|
Golden or Syrian hamsters must be kept singly after the age of ten weeks. Though they will bond with their human companions, they are not social with other hamsters or animals.
Though classified as nocturnal, most hamsters divide their days with periods of sleeping and waking.
Dwarf hamsters, unlike their Syrian cousins, are more social with their own species and sometimes live in pairs or very small groups, as long as they are introduced to each other at a young age.
In the wild, hamsters dig extensive tunnels beneath the ground - extending as far as three feet in depth.
In the wild, hamsters will line their tunnels with grasses and wool or hair shed from other animals to help maintain a fairly constant temperature in their burrow (often around 60°F), no matter the outside temperature.
Like other rodents, a hamster's teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. To help keep their teeth worn and clean, offer suitable chew toys on a regular basis.
Hamsters typically have poor eyesight and depth perception. To compensate for their poor sight when in unfamiliar territory, hamsters have scent glands on their flanks (and abdomens in Chinese hamsters). A hamster rubs these areas of his body against various objects, and leaves a trail of smells the hamster can follow to return to his home den.
|
