Field hamster

The European hamster, a characteristic rodent of open landscapes, is critically endangered and requires urgent conservation measures to ensure its survival. This fact sheet provides a detailed overview of the biology and ecology of the European hamster and highlights the urgency of protecting its habitats and preserving its populations.

Field hamster Products

Profile: Field hamster

  • Scientific classification

    • Class: Mammalia (mammals)
    • Order: Rodentia (rodents)
    • Family: Cricetidae (Cricetidae)
    • Genus: Cricetus
    • Species: C. cricetus (European hamster)

  • Physical characteristics

    • Size: Body length of 20-35 cm
    • Weight: 200-600 g
    • Special features: Compact body, short legs, short tail, yellowish-brown fur with white belly sides and black cheek stripes.

  • Habitat and distribution

    • Common regions: Europe, especially Eastern Europe, formerly also in Germany, today highly endangered.
    • Habitat: Open landscapes such as fields, meadows, steppes and semi-deserts; prefers dry, sandy soils for the construction of burrows.

  • Nutrition

    • Diet: Herbivore
    • Typical food: grains, seeds, roots, grasses, herbs, occasionally insects.

  • Reproduction and lifestyle

    • Mating season: Spring
    • Gestation period: Approx. 3 weeks
    • Litter size: 5-15 young per litter
    • Brood care: Females are solely responsible for raising the young.
    • Social structure: Mostly solitary, outside of the mating season.

  • Lifespan and protection status

    • Life expectancy: Up to 3 years in the wild
    • Endangered status: Critically endangered due to habitat loss, intensive agriculture and hunting.
    • Conservation measures: preservation and protection of field margins, extensive agriculture, protection of breeding areas.
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