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The original purpose of the hamster

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Tanydd

Hi, I am currently writing an extended essay on how the lack of education surrounding small animals impact their health.

In order to get into it, I need to delve into the history (which I’ve covered) and the purpose of keeping and breeding hamsters in captivity. I also need an idea of the conditions these hamsters were kept in during the early days of captivity. Unfortunately I’m struggling to find reliable sources to help me with this so any help would be incredibly helpful

Thank you kindly!
 
Hello & welcome to the forum.
That sounds like a very interesting & quite complex essay.
Are you thinking about when hamsters were first kept as pets? I’m not sure where you would find much information on that really.
As far as I’m aware hamsters were first kept in captivity (or at least Chinese & Syrians) for the purpose of medical & scientific experiments.
You can usually find information on that if you look at research on things like diabetes & some other health issues.
I can’t really think of any other information that might help off hand but hopefully someone else might know more.
 
Yes, Chinese and Syrian hamsters were originally used for lab research.

Chinese hamsters were domesticated first, but they were difficult to breed in labs. As a result, there were efforts to capture Syrian hamsters in hopes they would be easier to breed in captivity. This wasn't easy as Syrians in the wild are extremely elusive, but one female with pups was captured, and now all pet or laboratory Syrians are descended from that one female, meaning they are quite inbred.

Employees in labs would sometimes take animals home to be pets for their families, so a few people might have been keeping pet hamsters in the early 20th century. Eventually in about the late '40s the breeders who supplied laboratories also started to sell hamsters to pet shops, and that's how they came be mainstream pet animals. Back then, it was even possible to order live rodents from a catalogue and have them shipped to you like any other parcel!

I'm not sure how Campbell's, Winter Whites, and Robos came to be pets. They have all been used occasionally in lab research but I don't know if that was the original reason for their domestication.

Hamsters are now rarely used in labs except for very specific types of research. Most labs use rats or mice instead as they breed much more quickly.
 
You've probably seen most of the articles we have - when doing our "History" of each species - mainly Wikipedia but some scientific articles as well, and you're right there is nothing much about housing of pet hamsters in the early days. However I believe it would have been in the Standard type hamster cages of the time - probably maximum 50 x 30 and with a wire wheel. Say in the 1950s and 60s. I know that about 10 to 12 years ago, before the RSPCA minimums came in, forums were suggesting 60 x 40 for a Syrian and as small as a mini Duna for a dwarf and these were regularly used. From about 10 years ago most people accepted it needed to be at least 80 x 50 and Syrian owners usually went for 100 x 50 cages.
 
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You might be able to find information, and examples, from old hamster care books. There is a list of them here.

Hamster Care Index 1940s to 1970s

Grantabrugge Hamstery is a registered hobby breeder of pedigree syrian hamsters, based in Cambridge, UK.
www.grantabruggehamstery.co.uk
 
For sources, I recommend looking on the Internet Archive for old hamster care books. It will give an insight into what was considered standard care at different times.
 
elusive said:
Hello & welcome to the forum.
That sounds like a very interesting & quite complex essay.
Are you thinking about when hamsters were first kept as pets? I’m not sure where you would find much information on that really.
As far as I’m aware hamsters were first kept in captivity (or at least Chinese & Syrians) for the purpose of medical & scientific experiments.
You can usually find information on that if you look at research on things like diabetes & some other health issues.
I can’t really think of any other information that might help off hand but hopefully someone else might know more.
Click to expand...
Thank you <3
 
How are you getting on?
 
You could also maybe do some interviews - that's always interesting. Maybe contact an older National Hamster Council breeder and ask them about things in 1960s and 70s. I don't think there'll be many left alive that remember the 1950s unfortunately but a breeder may point you in the direction of an elderly retired breeder.

I'm aware that at one early stage, hamsters were just fed on scraps - human leftovers etc.
 
Maz said:
You've probably seen most of the articles I have - when doing our "History" of each species - mainly Wikipedia but some scientific articles as well, and you're right there is nothing much about housing of pet hamsters in the early days. However I believe it would have been in the Standard type hamster cages of the time - probably maximum 50 x 30 and with a wire wheel. Say in the 1950s and 60s. I know that about 10 to 12 years ago, before the RSPCA minimums came in, forums were suggesting 60 x 40 for a Syrian and as small as a mini Duna for a dwarf and these were regularly used. From about 10 years ago most people accepted it needed to be at least 80 x 50 and Syrian owners usually went for 100 x 50 cages.
Click to expand...
Hi, thanks for your help! I’ve received strict instruction to avoid Wikipedia. However, Ive been trying to find books on small animal care but only had luck with children’s books which to me, only confirms that small animals have been pushed as children’s pets.

I was then able to order in an adult care guide from by someone called Collins in 2002; Not anyone with qualifications, but someone who’s kept hamsters for a while. Which to be frank was terrible, explained the origin of the hamster as a burrowing animal and showed photos of cages with 2 inch bases.

No wonder hamster care is so slow to progress if there’s nothing good available and only confirms the purpose of my essay!
 
Maz said:
You could also maybe do some interviews - that's always interesting. Maybe contact an older National Hamster Council breeder and ask them about things in 1960s and 70s. I don't think there'll be many left alive that remember the 1950s unfortunately but a breeder may point you in the direction of an elderly retired breeder.

I'm aware that at one early stage, hamsters were just fed on scraps - human leftovers etc.
Click to expand...
That’s a great idea! Thank you !
 
Maz said:
How are you getting on?
Click to expand...
Okay so far, thanks.
I’ve collected pet shop pamphlets, taken out library books (none contain good care though) and I’ve got a couple of articles about lab conditions that I can add here if you’re interested. If it’s allowed, perhaps I could add my essay once it’s been submitted and marked as I cant risk my own work being plagiarised lol. The essay limited to 3000 words so it may not be as detailed as I want it to be.
I think I’ve met the criteria of identifying an area of research as I’ve only got to submit my proposal before I can carry out this essay.
 
That would be great - once it's submitted and marked :-) You could add "copyright" on the bottom as well.

Some of those books linked above in post number 5, might be available on Amazon, used. Also there is Hamsterlopedia available used. That isn't very early years and is quite clinical in places (it was written by two vets I think) but also gives an idea of what kind of care there was when it was written.

Actually - it's not that old - it was published in 2003!


Although you can't use Wikipedia, within Wikipedia articles there are references at the bottom so some of those references may be useful standalone.
 
Yes I always found interviews got you brownie points in essays :) Providing you then make a bit of comment about the interview quotes afterwards.
 
Maz said:
That would be great - once it's submitted and marked :) You could add "copyright" on the bottom as well.

Some of those books linked above in post number 5, might be available on Amazon, used. Also there is Hamsterlopedia available used. That isn't very early years and is quite clinical in places (it was written by two vets I think) but also gives an idea of what kind of care there was when it was written.

Actually - it's not that old - it was published in 2003!


Although you can't use Wikipedia, within Wikipedia articles there are references at the bottom so some of those references may be useful standalone.
Click to expand...
That’s great! Thank you very much!
 
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