Hamster facts: surprising things about hamsters

10 fun facts about hamsters

The ten we find most surprising, from the RSPCA, the National Hamster Council and Wood Green.

1. Their name means hoarder. The RSPCA says "hamster" comes from the German hamstern, to hoard, which is exactly what they do.
2. Their cheeks are shopping bags. A Syrian can stuff up to half its body weight in food into its cheek pouches and carry it home to the nest, the RSPCA says.
3. They see ultraviolet light. The RSPCA notes hamsters can see in UV, though how they use it is not well understood.
4. Their whiskers vibrate. Hamsters "whisk" their whiskers up to 30 times a second to feel their way, the RSPCA says.
5. They are marathon runners. Wild hamsters can run up to five miles (8 km) a day, according to the RSPCA.
6. Their teeth never stop growing. Gnawing keeps them short and sharp. The word rodent itself comes from the Latin for "to gnaw", the RSPCA says.
7. They talk in ultrasound. Hamsters looking for a mate, and babies that have fallen out of the nest, make calls too high for us to hear.
8. Almost every pet Syrian shares one family. The National Hamster Council says most pet and show Syrians trace back to one mother and her 12 babies, caught near Aleppo, Syria, in 1930.
9. Wild Syrians are endangered. They were once thought extinct, the Council says, until expeditions in 1997 and 1999 found some.
10. Winter whites turn white. In the wild, the winter white dwarf grows a white coat in winter to hide in the snow.

Hamster body facts

• Big eyes, poor sight. Hamsters have large eyes built for low light, the RSPCA says, but Wood Green notes their eyesight is very poor. They rely on smell, hearing and whiskers instead.
• Ear flaps for digging. Some hamster species have ear flaps that keep soil out while they dig, the RSPCA says.
• Tiny but tough. A Roborovski weighs just 20 to 25 g (about 1 oz) the National Hamster Council says.
• A tail that grips. The Chinese hamster has a short tail it can grip with, unlike other pet hamsters, and looks rather like a mouse.
• Long-haired boys. Only male Syrians grow the really long "teddy bear" coat, up to 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in), the Council says. Females just look fluffy.
• Bigger girls. Female Syrians are often larger than males, the Council notes.
• They can catch your cold. The RSPCA says hamsters are very susceptible to the human cold virus, and can pass colds back. Stay away when you are ill, or wash your hands well.

Hamster behaviour facts

• Night shift. Hamsters are most active at dusk and at night, and the RSPCA says they should sleep undisturbed in the day.
• Deep diggers. Wild Roborovskis dig burrows up to 1.8 m (6 ft) deep, the National Hamster Council says.
• Clever learners. The RSPCA says hamsters learn quickly and can be trained to come when food is offered, and even to do simple tricks.
• They do not play-fight. The RSPCA says that if hamsters fight, it is real, and they must be separated for good.
• Communication by smell. Hamsters talk through scent. The RSPCA advises not keeping unfamiliar hamsters next to each other, even in separate cages, because the smell alone can stress them.
• They hibernate in the wild. Wild hamsters hibernate in winter but wake to eat. PDSA warns that a pet in a cold room can drop into torpor, a risky survival state, so keep the room at 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F). Our guide to torpor and hibernation explains what to do.
• Sand, not water. Hamsters clean themselves with sand baths, not water. A glass dish of bathing sand is all they need; see our hamster sand bath guide.

Facts about Syrian hamsters

The Syrian, or golden hamster, is the biggest and most popular pet hamster. A few facts from the National Hamster Council:

• Adults are about 13 cm (5.5 in) long, with tulip-shaped ears and a very short tail.
• The wild colour is golden brown ticked with black, with a white belly and dark cheek flashes.
• Recognised colours include golden, white, cream, cinnamon, sable, black and silver grey, in short, long, satin and rex coats.
• They are fiercely territorial and must live alone from about 8 weeks old.
• A pregnancy lasts just 16 days.
• They can become very attached to their owners.

Our guide to hamster breeds, types and colours covers every species.

Facts about dwarf hamsters

• Roborovskis are named after Lieutenant Roborovsky, who found them in 1894, and come from the deserts of Central Asia, the National Hamster Council says.
• Roborovskis are the only dwarf without a dark stripe down the back, and have white "eyebrow" spots.
• Campbell's dwarfs come from Russia and northern China, have litters of about 4 and up to 10 babies, and are prone to diabetes.
• Winter whites come from Kazakhstan and Siberia, which is why they are also called Siberian hamsters, and can squawk when frightened.
• Chinese hamsters often live two and a half to three years, and some reach four, longer than most hamsters.

We share our home with a dwarf hamster ourselves. Our hamster lifespan guide compares how long each species lives.

Odd hamster facts

• Illegal in Hawaii. Humane World for Animals says hamsters are illegal in Hawaii, because escaped hamsters could set up wild colonies in its warm climate.
• Boys and girls have names. A male hamster is a buck and a female is a doe, Wood Green says.
• A road trip every night. Wood Green says wild hamsters can travel miles each night, carrying food back to the burrow in their cheeks.
• Two dozen species. The RSPCA counts 24 hamster species, but only five are common pets.

Hamster care facts for new owners

The facts that matter most if you are about to get one. Each one changes how you set up and care for your hamster.

• Every hamster should live alone, Wood Green advises, including dwarfs
• The minimum home is 100 × 50 cm (40 × 20 in) of floor, with 15 cm (6 in) of bedding
• A solid wheel should be 30 cm (12 in) for Syrians and 20 cm (8 in) for dwarfs
• A Syrian eats about 10 g (a tablespoon) of dry food a day, dwarfs 5 to 8 g (a teaspoon)
• Scatter food rather than using a bowl, to encourage foraging
• Avoid wood shavings and sawdust; use unscented paper bedding
• Hamster balls are not recommended, Wood Green says
• Keep the room at 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F), PDSA advises
• Do a health check every week; hamsters hide illness

Our complete hamster care guide goes through all of this step by step.

Is a Syrian hamster a good pet?

Yes, for the right home. Syrians are calm enough to hold, big enough to handle without them slipping away, and often bond closely with their owner. They suit adults and older children who are up in the evening, because that is when they wake. They do not suit a home looking for a daytime pet, or a family wanting two animals to play together.

What is good enrichment for hamsters?

Things that let a hamster do what wild hamsters do: dig, run, forage, gnaw and hide. Wood Green suggests deep bedding with a dig box of coco fibre, a solid upright wheel, tunnels, cardboard boxes, a multi-room hide, cork logs, branches and a sand bath, swapped around regularly. Our hamster enrichment guide has dozens more ideas, and if you are looking for a name, try our hamster names list.