Your child is old enough to have a pet, but are you not ready for a dog yet? Buy him a hamster. They are smaller than dogs, easier to feed, and they won't chew on their favorite shoes. It seems that it is much easier - to choose a small rodent by color, and that's it. But don't be in a hurry. The most common types of hamsters - Dzungarian and Syrian, have their own characteristics that you should pay attention to when buying.
Appearance
Looks like Dzungarian a hamster can be easily confused with an ordinary field mouse, only without a tail. Belongs to the genus of upholstered hamsters. This rodent is much smaller than its Syrian counterpart, moreover, it often has a characteristic gray color with a dark stripe on the back. To escape from predators and become more invisible, nature rewarded the Dzungarian hamster with white spots on its fur. The hamster's paws are somewhat reminiscent of human hands, at least he holds food very similarly. This type of hamsters belongs to the category of "long-livers", their life expectancy is three years. Broods of Dzungarian hamsters are larger than Syrian ones, in them there are up to six cubs. The Syrian hamster is much larger than the Dzungarian hamster, almost twice. Belongs to the genus of medium hamsters. Its weight can reach two hundred grams. As a rule, females are somewhat larger than males. The color of this species of hamsters is very pleasant - golden. Although there are red and even black individuals. There are two types of Syrian hamsters - long-haired and short-haired. Life expectancy is about two to two and a half years.
Care
When starting a hamster remember that before domestication they were inhabitants of the desert, so they were not used to water and bathing them, in order to avoid illness or even death, is not recommended. Better to put a small tray of sand - this will help the hamsters to keep themselves clean, and you will tenderly watch your pet take sand baths. Since hamsters are nocturnal animals, be prepared for the fact that in the dark they will show remarkable activity, and during the day you will hardly lure them out of the house. If you are worried that your pet is bored alone, do not worry, hamsters are not very fond of their own kind. It is much easier for them to communicate with the owners. An exception is the mating season. Dzungarian hamsters, despite their modest size, need a spacious cage or aquarium. These hamsters are very clean, and the characteristic rodent smell is almost absent. It is enough to wash their cage once a week. In order for the Dzungarian hamster to sharpen its teeth, it is worth putting a chalk stone on it. This type of hamsters are prone to diabetes, so cut out sugary fruits like peaches and grapes from their diet. Dzungarian hamsters are always on the move, so they just need a running wheel, and, if possible, you can build a labyrinth for him. The Syrian hamster also loves space. Only because of the specific smell, his house should be washed at least once every three to four days. Syrian hamsters are more friendly than Dzungarian hamsters. But they also need to be taught to hand. Then the hamster will fully respond to you in return.
Conclusions TheDifference.ru
- Syrian hamsters are twice as large as their congeners - Dzungarian hamsters.
- The color of the Dzungarian hamsters is gray, similar to that of a mouse, and the Syrian hamster is more often golden in color.
- Dzungarian hamsters need more space for normal life.
- Syrian hamsters have a specific smell much more pronounced than that of the Dzungar hamsters.
- Dzungarian hamsters are wilder than Syrian hamsters. It takes more time to tame them.
