Interesting Facts about Hamsters and Other Rodents

Facts about mice:

The tail of a mouse is almost equal to the length of its body

Mice are colorblind and do not tolerate daylight very well because they are nocturnal creatures

Mice have a keen sense of smell and hearing. Their hearing range is similar to that of humans, but they can also hear in the ultrasonic range and communicate using ultrasound.

The mouse has two thymus glands (the thymus is an organ of lymphopoiesis in which maturation, differentiation, and immunological “training” of T-cells of the immune system occur). One is the size of a pea in the chest, and the second is the size of a pinhead in the neck area near the trachea.

The chemical composition of urine in male mice is very different from that of female mice.

Newborn mice born at any time of the year except spring are blind at birth and have no fur.

Mice can sleep 12 hours a day.

Hamster Facts:

Hamsters are omnivores: they can eat seeds, grains, grasses, and even insects.

Hamsters give birth to numerous offspring

Only five species of hamsters can be kept as pets

The Syrian hamster is the most common species found as a pet.

Syrian hamsters are tolerant of alcohol: long-term storage of fruits in their cheeks can lead to their fermentation.

Hamsters are colorblind and also myopic.

Hamsters can burrow into the ground for shelter, digging holes about a meter deep and making several rooms within their underground homes.

Hamsters’ cheeks can stretch until their head is two or three times the animal’s size. The female can even carry her young in her mouth.

A hamster has a short life, a maximum of four years

Hamsters have short tails: 2 -4 cm

Alexander Russell first mentioned Syrian hamsters in 1797 as a new rodent species in his publication Natural History of Aleppo. Of course, the interesting facts about rodents don’t end there.

Facts about chinchillas:

Chinchillas’ teeth (like almost all rodents) grow throughout their lives.

Chinchillas have the softest fur in the world

A chinchilla can jump up to 150 cm above its head

Chinchillas come in various colors: white, black, beige, grey, sapphire, and violet.

Chinchilla weighs 35 grams or more at birth

Chinchillas’ eyes are typically dark or ruby ”red in color.