hamster , gerbils , and guinea pig are all eccentric of cute rodents unremarkably keep as housepets . Here ’s a breakdown of how they differ and which physical feature can help you order them apart .
creature
buttocks
Size
Lifespan
sociableness
Sleep Schedule
Diet
Hamster
myopic and stumpy
Depends on the species but often around 4 inch
1.5 to 3 years
Not very societal with humans or hamsters ; like to live alone
Mostly nocturnal
Omnivore
Gerbil
Long and continue in fur , like a mouse ’s
4 to 7 in
3 to 4 years
Very social ; like to be with other gerbils and be address by humans
Mostly diurnal
Guinea pig
No fanny
8 to 10 inch
5 to 7 twelvemonth
Very societal ; like to live with other guinea pigs and be cover by humans
Herbivore
Scientific Classification
hamster , gerbils , and greaseball pigs belong to the same scientific order — Rodentia , i.e. rodents — but they ’re in different mob .
hamster are their own subfamily ( Cricetinae ) ofCricetidae(a.k.a . cricetids ) , which also includes lemmings , vole , Ondatra zibethica , and New World betrayer and black eye . Gerbils are part of a subfamily ( Gerbillinae ) withinMuridae(murids ) , which also includes whistling rats and Old World rats and mice .
In other words , the termshamsterandgerbileach encompass various species . The same is n’t straight forguinea pig , which is a conversational term for one particular metal money of cavy : Cavia porcellus . cavy make up the familyCaviidae . So wop pigs are more nearly pertain to other cavy coinage — likecapybarasand maras — than to hamsters and gerbils .
Size and Physical Appearance
Most gerbille aresomewherebetween 4 and7 inches long , not include their tails . Hamsters variegate a spot more by species . Golden hamsters , orSyrian hamsters , are commonly around 6 to 8 column inch long , while mostChinese hamstersare in the 3 - to-5 - inch range ; and dwarf hamster specie usually crest out around 4 inches long . TheEuropean hamsteris importantly bad than its kin : between 8 and 14 inches .
The easiest way to tell a hamster from a gerbil is to look at its shadow . Gerbil tail are at least a few in long , while most hamster buttocks are stumpy . Gerbils also just broadly speaking look more like mice than hamster do , with pointy faces and slight bodies — compare to hamsters ’ chubbier and rounder appearance . And hamster have expansive cheek pouches that they fill with solid food , which gerbil do n’t have . Anotherdifferenceis that gerbils are screw to support on their hind legs more than hamsters .
Guinea pigs do n’t have nerve pouchesortails , and their faces are reasonably decided from both hamsters and gerbils — more rectangular than triangular , with a long olfactory organ that slopes downward . And at 8 to 10 inches recollective , guinea pigsare loosely larger than many best-loved gerbils and hamsters .
Behavior
Behavior - impudent , hamster are the odd one out . They ’re predominantly nocturnal and not very societal , with a leaning to be territorial about their infinite . A dwarf hamstercanbe OK with sharing a large John Cage with another dwarf hamster , but it ’s commend that you make certain each puppet has its own nutrient , H2O , toys , hideouts , etc . AsOxbow Animal Healthputs it , “ hamster are more probable to get along if they do n’t have to deal resources . ” And while you may train hamster to let you hold them , they ’re not the just choice for people who want an peculiarly cuddly and social pet .
gerbille and Republic of Guinea pigs , on the other hand , are very social both with people and with their own variety . It ’s often recommend that you buygerbilsand ginzo squealer in pairs so they do n’t get lonely . ( In Switzerland , it ’s actuallyillegal to ownonly one dago pig . ) Their sleep schedules alter — some sourceslabelthemcrepuscular , i.e. most fighting around sunrise and sundown — but they are generallyawakeduring theday .
You canexpecta gerbil to live for three to four years , while a hamster ’s life expectancy is a trivial short than that : 1.5 to three age . According to Chewy ’s petMD , “ Any hamster that is a year and a half old is consider elderly . ” Guinea pig have the longest lifespan of the three — oftencitedas five to seven years , though they sometimes livedouble that .
Gerbilsandhamstersare both omnivores : They like a mixed bag of fruits , vegetables , and grains , plus insects and mealworms . Numida meleagris pigs are herbivore , so they bask fruit , vegetables , and lots ofgrass hay .
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