Hamsters are super cute, furry friends. They are the perfect pet no matter the walk of life you are in. These adorable balls of fur have come along way. The most common species of pet hamsters in North America and West Europe is the Syrian hamster. Also known as the golden hamster, it was discovered in the wilderness in 1797.
Zoologist Israel Aharoni transported these hamsters he discovered below a white field during an expedition in 1930 with local Sheikh El-Beled. He took the hamsters back to Hebrew University in Jerusalem and they quickly increased in number. Soon after they started popping up in universities, zoos and homes around the world.
There are at least 24 known species of hamsters and they are all unique. Those of the European breed can be as big as 13. 4 inches, or 34 centimeters, long. Dwarf hamsters on the other hand can only get as big as two to four inches, or 5. 5 or 10. 5 centimeters, long. Meanwhile, the Syrian hamster can grow up to six inches, or 15. 4 centimeters long.
Their diets consist of things like seeds, grains, nuts, cracked corn, fruits and vegetables. If you find a hamster in the wild, they also eat insects, frogs, lizards, and other small animals.
Owning a hamster means you need to feed it at least 16 percent protein and five percent fat. They have pouches in their cheeks that they stuff up with food, then take it with them to their colony where they will store it to be eaten later, hence their name “hamster. ”