Hamster care for kids · 3 min read
Amazing hamster facts
Hamsters are small, but they are full of surprises. Here are Potato's favourite facts about his own kind.
Cheeks like shopping bags
A hamster's cheek pouches go all the way back to his shoulders.
He can carry half his own weight in food in there. Imagine carrying half of you in your mouth!
Night runners
A wild hamster can run 5 miles (8 km) in one night looking for food.
That is why a pet hamster needs a big wheel and a big home. He has a lot of running to do.
Kinds of hamsters
- Syrian hamster: the big one, about as long as your hand. Golden, and must live alone.
- Winter white dwarf: Potato's kind! Small, grey, and some turn white in winter.
- Campbell's dwarf: looks a lot like a winter white.
- Roborovski: the tiniest and fastest. Very hard to hold.
- Chinese hamster: long and thin with a little tail.
More quick facts
- Different hamster species come from Europe and Asia.
- The name comes from a German word that means "to hoard".
- Hamsters cannot see well, but they smell and hear brilliantly.
- Baby hamsters are called pups. They are born with no fur and closed eyes.
- A hamster lives about 2 years. Every day counts.
Potato's quick quiz
True or false? Tap to see the answer.
A hamster can run 5 miles in one night.
True! Wild hamsters run a very long way looking for food.
Hamsters have great eyesight.
Nope. They see badly, but they smell and hear very well.
Potato is a Syrian hamster.
Nope. Potato is a winter white dwarf hamster. Small and grey.
Questions kids ask
What kind of hamster is Potato?
A winter white dwarf hamster. He is small and grey with a stripe on his back.
Do hamsters have tails?
Yes, a tiny one. Chinese hamsters have a longer tail.
Why is a hamster called a hamster?
From an old German word that means "to hoard", because hamsters store food.