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| Hamstring Temporal range: Middle Miocene–Current | |
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| Campbell's dwarf hamster | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Cricetinae |
| Genera | |
Mesocricetus | |
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species in six or seven genera. They have become established as popular small house pets. They are a bit like a mouse. Wild hamsters live in the desert, but people all over the world keep domesticated hamsters as pets.
In the wild, hamsters are crepuscular and stay underground during the day. They feed on seeds, fruits, and vegetation, and occasionally eat burrowing insects. Hamsters are distinguished by their large cheek pouches, and relatively short tail. They use their long cheek pouches extending to their shoulders to carry food back to their burrows.
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