an inflatable ring. Caution and the ability to stand up for oneself allow some special people to live in natural environment up to 4 years, despite the fact that the average life expectancy is 3 years.

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These hamsters are also called golden hamsters because of their distinctive coat color. This quite large hamsters: their body length can reach 13-19 cm, and their weight is approximately 100-200 grams. Their muzzle is small and short, their eyes are black, their ears are gray, their tail is small, and their belly is ivory-colored. Syrian hamsters come in long-haired and short-haired varieties.

On the front paws, in addition to 4 fingers, the Syrian hamster has a vestige of a 5th toe, so it can hold treats in them. And on the hind legs there are 5 fingers, thanks to which the animal can, by clinging to the bars of the cage, keep its body suspended. All this makes watching the animal even more interesting. He loves to run and can run up to 7 km per night.

The most common coat color is golden, but there are also individuals with a coat of cream and sand colors.

This type of hamster is wonderful suitable for home use. Golden hamsters are very nimble and active, they like communication and games with their owners. They are clean and love their home to be orderly and clean. If you provide a Syrian hamster good food and care, it will please its owners with its health - this breed is less susceptible to various infections.

By nature, these are solitary animals: they meet with a female only during the breeding season. Therefore, the Syrian hamster must be placed in a separate cage.

Conditions of detention:

cage size 40*60 cm;
the cage must have a jogging wheel with a diameter of at least 18 cm with a continuous running surface;
single occupancy.

The life expectancy of these animals in captivity is 2-3 years.

Djungarian hamsters are dwarf hamsters. Their body length is only 9-10 cm, and their weight is about 50 grams. The Djungarian's coat is fluffy, gray, with a distinctive dark stripe along the ridge on the back. On his forehead there is a distinct black diamond visible. In winter, the color may change to silver-gray, although this rarely happens in captivity. There is fur on the soles of the paws.

The most common color is gray, less often dark brown.

It is curious that the manner of grasping food in these hamsters is similar to that of humans: they hold the treat with both hands. By nature, they are affectionate, sociable and peace-loving creatures. They are willing to be held and love to sleep on their owner's lap. Djungarians bite extremely rarely, for example, if a person’s hands smell of something tasty or when a female is protecting her cubs. Therefore, these pets often live in apartments; they can be owned even if there are small children in the family.

It is not advisable to keep adult individuals together - this can lead to fights for territory and frequent pregnancies of the female. Hamsters of this breed are clean and practically odorless.

Conditions of detention:

a cage measuring 30*50 cm, with frequently spaced bars;
the cage should have a wheel with a continuous running surface - a diameter of 13-17 cm will be sufficient;
single occupancy.

In captivity, with good maintenance, Djungarian hamsters live on average 3 years.

Campbell's hamster

Just like Djungarian and Campbell's hamsters belong to dwarf hamsters. Outwardly, they are very similar to the Djungarians - the same size, but their fur is golden brown, less gray, and the stripe on the back and the diamond on the forehead are not so pronounced. Unlike Djungarian hamsters, they do not change color with the seasons and do not have hair on the soles of their paws.

The character of Campbell's hamsters also differs from representatives of the previous breed. They are almost impossible to tame and love solitude. In addition, these small animals are quite biting. Therefore, it is better to have them for older children, who will observe the habits of the animal.

Lifespan – on average 2 years. The maintenance and care of Campbell hamsters are the same as for Djungarian hamsters. Shared content Several rodents in one cage leads to fights.

Roborovsky's hamster

These are the smallest of the domestic hamsters. Their body length is only 4-5 cm. Since this is a breed of dwarf hamsters, they are similar in appearance to Djungarian and Campbell's hamsters. However, they do not have a stripe on their back, and their legs are slightly longer. These hamsters have a pinkish-fawn color on top, white bellies and paws, and thick fluff on their paws. You can also distinguish this breed from others by its eyebrows - small white spots above the eyes.

These are social animals, they live in pairs or entire families. Roborovsky's hamsters are independent, very fast and nimble creatures. Catching such an animal can sometimes be difficult; it will not sit on your hands for a long time either. But this makes it even more fun and amusing.

Conditions of detention:

cages measuring 30*50 cm, with frequently spaced bars;
the cage must be equipped with a wheel with a treadmill for daily jogging;
Shared accommodation is recommended.

On average, these miniature animals live 2-3 years, sometimes more.

Not all hamsters are small. There are also quite large individuals, and even the largest hamster in the world - the capybara. Among common species There are rodents whose weight reaches 700 grams, and their body length is up to 30-35 cm. The fattest hamster is not found among such varieties as Djungarians, Syrians or red ones. A large individual requires special care. Need to take care of optimal sizes cages, and also purchase a quality wheel.

The biggest hamster

But even such an animal cannot compare with the huge capybara, which looks like a rodent. Its height reaches 0.6 meters and length 1.4 meters. At the same time, an adult rodent weighs 34-66 kg. The animal can be found in Central and South America.

And the smallest hamster belongs to the Roborovsky breed. They are only 5-6 cm long.

Appearance of the largest animal

You can see in the photo what the largest hamster in the world looks like. There are some features in their body structure:

Pets' ears are short and covered with hard fur.
The tail at the base is thick.
The fingers have fairly developed claws.
Wide feet.

Rodents have a uniform color, which can vary from red to brown. Black individuals are rare. There are approximately 10 subspecies of such animals.

Where does it live?

The largest hamsters are quite beautiful. They live in forest-steppe and steppe zones in the southern parts of Europe. You can find them in the north of Kazakhstan and in the western part of Siberia. Animals prefer to settle on the outskirts of vegetable gardens and fields. The animal can change its color depending on its location.

How much does the largest hamster weigh?

Roborovsky's pet – 20-40 gr.
Dzungariki – 35-65 gr.
Chinese rodent – 40-50 gr.
Campbell's - 40-60 gr.
Syrians - 100-200 gr.
Wild or rade – 500-700 gr.

Features of behavior

The biggest hamster can show character. If threatened, he is capable of attacking even larger animals. At the same time, he stands on his hind legs and clicks his teeth.

Here is the animal's diet:

fruits and vegetables;
grain crops;
plant roots;
insects and greens.

The animals can even swim. They take air into their cheek pouches and move through the water with the current. At the same time, the swollen cheeks prevent the individual from sinking.

Some rodents, thanks to caution and the ability to fend for themselves, live up to 4 years in natural conditions.

Features of home care

Important! You should not feed your rodent exotic vegetables and fruits, raw meat or fatty foods.

A small, medium-sized cage is suitable for a pet. You should not choose a home made of wood, which the animal can easily chew through. You will need a bedding made of pressed sawdust. They absorb moisture well and provide optimal living conditions. Don’t forget about special entertainment for the animal in the form of a manhole or a wheel.

With proper care, the pet will not cause problems, but will become a source of positive emotions for household members.