This cute video is also scientifically interesting, as it shows an X-ray of a nomming hamster, and the extent of those cheek pouches. The Daily Mirror gives its source:
X-ray footage of a hamster stuffing its cheeks has revealed how the animal’s food pouches extend all the way to its hips!
The film – shot by the BBC and narrated by David Tennant – shows a hamster stuffing nuts and chips into his cheek pouches to save for later.
The tiny animal eats like it has never eaten before – and may never again.
To keep the food fresh and dry, its mouth doesn’t release any saliva. The x-ray footage shows how the pouches extend all the way back to the animal’s hips.
Once the pouches are filled to the brim, the hamster waddles back to his den and disgorges his stash so that the food can be eaten later.
The clip comes from BBC show Pets- Wild at Heart, a two-part documentary from the team behind Penguins – Spy in the Huddle.
h/t: Diana MacPherson
Perhaps this explains how rich food seems to go directly to my waistline.
“Don’t eat that! It will go directly to your hips.”
Tiny animal? Not so tiny by the end!
Hamsters are such cute animals. I also find it amusing that they can be temperamental and bite you one if you make them angry.
Syrian hamsters are territorial, and pairing them at the right time on penalty of one killing the other is an issue.
My rental had an engine issue during a winter transport to my new student flat. The transport incorporated – you can guess it – my then pet hamster.
So after calling for towing, luckily from a nearby house on a desolate way, I tried to keep him warm. Have you stuffed a hamster inside your sweater? After being tired of running around, he bit me.
When the tow truck arrived an hour later, the hamster and I were thoroughly pissed at each other.
Haha! My dad used to have them as pets when he was a boy and he’d put the pet hamster in his pocket and get his finger bit trying to shove him in there when at a place hamsters (or other pets) weren’t allowed.
I forgot: Maybe their territoriality and solitarity comes from evolving in a desert environment? That could explains the stashing trait too at a guess.
I would! But that’s because I knew how far the pouches extended before I read the article. 🙂
There’s no way he’s going hungry. lol
Talk about being full after a meal, eh? 😉
Great video! Thank you for sharing with us.