Hamsters are adorable and fluffy. They are often the first pet a child is allowed to have and care for on their own.
Hamsters make good pets because they are quiet, they are small and they live in small habitats. It does not cost very much money to buy or care for a hamster.
What are some other cool things to know about hamsters?
How Much Does A Hamster Weigh?
The average adult hamster weighs between 3 and 5.3 ounces.
Baby hamsters are called pups. The mother is called a doe and the father is called a buck.
When you have three or more baby hamsters then you have a horde of hamsters.
When a mother gives birth she will normally have 8 to ten pups. So she will give birth to a horde. The pups will drink milk from their mother until they mature.
Male hamsters often kill pups. If you have pet hamsters keep the male in a separate cage from the mother and the pups.
The mother needs a good diet with an increase in protein to help her have healthy pups. Give her pieces of egg, cheese, and even small pieces of lean boiled chicken.
Help her to stay calm after she gives birth. If she gets nervous or excited she may harm the pups. Do not mess with her or her habitat for a few days after she gives birth. Keep the room she is in a comfortable temperature and keep the lights low and the noise low.
The pups weigh less than an ounce at birth, and they are completely defenseless., They are blind and deaf at birth like puppy dogs and kittens are.
They cannot regulate their own heat and they do not even have hair yet.
Teeth
Baby hamsters are born with teeth.
The incisor teeth on a hamster, like the ones on a rabbit, never stop growing. The animals keep their teeth shortened by gnawing on rough things like wood.
Diet Considerations
Hamsters mostly eat plants. They also eat eggs and they will eat insects.
They kind of love vegetable pieces and fruit too.
Life Expectancy
These little creatures can live three to four years if they are properly cared for.
Their eyesight is very poor but their sense of smell makes up for their inability to see.
Displostomes
The pouches on hamster cheeks that they can fill up with food are called displostomes.
These pouches stretch so far that they can reach sizes two to three times larger than the head of the animals.
In case of danger, a mother can tuck her babies into her cheek pouches to prote4ct them.
Not Dumb Animals
A hamster is actually very intelligent.
They have the ability to solve puzzles and find their way through mazes.
They also form word associations. If you call a certain type of food that your hamster loves by one name every time you give it to them the hamster will learn to associate that food with that word.
They can be litter box trained so they do not soil all over your house.
When they really want to hold onto something like a toy or treat they can utilize both their front and back feet to do so.
They will normally not overeat. If you feed them something they do not as they will often simply ignore it and may even go hungry rather than eat something they do not like.
Did You Know
- Hamsters are illegal to own in Hawaii
- There are about 20 species of hamster
- The Syrian is the most popular breed of hamster
- The wild hamsters are now endangered
- Wild hamsters hibernate in the winter months
- In the wild these creatures are very good at digging. They dig elaborate burrows to live in and hibernate in.
- Mother hamsters may eat their young if you handle them before they develop hair.
- A hamster is a rodent. When dad calls your hamster a rat he is technically correct.
FAQs
How Much Does The Biggest Hamster Weigh?
The heaviest hamster will weigh about 10.5 ounces.
How Much Does A Dwarf Hamster Weigh?
On average the dwarf hamster should weigh between 1.5 and 2 ounces.
What Hamster Breed Produces The Smallest Hamsters?
The Roborovski which normally does not grow any longer than 4 to 5 cm.