About Hamsters

Hamster Physiology

There are 26 species and sub species of hamsters. All hamsters are small animals with little legs, a flat nose and short tail. Your hamsters tail, ear and nose should have a covering of fur which decrease as they get older which is a sign that you might want to slow things down for your hamster. For instance take out their running wheel, or make sure if you have a large cage to reduce the size to help your hamster have a comfortable old age.

An average life span for a hamster is 18 to 36 months although there are records to show that some hamsters have lived a lot longer.

Hamsters grow to be 4 - 20 cm long, and weigh between 20 and 150g, depending on their breed. They have short legs but can still run fast and jump as high as 15 centimeters.

Hamsters have rather short hair, although some hamsters are bred to have long hair such as the long haired Syrian hamster. Hamsters are bred to have different coat types and have a variety of markings.

Hamsters have very poor eyesight, but have outstanding hearing and an incredible sense of smell. Hamsters use their long whiskers to feel around and judge if they can fit through tight spots.

Hamster Information in Bits

Hamster Bits