Hamsters are mammals which belong to the rodent family having large incisor teeth that are continually growing necessitating gnawing to prevent the teeth from overgrowing. The word 'rodent' is derived from the latin word 'rodere' which means 'to gnaw'.

Hamsters form the Family Cricetidae which is broken down into different Genera (including Cricetulus, Phodopus and Calomyscus) and then Species. There are many different species of hamsters throughout the world and most inhabit semi-desert areas where they live in burrows. These burrows consist of many tunnels and separate chambers to store food or sleep. Hamsters are nocturnal, sleeping during the hot days and waking in the cooler evenings. They have very poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing.

Most species of hamsters have expandable cheekpouches in which they can carry food and bedding back to their burrow where they will store food. The word 'hamster' comes froms the German word 'hamstern' which means 'to hoard'.

Only a few species are widely kept as pets but the hamster is the most popular of the smaller rodents kept as a pet in many countries today.  

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Hamster Care

Caging | Cage Accessories and Equipment | Preparing the Cage
Feeding your Hamster | Routine Care | Handling your Hamster
Hamster Health | Frequently Asked Questions

As with any pet a hamster will need care and attention and a commitment to look after it whilst it is with you. Although hamsters are relatively easy to look after, once ill they can deteriorate quickly and proper care will go a long way to preventing this.

Use the menu above to find out about caring for your hamster.

Breeding Hamsters

Sexing Hamsters | Breeding Syrian Hamsters | Breeding Dwarf Hamsters
Interbreeding Hamster Species | Hamster Genetics | Hamster Breeders
Frequently Asked Questions

Before breeding hamsters consideration should be given to what is to be done with the babies. Although the average litter size for a Syrian hamster is 8 they can have up to 26 babies and Dwarf hamsters average a litter of 4 but can have up to 14. Therefore it is vital that this is considered before breeding hamsters. Local pet shops may be willing to take surplus babies but it is best to ask before making the decision to breed your hamsters.

Buying A Hamster

Hamsters As Pets | Suitability as a Pet | Preparing for your Hamster
Selecting your Hamster | Taking your Hamster Home
Arriving Home with your Hamster | Hamsters for Sale

The best place always to buy a hamster is directly from a private or hobbyist breeder but this may not always be possible and therefore many hamster owners buy their first hamster from a pet shop.

The advantages of buying from a private or hobbyist breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy hamsters of good temperament. They are not the result of commercial breeding of mass numbers of hamsters. You will also have the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the hamster you intend to purchase. Private and hobbyist breeders regularly handle their babies and so any hamsters they sell are used to being handled. Unfortunately the same cannot always been said for hamsters sold in pet shops that have come from commercial breeders.

If you are buying a hamster from a pet shop what should you look for? How do you tell a good pet shop from a bad one? The first impression of the pet shop will usually indicate their standards. A clean, tidy shop is often a good indication that the shop owners take pride in their shop and therefore are likely to take pride in the hamsters they sell. An untidy or dirty shop is best avoided.

It is always a good idea to find out about hamsters before you go looking for one. You can then ask information from the pet shop staff and this will give you a good indication of whether they are actually knowledgeable about the hamsters they are selling. If any pet shop tells you that you can keep two Syrian (Golden, Teddybear or Fancy) Hamsters together they either know nothing about hamsters or they are simply trying to sell you more than one and hoping you will come back for another cage when they start to fight. Syrian Hamsters are solitary and once their solitary nature develops as they get older they will not live together. Males and females should be housed in separate cages and staff should be able to tell the sex of the hamsters they are selling.

If you are not satisfied with the pet shop, their knowledge or their hamsters, walk out and find another one. It is no fun buying a unhealthy, pregnant or weakly hamster and then dealing with the problems this presents afterwards - it can cause a lot of heartache so take your time and find a good healthy hamster.

Shops have a wide variety of cages and equipment for your hamster. Avoid cedar shavings and fluffy bedding as both of these are dangerous to hamsters.

What should you do if you find a bad pet shop? Apart from leaving and finding another shop to buy your hamster you can report the shop an Animal Welfare organisation or your local authority if you feel the conditions warrant it.