If you’ve been considering getting a new pet, but you can’t seem to make up your mind about a dog or a cat or a small-sized rodent, we’re here to tell you some exciting things about hamsters. These tiny rodents are far easier to take care of compared to their canine or feline counterparts, and that’s because they call for little to nothing in the way of cleaning, maintenance, or even feeding and watering.

Here are several facts you might find fascinating about them.

Behavior

First off, hamsters in general, and dwarf hamsters, in particular, are very friendly. Unless they feel that they are in danger, they will behave pleasantly. While they might not interact with humans to the same extent as guinea pigs, for instance, they will learn to respond to a name, and they can be quite happy to see you.

They are nocturnal, which means that they sleep during the day and eat and play at night. Much like rabbits and guinea pigs, they have teeth that grow all the time. That’s why they constantly need to chew on things like sticks and toys made specifically for this purpose.

They’re pretty sensitive to extreme temperature

In the wild, hamsters create burrows where they hide when it’s too hot. At night when the weather has cooled, they get out and start searching for food. They try to do the same in their cages or enclosures, but they can’t do all that much in this sense.

You’ll notice that they like to steer clear of the light just because they are nocturnal. That’s why they have the tendency to hide away during the day or create a burrow using the bedding. They are quite clean, and that’s why they relieve themselves in just one or two corners of their habitat.

Life expectancy and other facts

Because of their size, their metabolism allows hamsters to live for just two to three years. Therefore, if you don’t like being brokenhearted because your pet has left you and you want to avoid any kind of sorrow because of this, a hamster might not be a good pet for you.

As for body-related facts, you might notice that hamsters do not have great eyesight. They do, however, have an excellent sense of smell, which is why they can even recognize their owners and allow them to interact with them if he or she lets the pet sniff on them thoroughly before picking the hamster up.

Hamsters are equipped with two special pouches on the side of their esophagus. One is on the left, and the other is on the right. The reason these little rodents come with these pouches is that they can be used for storing food.

If, for instance, you try feeding a peanut or some other type of nut to your hamster, you’ll notice that he or she will want to store some of it in his or her pouches, and that’s because the pet will be able to snack on it later on. Usually, this behavior happens when the animal is fed snacks while not being in his or her Syrian or dwarf hamster cage.