How many species of hamsters are there?
There are five species of hamster, which are widely kept as pets. These are as follows: SYRIAN HAMSTER This is the most common species and is sometimes referred to as the golden hamster due to its original wild colouring. Today though, there are many different colours and coat mutations. Syrian hamsters are solitary creatures and must never be kept with other hamsters as they will fight and may even kill each other. Syrians are ideal pets for small children as they are easier to handle and are less delicate than other hamsters due to their large size. DWARF CAMPBELLS RUSSIAN HAMSTER Unlike Syrians, these hamsters are sociable and can be kept as pairs or in a group, provided they are introduced at a young age. They can be difficult for young children to handle and are also less tolerant of clumsy handling and can be prone to nip when annoyed. They can squeeze through the bars of some hamster cages, so glass or plastic aquariums or cages designed for mice make much more suitable housing
