Originally, hamsters were native to Asia Minor, Siberia, north China, and the Middle East. They live in arid habitats and can be found in orchards, farmlands, and gardens up to the elevation of 12000 feet above sea level.
They are burrowers that live in long tunnels. These tunnels may be dug by them or taken over from other animals. This behavior depends upon their species. They are mostly vegetarians living on seeds, fruits, roots, and leaves, but will enjoy an occasional insect too.
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How do we know the Hamsters?
The most common type of hamsters for pets is the golden hamsters. Natives of Syria, these hamsters are laboratory animals descended from the original litter from Jerusalem. They used to be farm pests that would dig up the vegetable crop. The farmers trained dogs to hunt them while some people made a lucrative trade of their fur. By the 1920s they were nearing extinction.
In the 1930s, Aaron Abrahams, an archaeologist, came upon a nest of 12 hamster babies. He took them to the Hebrew University, Jerusalem to be bred in captivity. The first animals were exported to England, France, and the United States by 1938. As these hamsters were disease-free and prolific breeders, they gained great value in cardiovascular research.
Know your Hamsters
There are 26 species of hamsters of which only 5 are kept as pets.
Syrian Hamsters
Syrian Hamsters are also known as the golden hamsters or teddy bear hamsters due to the golden fur. They are plump, with a nub for a tail. They have chubby cheeks with pouches to store food. Syrian Hamsters are native to Israel, Syria, and parts of Middle East. Syrian Hamsters are around 5 – 7 inches long and live up to 6 – 6.5 years. They make excellent pets as they are naturally docile. They are slow movers thus easier for kids to handle. Syrian Hamsters are solitary animals and can be aggressive to each other if forced together. Also, they can tolerate their littermates for up to 5 weeks.
Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters
The Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters are the smallest of all hamsters. They were discovered in 1894 by Lieutenant Vsevolod Roborovski in Northern China. They are less likely to bite but are fleet-footed making them a less desirable pet for young children. The Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters have white color markings on a sand-colored fur. They live for 3 – 4 years on an average. They can be social if they are kept with their littermates.
Campbell’s Dwarf Hamsters
Campbell’s Dwarf Hamsters were discovered by Charles William Campbell. He collected the first specimen while scouting Mongolia on July 1, 1902. Their range extends into Russia and China. They are less docile than their Syrian cousins. They bite and require alert handling and attention. Campbell’s Dwarf Hamsters live up to 2 years, and their fur may be fawn, grey, or brown. They may or may not like to lead a social life.
Winter White Russian Dwarf hamster
The Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster is also known as The Djungarian hamster or the Siberian dwarf hamster. As they are small (3.5 – 4 inches) they tend to escape cages thus a terrarium is a good idea. Like all hamsters they are active during twilight and dark hours. they are quick and can be challenging for kids to handle. The Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster live for 1 – 2 years. They are social and can be kept in pairs and groupings. If introduced at a young age. They have dark grey backs and white bellies. In winter the fur turns white. They also have adorable furry feet.
Chinese Hamsters
The Chinese Hamsters are also known as the Chinese Dwarf hamsters. These are striped hamsters with a long body and tail compared to the other types. They are half the size of their Syrian cousins by slightly larger than the Roborovskis. The Chinese Hamsters are initially from the cold deserts of Mongolia and Northern China. They are 2.5 – 3 inches long and live up to 2 – 3 years. They are dark brown with a black dorsal line and a white belly. Also, They are very agile thus it is a good idea to put them in a hamster ball or playpen. The Chinese Hamsters make good pets for kids around the age of seven. As they are active during the evenings and night. This time coincides nicely with kids play hours. They can live alone or in pairs and groups.
Are There Any Hamsters Left in The Wild?
Though these little pets look quite happy in their wheels and cages, they were well-evolved to live in the wild. But nowadays it is almost impossible to spot these rodents in the wild. So where on Earth do they live today? What are their lives like? Hamsters get comfy and cozy while binge-watching your favorite series on the weekend. But the average hamster living in the wild – not so much. Before they were domesticated in 1938.
They lived in dry regions on the edge of the desert. They had a wide range from Greece, Syria, Romania, North China, and Belgium. So how did these little creatures survive in the big bad wild world? These rodents have large incisors on both their jaws. They never stop growing beside these they have pointed clawed digits on both their extremities. Due to these, they are excellent diggers that make burrows. They forage in the wild then stuff their cheek pouches with food. They live underground where they make stockpiles of nuts, grass, insects, to survive the winter months.
What do Hamsters teach us?
Hamsters are kept as pets due to their charming personalities. If raised and cared for well they make great companions for their lifespan. They are happy, friendly and playful pets. Hamsters can teach about trust, responsibility, compassion, respect, and patience to our children.
Owning a pet is a play-way method or a roleplay method to teach about these values. It works well to tell the children where these pets come from. How they are dependent on them. And how parents play a similar role thus the play-acting of adult roles adds to the learning experience of the kids. It also promotes curiosity in children to learn more about nature and its residents.
They learn while observing their pets interact with other animals and humans. Having a pet is a fun way of learning about the life cycle of their pet. This means that within these 1 – 6 years – depending upon the species – they learn about birth, mating, death. Children learn about life, loyalty, grief, and exercise.
The added benefit of owning a pet from any of the regions mentioned above can teach the child about that region. They could put up a map and build a chart collecting all the information on their pet and that region. This teaches research by the use of scientific method. Owning a pet and successfully caring for it helps build self-esteem. This boosts confidence and promotes better grades and improved health among children. Though kids under 10 should not be expected to care for their pets by themselves. And children under 3 years should be monitored when playing with pets. This is better not only for the children but also the pets.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Did you hamsters are endangered? But How could hamsters be endangered? They are found in every home and pet store. There are 26 known species that occupy the grasslands of the Middle East, Russia, Europe, and Asia. Some of these species are more abundant than the others. The endangered ones are under serious threat due to human activities and habitat loss. Habitat loss affects their ability to find nesting sites and food. Another sad fact is that many species are actually extinct in the wild and only found as domestic pets. One such example is the Syrian hamster that is listed under vulnerable species on the Red list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Besides, ensure you pick a hamster from a place where the surroundings are clean. The cage should not be overcrowded to prevent exposure to disease and stress. Note how the hamster reacts to people. It may be skittish initially but should remain calm on approach and handling. It is best to adopt your hamster as young as 6 weeks old. They acclimatize well to your home and be trained to do the trick like retrieving items using food as a reward.
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