Popular domestic and unusual hamster breeds

If you have long dreamed of having a pet, but in your apartment there is not enough space for a dog or a cat, a hamster would be the ideal solution. A small mobile animal does not require complex care, and with proper handling it can become a true friend. It is interesting to watch hamsters of any breed: they fill their cheeks with food, clean their faces, run around in the wheel - these are very fussy and active animals. But in order for you to make friends, you need to study the behavior and content of the hamster.

The hamster belongs to the order of rodents - they are small animals with short legs and tails, as well as small ears. Despite the fact that there are about 19 of their species, they are all similar to each other, and differ only in size and color, which depend on the habitat. Thus, the inhabitants of the desert plains received a coat of yellow or sandy shade. Hamsters living in the forest-steppe zone received a brown or gray skin. Rocks are black or dark brown in color. This allows the tiny animals to mask safely from the attacks of aerial predators.

Nature rewarded hamsters with sharp and strong teeth - this allows them to cope with solid foods such as nuts and cereals. The animal has only 4 teeth that grow throughout life. Therefore, at home maintenance, he needs a special mineral stone, about which he will grind his teeth.

The hamster's diet is quite extensive, it includes:

• cereals and legumes;
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• roots;
• herbs;
• berries;
• nuts;
• seeds.

Some species, such as the Transbaikalian and rat-like hamster, also feed on insects and carrion. In the natural environment, the hamster has access to food only in the summer-autumn period, therefore, the animal of any breed will necessarily be reserved for future use. To do this, he has special cheek bags that allow you to store food and transfer stocks to the store.

So, we can conclude that the hamster needs a fairly rich diet to provide the body with the necessary elements. As the basis of the diet, a special feed mixture, additionally enriched with vitamins, will perfectly suit your pet. In the summer, hamsters need to get fresh vegetables, fruits, berries and greens. For this fit:

• carrot;
• broccoli;
• radish;
• apples;
• pears;
• apricots;
• Strawberry;
• blueberries;
• currant;
• dandelion;
• clover;
• lettuce leaves.

In the well-being of the pet plays an important role proper nutrition. In no case do not give the hamster dairy products, sweet pastry flour, as well as some types of vegetables and fruits. Here is a list of products prohibited for domestic rodents.

• Dairy products (sour cream, yogurt, milk, kefir). They can provoke indigestion, deadly for a hamster.
• Flour products (bread, rolls). Such food leads to diseases of internal organs and can cause bloating.
• White cabbage. Its use threatens with poisoning and intestinal upset.
• Citrus fruit. Mandarins and oranges can cause allergic reactions and even oncology.

Hamsters are used to getting the necessary amount of water from food, because in natural habitat they rarely have access to a water source. However, the presence in the cage of a pet drinker with water is still necessary. Depending on the air temperature and the food received, the rodent will be able to receive additional moisture if necessary.

Wild rodents are territorial animals, they live alone in underground burrows. Therefore, two individuals of the same sex can not get along in the same cage. Hamsters are nocturnal. In the natural environment at night they go in search of food - so the animal is less likely to get caught in a paw to a predator, such as a weasel or a heron. Be prepared for the fact that your pet will turn the wheel and rustle with sawdust most of the night.

Despite the ease of care, each type of domestic rodent has its own characteristics. Before choosing the breed of the future pet, it is necessary to take into account the habits inherent in its representative. This will help you quickly gain confidence in the tiny and naturally shy animal.

Below are the most common domestic hamster breeds with a brief description.

Representatives of this breed often have a brown hair with an ash tint, their weight is about 50 grams, and the length varies from 8 to 12 centimeters. They feed on insects and cereals. They are distinguished by their friendly character - after taming they actively go to contact with the owner and seek to communicate. In addition, it is one of the few breeds that allows the content of several individuals in one cage.

The Syrian breed is one of the most popular due to its friendly disposition and simple care. In some cases, their life expectancy can reach 6 years. However, representatives of the Syrian breed do not tolerate neighbors in the cage. Their peculiarity is that they are less active at night. Among the decorative varieties of the Syrian breed can be distinguished Angora, monochrome and gold. The Angora hamster has a long and fluffy coat of white or red color, which requires special care.

