Gray Hamster

About this species

Weight

Varies by individual; small hamster

Diet

Roots, green plant parts, seeds and insects

Habitat

Dry grassland, arid steppe, semi-desert and cultivated land

The gray hamster, also called the grey dwarf or migratory hamster, is a small sandy brownish-grey rodent with whitish underparts. Its ears are relatively large, the skull has a flattened profile and narrow snout, and the well-furred tail is about one-third of the head-and-body length. White belly hairs often have grey bases. These characters, together with its small build and muted coat, distinguish it from strongly striped dwarf hamsters where their ranges approach one another. (Wikipedia, grey dwarf hamster account)

Gray hamsters range from eastern Europe through Central Asia to Mongolia and western China. They occupy dry grassland, arid steppe and semi-desert, and also enter fields, gardens and buildings, while avoiding moist ground and dense forest. Active mainly at dusk and night, each animal digs a deep burrow with nest and food-storage chambers. Roots, green vegetation, seeds and insects form the diet. They do not hibernate; summer breeding can produce as many as three litters, usually of six or seven young. (Wikipedia, grey dwarf hamster account)

Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)