Undergraduate Student inspired by Hamsters!

[Stygian_Nox]

Hi all!

I have zero idea how to navigate the forums and have only ever read older posts when Google thinks it might answer a hamster question. I was a lost little undergraduate student majoring in biology but unsure of what field I wanted to go into. And then one day I realized that my passion for hamster care could become something. I've had hamsters as a child (those poor things...) and right now I have one ethically bred Syrian male who is my second hamster as a much more educated owner (Thank you Victoria Raechel). I'm wondering, is there anyone out there that has a career in rodent care research? I feel like this is such a niche topic that could not possibly get funded by big corpo, but it's the research I'm most interested in. I currently work at my university's animal facility where I help take care of ground squirrels that are being used for research (they are so chubby, I would love to see if there is a better way to feed them). My interests range from improving research rats' living conditions to the conservation of more exotic rodents. I'm also wondering if countries like France or Germany maybe has more of an investment in this field? Would love to hear any responses!

[minnieandhammy]

I think there is more knowledge needed of how best to care for pet hamsters and also everything about them really. Also of other rodents. I don't know how you would get into it as a career. My mum suggested it to me as a career but I'm 51 and have a third class degree in geography so I'm not regarded as someone who can get a place or funding for research zoology which is what that would hamster studying would be.