European Hamster

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European Hamster Fossil range: Middle Miocene to Recent
Conservation status
Least concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Cricetinae Genus: Cricetus Leske, 1779 Species: C. cricetus
Binomial name
Cricetus cricetus Linnaeus, 1758

The European Hamster, Cricetus cricetus, also known as the Black-bellied Hamster, is a species of hamster native to Europe. It is typically found in low-lying farmland with soft loam or loess soils, although it may also inhabit meadows, gardens, or hedges. It is widely considered a farmland pest, and has also been trapped for its fur. The black-bellied hamster is found from the Belgium and Alsace in the west, to Russia in the east, and Romania in the south.

European hamsters are significantly larger than the Syrian hamsters or dwarf hamsters commonly kept as pets. European hamsters are similar in size to guinea pigs.

In captivity, the European hamster displays an unusually long life span, living up to the age of eight years. They are very rarely kept as pets and have been known to attack large dogs if they feel threatened. They can also dispel grains and seeds from their cheek pouches with such force, that severe injury can be inflicted upon the target^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] References

• Amori (1996). Cricetus cricetus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.