Sometimes this Syrian fur is called royal, although there is no separate breed with the name “royal”. A single hamster has a completely black or white color. In golden pale peach hair of medium length.

Gray hamster reaches a length of 13 centimeters. The coat color varies from light gray to smoky or brownish gray. In this case, the belly and legs are white, and the tail, the length of which can reach 3 centimeters, is slightly pubescent or bare. In food prefers seeds and insects. This animal also likes succulent plants.

Representatives of this breed do not grow more than 10 centimeters in length. Their color varies from brown to gray and light brown. The belly is always lighter, and on the back is a black stripe. Especially active at night. In the wild, they prefer seeds and greens. Very friendly from the first days of dating, extremely rarely bite. When replacing sawdust once a week there is absolutely no smell from them.

As well as the Dzungarian, belongs to the soft-footed. It is distinguished by a tiny size - the length of the rodent of this breed does not exceed 5 centimeters. The coat has a gray with white specks color. Representatives of this breed are friendly not only to the person, but also to their own kind. Allowed cohabitation of several individuals. Due to their agility and tiny size, it is not recommended to let them out for a walk without a special ball.

One of the few species, the wild representatives of which live not alone, but in a colony. This is a dwarf breed, not exceeding 10 centimeters in length, refer to the roe-legged. Golden fur with a dark stripe on the back. The peak of activity occurs at night and morning. However, representatives of this breed have fragile health. They are prone to diseases such as oncology, diabetes and cataracts.

The Sungur hamster is another species of the dwarf breed, belongs to the roe-legged. Its length is 8 centimeters, smoky coat. Extremely active at night. He is friendly to people and gets on with other members of his breed, however, in the case of living together, fights and clashes may occur.

Dwarf breed, the length of which does not exceed 9-10 centimeters, and weight - 40 grams. The peak of the activity of the “Siberian”, like the majority of the representatives of the species, is at night. A silver coat with a blue tint with a black stripe on the back, due to which it is often confused with a representative of the Dzungarian breed. By winter, the hamster becomes white. Does not tolerate the neighborhood, it is difficult to tame.

So, we can conclude that despite the similarity of habits and lifestyles, in the care of each hamster breed has its own nuances. For families with children, it is better to choose more friendly breeds. However, even the most contact and sociable animals require a special approach and careful attitude. If you bought a hamster for a baby, do not leave him alone with the rodent until they get used to each other and the baby learns how to handle it carefully.

Varieties with poor health should be started only if there is a veterinarian in your city who can cure such a baby. Unfriendly breeds should be acquired if you just watch your pet. Such a hamster will perceive any attempt to contact as a danger, it is better not to disturb him without a valid reason, such as replacing the filler.

In addition to the usual fluffy friendly kids for humans, there are special breeds of hamsters in nature. Some of them look almost the same as domestic ones, but differ in aggressive behavior, others have unusual external signs, but at the same time good-natured disposition, and still others have distinguished themselves in all parameters. Anyway, all these rodents change our understanding of hamsters, their appearance and way of life.

Below are the exotic breeds of hamsters with a brief description that you can hardly find in a simple pet store.

This seemingly harmless animal is not much different from domesticated species, but its appearance is very deceptive. The length reaches 14 centimeters with the tail, and the weight is only 50-70 grams. Color - red with dark brown. Despite the miniature size, this animal is an absolute predator! He hunts at night, the basis of his diet is rats, mice, lizards and insects.But this is not all of his unusual qualities - due to his genetics, the representative of this breed is completely not afraid of pain and has resistance to poisons.

This animal looks like a hedgehog or a porcupine. Compared with home species, it is distinguished by a large size - from 25 to 35 centimeters in length, and the weight of an adult individual can reach a kilogram. The coat is thick and long, with a characteristic mane along the spine, due to which it is also called “shaggy”. The color is black and dark brown with white spots.

This thoroughbred rodent is named after naturalist Eduard Eversmann. The habits and appearance of it are almost the same as those of domesticated brethren, but due to the low numbers this species is listed in the Red Book. The outer features of the animal - gray-red hair with a white belly, size up to 16 centimeters in length. Its content and care are the same as in the Jungar hamster. The animal is generally friendly, but can sometimes bite.

