The hamster is a small, burrowing rodent that lives in the wild in parts of Asia and Europe.
Many people keep hamsters as household pets.
Hamsters have a life span of about 2 to 2.5 years. After they leave their mother, hamsters are solitary animals. Most have a short tail, but some have longer tails. The coat color ranges from white to brown. Like all rodents, the hamster's front top teeth continue to grow throughout its life.