One of the 4 hamsters on WAnimals
Mammals · Rodentia · Cricetidae
Common Hamster
Cricetus cricetus
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
It is by far the largest of all hamsters, well above the species kept as pets. Its underground stores of grain and tubers can weigh more than 65 kg in total.
Weight
160 g – 600 g
Size
20 cm – 35 cm
Lifespan
3 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Fun facts
- conservaciónUnlike its domestic relative the Syrian hamster, this wild European species grows considerably larger and is listed as critically endangered across much of its original range.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Steppe, grassland and farmland on loess or clay soils of central and eastern Europe and western Asia
- Birth weight
- Exact weight at birth not found as a precise figure
- Size at birth
- Altricial, born naked, blind and deaf
- Sexual maturity
- ~43-90 days (figures vary; sexually active in the spring after birth in the wild)
- Gestation / incubation
- 18-21 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 3 to 20 young per litter (most commonly 6-8), up to 2-3 litters per year
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 5-8 years in captivity
Sources consulted: Animalia.bio; All Species Wiki Fandom; Creatures of the World Wiki; ScienceDirect Topics; zoo-ekzo.com; Life Cricetus; Grokipedia; AnimalHub; Animal Diversity Web
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: From April to September, at dawn and dusk, in the cereal fields of central and eastern Europe; from October to March it hibernates.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 22 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Common Hamster — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Common Vole
Microtus arvalis
Southern Water Vole
Arvicola sapidus
Common Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
Striped Desert Hamster
Phodopus sungorus
Desert Hamster
Phodopus roborovskii
Pygmy White-toothed Shrew
Suncus etruscus
How to help
The common hamster is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 6 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about common hamster.
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