Hamsters are very popular animals due to their small structure, cute images and inexpensive care. It is also fed as a pet. Since their digestive systems are very sensitive, they should be careful about their nutrition. These animals, which have many species, all have a very cute structure with their colors and images.

The recognition of the hamsters by the world of science. It started by the Israeli Aharuni, in the region near Syria, by examining one female hamster and 12 hamster cubs. Two females and one male hamster from 12 puppies in their hands matched. The new hamster puppies that the researcher obtained in this way are considered to be the ancestors of the hamsters. Although it is thought by many to be caused by the merging of animals such as mice, squirrels and rabbits, this is not the case. The reason it is considered this way is; This is because hamsters are made in a wide variety of colors and variety. Hamster is one of the most preferred animals in laboratory studies because it is very easy to care and reproduce, and it does not cost much.

Hamster is a rodent animal and is a living creature that belongs to the Cricetidae family. Hamsters live in agricultural areas in the west of Europe and Asia or in burrows dug in the steppes. They can sometimes damage agricultural areas as a result of feeding on fruits, vegetables and cereals. Hamsters are hunted by animals such as owls, hawks, inlays and ferrets. There are varieties such as Chinese hamster, Syria, Europe, dwarf, winter white and gonzales.

Hamsters are calm, docile animals if their care, feeding and living conditions are properly adjusted. When they enter a new environment, which is often calm, they have a desire to fight and attack. For example; At mating time, if the female is not ready to mate, both the male and female can attack their caregivers and each other. If the cage where the hamsters live is high, they will do climbing exercises in it. The general characteristics of these cute animals are as follows;

The skins of the hamsters are not fully attached to the body. It has a flexible and loose body structure. His eyes are in a round shape and bright. He can use his feet skillfully, he is very strong and suitable for holding and gripping. Thanks to these features, it is a good climber. They have four fingers on their forelegs and five fingers on their hind legs. Their tails are approximately 1 cm, and the hair on its body covers almost the entire tail.

Young hamsters often try to play by pretending to be bitten while sucking their mothers. However, the mothers who did not perceive this as a game were found to have killed their offspring due to the pain they felt. They are very fond of their private lives. A captain who does not belong to himself refuses to eat and drink water. They want to have private areas where they can be alone. Because they are small and very energetic, they want toys to have fun, like a ferris wheel in their cage.

Hamsters live about 2 years. They cannot distinguish colors and, however, have a hard time seeing. However, the sense of smell and hearing are at a very high level. Thanks to the pouches located next to their cheeks, they can collect food from the outside and store them in their nests. In these pouches, they can carry half as much food as their body weight.

The gestation period of these little and cute friends is only 15-16 days. Hamsters, who reach puberty after an average of 3 months, can give birth to offspring after 6 months. The anger period of females lasts 4 days and during this period they are ready to mate every day. If the animals in the same cage are ready to mate, the female remains immobile for a while and raises her tail. In this way, he gives a message to his partner. Mating times are on average 20-25 minutes. However, animals of different sex should be placed in the same cage only during the female's anger period. Otherwise, females will not want the male in their cage with their aggressive attitude.

They give birth 4 or 5 times in their 2-2.5 year life. The number of offspring may vary, usually 8. If born more than 6 months old, very healthy offspring can be born. Hamsters who become pregnant when they are younger often give birth to dead and weak pups. When the pups are born, their eyes and ears are closed. The hairless puppies are between red and pink and average 2 cm in size. The eyes open after about 2 weeks.

They usually prefer to be alone, for this you need to buy a special cage. It is suitable that their cages are made of hard plastic, iron or stainless steel. Because they have gnawing properties, they can gnaw other materials. Feeding these animals, which have problems with the digestive system, requires some care. Generally; They eat oats, cereals, corn, sunflower seeds, rice, wheat, sesame seeds, watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, boiled rice, unsweetened corn popcorn, boiled pasta or potatoes.

Fruit and vegetables should be kept in daily eating arrangements. However, eating too much should cause diarrhea and should be given in a controlled manner.It is necessary to put plenty of soft straw and sawdust under the cage. For the hamsters, a heating is required in the winter months. You can feed the hamsters with nuts, peanuts and special foods. Water needs are also between 8-10 ml per day. However, by overfeeding, you should avoid increasing the fat content in the animal's body.

Fruits to be given to these cute animals; can be carrots and leaves, parsley, melon, watermelon, nuts, peanuts, strawberries, spinach, corn, zucchini, broccoli, peas, lettuce, bananas, strawberries and blueberries

Should Hamsters Wash? Essentially, these animals do not have to be washed. By nature, they are already very clean animals. Just like cats, it has continuous cleaning properties. This cleaning will actually be sufficient. However, if you say that you will necessarily wash, you can do this with mild warm water and a non-chemical shampoo. Of course, this is up to you. On the other hand, let us remind you that many vets do not recommend washing.

Because when the animal is washed, the fat layer on the skin goes for a while. In this case, the unprotected creature gets sick faster. If it does not clean itself, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian, as this will be an abnormal condition. Apart from washing, one of the most curious topics is the screening process. It is also not recommended to comb the creatures with very short feathers. An important detail to know is that these animals are not featured like fluff, such as cats, squirrels, and rabbits.

Therefore, hair loss is an extremely important condition for them. If you want to comb for massage, you can use a soft and delicate little brush. While doing this process, you should be careful not to be too careful and to keep the hairs shedding.