Wild hamsters.

Emms · 02-08-2007, 01:56 PM

Are there still hamsters in the wild today?
Sorry this thought just randomly popped into my head.

Emma x

Holly · 02-08-2007, 02:16 PM

I've wondered the same thing - most books seem to suggest that, as they live in burrows several metres underground and are hard to find, that it's not really known how many Syrian hamsters there are.

On a side note, I've just read a book called The New Hamster Handbook by Jimmy McKay (1991) which has a chapter on hamsters living wild in England - yes, England!!

Whilst it's obviously a very bad idea to deliberately release a hamster into the wild (both for the sake of the hamster and the environment where hamsters are not a native animal) it seems that some hamsters are able to survive and, where there's more than one, colonies sometimes spring up. He names colonies of feral hamsters (usually traced to a couple of escapees) in Bath, Middlesex, Cumbria, Bootle, Manchester, Suffolk and London. Sadly but unsurprisingly - for the hamsters- all were destroyed as pests and he does mention a bit of a backlash against hamster keepers and breeders in the 1980's.

I wondered if anyone else knows anything about wild hamsters living where they shouldn't live?

Holly · 02-09-2007, 03:25 AM

Another randon thought - is it true that hamsters are not allowed into Australia, even as pets? I think I read that somewhere and I know that they have very strict laws about non-indigenous animals entering Australia, due to what happened with rabbits

Minicooper · 02-09-2007, 08:55 AM

True. Hamsters in Australia are considered as vermin.

Cant see why, they are too cute.

LilaHam · 02-09-2007, 03:03 PM

=O Poor Lila Shes Not Vermin =D

sai12 · 02-10-2007, 05:43 PM

Oh wow, I didn't know that you couldn't have hamsters in Australia!! That is kind of crazy.

SnuggleHam · 02-10-2007, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sai12

Oh wow, I didn't know that you couldn't have hamsters in Australia!! That is kind of crazy.

I believe the reason why is because if they escaped they would be able to survive in the environment and possibly flourish, thus becoming invasive to native wildlife. I think their laws are justified. Look what wild pigs have done to native animals of Australia for example.

Gerbils are not allowed in the state of California I believe for the same reasons.

sai12 · 02-10-2007, 06:24 PM

Huh, well, I guess that makes sense. Just it is really sad that they can't have them as pets

Emms · 02-12-2007, 04:57 AM

On another forum I have a friend from Australia and she finds it really annoying she can't have a hamster - I couldn't imagine not having my hammy's!!

Emma x

**babyboos** · 02-12-2007, 05:01 PM

yes but we all know how good escape artists they are

anyway the guys in Oz have some brilliant pets we could never properly/naturally keep - nor should we as our environments are so completely different