Hamsters

where they will spend long periods of time grooming,

keeping their coat very clean. A female will use yet

another part as a nursery for her babies.Hamsters

are exceptionally busy animals. They are active at

night when they come out of the burrows to search

for food and explore their world, clean their sleeping

area and make a new nest. They will also repair and

extend their old burrow or dig a new one. They are

very curious creatures and will climb over rocks, dig

tunnels and gather food in their specially adapted

mouths.

The hamster’s mouth has cheek pouches that extend

along the jaw, almost back to the shoulders. They

are lubricated by mucus which enables the hamster

to push food along to the back, a bit like you filling

up your shopping bag. They can carry almost half

their weight in these pouches—similar to a human

carrying 70 pounds (30 kilos), in their mouth! They

gather food and nesting material and carry it back

in their strong mouth pouch to the safety of their

burrow. Hamsters store their food in a pile from

which they can eat later in peace and safety. They are

omnivores

. This means their natural diet includes

meat, in the form of insects and grubs, as well as

seeds, nuts and fruit.

Hamsters