Fun Facts About Hamsters

Do you have a pet hamster? If so, you may want to put a tiny pawprint on your calendar for May 10th. It’s National Hamster Day! These little furballs really are adorable, and make wonderful pets. A local Fort Collins, CO vet lists some fun facts about hamsters in this article.

There are actually several types of hamsters. The Syrian hamster is one of the most popular ones. Just don’t let that cute face fool you. Syrian hamsters will fight each other, so you can only keep one in a cage.

Like many smaller animals, hamsters feel safe and secure in enclosed spaces. It’s important to give your little buddy a good hidey-hole. This doesn’t have to be fancy. You can use tissue boxes, small flowerpots, or store-bought hamster homes.

Hamsters, as you may know, are notorious for hoarding things. This is one issue that can arise with giving them seed mixes. Hammie will stash his favorite bits for later, and then beg for more. Ask your vet for nutritional recommendations.

Hamsters are actually nocturnal. This is something to keep in mind if you get one for a child. If you put Hammie’s cage in your youngster’s bedroom, he may keep your child awake.

Hamsters are actually quite active. In the wild, they spend a lot of their time foraging. Pet ones generally enjoy spending time on an exercise wheel or runabout. Ask your vet for specific advice.

Hamsters may be small, but they really are adorable. They’re also quite friendly. Hammie can learn to recognize his humans, and may even learn his name.

There are three kinds of hamsters that are most often seen as pets. The Syrian is the largest, and can get to be about 6 or 7 inches. Teddy Bear hamsters are close to the Syrian in size, but have short hair. Then there are the dwarf breeds, which include the Roborovski, Djungarian, Chinese and Russian. Some of these tiny furballs never get any bigger than 2 inches!

Hamsters often pick a spot in their cage to use as their bathroom, and will only soil there. That’s definitely a big plus for a little pet!

Do you have questions about hamster care? Contact us, your Fort Collins, CO vet clinic, today!