This happens more often if the hands smell like food. therefore It is not recommended to feed the representative of this breed with hands, since in this case he will associate the smell of his master with the smell of food.

Albinism is a gene mutation that can occur in a representative of any breed, be it Syrian or Chinese. Regardless of the type, such animals are distinguished by a white fur coat, as well as a pink nose and red bead eyes. In addition to the unusual appearance, the albino animal has a more fragile health. He is prone to skin and eye diseases, harder to endure stress.

This wild relative of our pets has a large size - about 35 centimeters, and a tail about 6-7 centimeters in length. The fur coat of the animal is rich brown in color with white patches, and the belly is black. This species is difficult to tame, more suitable for observation than for contact communication.

If you decide to start a wild hamster at home, you should take care of a spacious dwelling for him. He is more suitable cage, designed for the decorative rabbit. You must also find the right wheel size - with a lack of motor activity, this animal is sick more often and its lifespan is reduced.

This rodent is distinguished by a larger, in comparison with domestic species, size, and a long bald tail, which makes it look like a rat. Understand that it is still a hamster, you can by its color - dark brown skin is not typical for the mouse family. The weight of the animal - about 250 grams, and in length it can reach 25 centimeters. This is an unfriendly look, which is difficult to tame; it is extremely rare to be kept as a pet.

If you still decide to purchase this rodent, It is important to provide him with comfortable conditions, namely a spacious cage and a balanced diet.

Breed, discovered by Russian naturalist Gustav Radde and named in his honor. Its length can reach 28 centimeters, the color is dark brown and gray with white spots.This species is not intended for domestic use, as the animal is difficult to tame, but you can find an approach to it if you have patience. Able to be friendly perceive only one person.

The second name of this breed is “Dagestan”, since the aura of its habitat is the foothill areas of the Caucasus.

So, each exotic breed has its own terrifying or surprising features for us. It is better to abandon their breeding at home, because the content of exotic hamsters, as a rule, requires more significant financial costs, and some of them are listed in the Red Book. It should be understood that the acquisition of such rodents is a big responsibility. If a representative of one of the wild breeds is sick, you simply can not find a qualified specialist to assist the animal.

When choosing a hamster, the first thing is to determine its breed. If you want a friendly pet - prefer popular breeds for home breeding. If you like to watch the rodents and study their behavior, as well as you know how to help the baby in case of illness, you can consider wild species. For families with small children, it is better to choose easily tamed species.

Below are the basic parameters that will help you make the right choice.

• Age. It should not be less than 3 weeks. This is due to the need for a hamster in breast milk, because such crumbs do not yet have the self-feeding skill. A female older than 2 months can easily become pregnant, as the pet store often contains a large number of different-sex rodents in one cage. A hamster between 3 weeks and 2 months is easier to tame. To determine the age of the future pet, you can pay attention to the teeth - over time, they noticeably turn yellow.
• Floor. Males are calmer and friendlier in character. However, in the wild they are accustomed to mark their territory, therefore, the smell from them will be more - males often need to replace the filler. Females are more quick-tempered, but also more active - it is more interesting to watch them. To determine the sex of a hamster, you can carefully examine its bottom. In the female, the distance between the anal and vaginal orifice is insignificant, besides, her abdomen has less hair.
• Time of purchase. Since hamsters are nocturnal, it is easier to assess the activity and character of the future pet in the evening. If you come to the pet store in the evening, you can see active and friendly animals, and not sleeping fur balls. So it will be easier to choose a friend who is similar in temperament.
• Health status. Of course, buying a hamster, you can not be 100% sure that he is completely healthy. But the obvious signs of disease can still be seen. Pay attention to the coat - it should be dry, clean and smooth, without bald spots. Eyes and spout should also be clean, without discharge.
• Activity. Hamsters are by nature very mobile and quick. If the animal, despite the evening hours and comfortable conditions of detention, barely moves, preferring to lie in the corner of the cage - this can also be a sign of illness.

After buying a hamster is better not to touch for a day. During this time, the baby will be able to settle in a new place and then the acquaintance will be much more pleasant for both of you. In the further taming, follow the principle of “go quieter - you will continue”. Take gradual steps towards rapprochement, causing more and more trust and less fear from your new friend, avoid sudden movements in communication with him.

For more information on hamster breeds, see the following video.