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Hamsters are rodents from the subfamily Cricetinae.
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There are 25 species of hamster.
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Hamsters have thick silky fur, short tails, small ears, short legs, wide feet and large eyes.
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Hamsters usually live in burrows underground during the day, they are crepuscular which means they come out at twilight to feed.
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Wild hamsters feed mainly on seeds, fruits, vegetables and sometimes insects.
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Hamsters are very good diggers, they will create burrows in the soil that can be over half a meter deep, containing various rooms for different purposes.
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Hamsters have large cheek in which they carry food back to their burrows. Full pouches can make their heads double or triple in size.
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Hamsters do not have good eyesight, they are nearsighted and also colour-blind.
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The hamster relies on scent to find their way. They have scent glands which they rub on objects along a path.
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Depending on the species hamsters can be black, grey, honey, white, brown, yellow, red, or a combination of these colors.
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Hamsters are great as pets because they are easy to breed in captivity, easy to care for and interact well with people. They are also used as laboratory animals.
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The Syrian hamster is the most popular and well known breed kept as pets. All Syrian hamsters as pets are believed to have descended from one pair in 1930.
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Syrian hamsters live 2 - 3 years in captivity, and less in the wild. Other popular pet types such as Russian dwarf hamsters live about 2- 4 years in captivity.
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Hamsters range in size from the largest breed, the European hamster at 13.4 in (34 cm) long, to the smallest, the dwarf hamster at 2 - 4 in (5.5 - 10.5 cm) long.