There are many species of hamsters but only 5 species are widely kept in captivity as pets and these are shown in the table below:
Other species include:
Common Name | Scientific Name | Alternative Names |
European Hamster | Cricetus cricetus | Common Hamster
Black Bellied Hamster |
Rumanian Hamster | Mesocricetus newtoni | Romanian Hamster |
Turkish Hamster | Mesocricetus brandti | Brandts' Hamster |
Ciscaucasian Hamster | Mesocricetus raddei | Georgian Hamster |
Ladak Hamster | Cricetulus alticola | |
Chinese Striped Hamster |
Cricetulus barabensis | |
Mongolian Hamster | Cricetulus curtatus | |
Eversmann's Hamster | Cricetulus eversmanni | |
Tibetan Hamster | | |
Lesser Longtailed Hamster | Cricetulus longicaudatus | |
Armenian Hamster | Cricetulus migratorius | Migratory Grey Hamster |
Greater Longtailed Hamster | Cricetulus triton | Korean Hamster |
| | Cricetulus obscurus | |
| | Cricetulus pseudogriseus | |
Mouse-Like Hamster | Calomyscus bailwardi | |
| | Calomyscus baluchi | |
| | Calomyscus mystax | |
| | Calomyscus urartensis | |
Calomyscus baluchi, Calomyscus mystax and Calomyscus urartensis are sub-species of the Mouselike Hamster (Calomyscus bailwardi).
There are also other rodents that are sometimes referred to as 'hamsters' although they are not true hamsters, such as the South African Hamster (Mystromys albicaudatus) which is also known as the White Tailed Mouse and the Maned Rat which used to be referred to as the Maned Hamster or the Crested Hamster.
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