Fun Facts About Hamsters  

Have you noticed that hamsters have been gaining in popularity recently? In fact, according to a 2012 study by the AMVA, 887 out of 1000 households have one. That’s a lot of little furballs! While we can’t say that statistic isn’t startling, we aren’t surprised at Hammie’s newfound popularity. Hamsters are super cute, and they do make really fun pets! Read on as a local Dawsonville, GA vet goes over some fun facts about these tiny animals.

Hammie Is A Hoarder

Believe it or not, obesity is a pretty big issue with little pets. That problem can probably be traced back to Hammie’s habit of stashing food and then begging for more. Hamsters are notorious for hiding snacks and then pretending they’re really, really hungry! In fact, these little guys are named after the German word ‘Hamstern,’ which means ‘hoard.’

Origin

Hamsters have likely been around for a long time, but they were only “officially” discovered about 1000 years ago, in the Syrian desert. Of course, Hammie has traveled quite a bit since then, and has lived in almost every country and continent in the world.

Stay Away, Mate!

Hammie has been officially kicked out and banned from the land Down Under. In fact, anyone caught bringing a hamster to Australia is subject to five years in jail and fines of up to $210,000 AUD, which is about $145,000 over here. It’s not that Australians don’t think hamsters are cute: they’re just concerned about environmental impact. (Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are quite welcome.)

Hammie Can Run Backward

Not all of our animal companions can make this claim. Hammie can manage this trick because of the size and shape of his back legs and feet.

Neat Freak

One reason hamsters are so popular as pets is because they’re very clean. They often pick one or two spots in their habitats to use as bathrooms, which makes it easy to pick up after them. They also keep their fur well groomed. Many of them love dust baths, which soak up excess dirt and oil from their coats.

Teeny Tiny Pets

While all hamsters are small, the adorable dwarf hamster takes the trophy for being the littlest of them all. These guys only get to be about two inches long!

Do you have questions about hamster care? Contact us, your Dawsonville, GA animal clinic, today!