It was after this that these little rodents really became popular as household pets. Hamsters were imported to America in 1936. However, Russian Dwarf hamsters were first collected in Mongolia by a man called Charles Campbell. They were first found and studied by a biologist called Israel Aharoni. These small rodents are found in the desert, originally in Syria. Teddy bear hamsters don’t come from the same place as gerbils. You can read more about gerbil history here. It wasn’t long till they made their way to America and Western Europe as pets. The scientist Henri Milne-Edwards gave these little rodents their official scientific name.Īlthough they were initially bred for scientific purposes, they were soon common pets in China. Mongolian gerbils were first found and sent to the French Museum of Natural History by a Catholic missionary called Father Armand David. Unsurprisingly, these gerbils come from Mongolia in East Asia! They are found in the grassy plains and steppes.
But, we will focus on the Mongolian gerbil, as this is the one most commonly kept as a pet. There are around 110 species of gerbil in the world that we know of. So, let’s find out more about where the hamster and gerbil come from. But, it can be really interesting to learn, especially if kids will be helping you care for your new pet. Gerbil vs Hamster HistoryĪn animal’s history might not impact whether you choose to buy one. Some of these types of hamster are more similar to gerbils than others. There are several dwarf hamster species including the Campbell’s dwarf, the Roborovski, the Djungian, the Russian Winter White and the Chinese hamster. There are a few more varieties of hamster that are commonly kept as pets. These gerbils tend to be hardy and resilient. The species of gerbil most commonly kept as a pet is the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). One of the first questions to tackle is: is a gerbil a hamster? These two terms can be used so interchangeably it really is a fair question!Įven though they do have lots of similarities, a gerbil or hamster are not one and the same – they are two different rodent species. What is the Difference Between a Gerbil and a Hamster? Let’s start off by outlining the difference between a hamster and a gerbil.
Syrian hamsters are a little bigger than gerbils and can live alone. It will depend on the type of hamster you choose. We will check out the pros and cons of each, and help you decide which would be a better pet for you.Ĭhoosing between a gerbil or hamster is hard, because both are small rodents with similar care needs. Gerbil vs Hamster – why is the choice so difficult! Today we will look at the differences between the gerbil and hamster species.
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