Q 01/05

Hamsters belong to which rodent subfamily?

A) Murinae

B) Arvicolinae

C) Gerbillinae

D) Cricetinae

Answer · why

D) Cricetinae

The subfamily holds 19 species in seven genera; gerbils and voles are cousins in the same broad family but different subfamilies.

Q 02/05

How many species of hamster are there?

A) 7

B) 12

C) 19

D) 31

Answer · why

C) 19

Only about five of them are kept as pets; most of the rest live wild across the steppes of Europe and Asia.

Q 03/05

The word 'hamster' comes from German, where the verb 'hamstern' means what?

A) To dig

B) To hoard

C) To nibble

D) To scurry

Answer · why

B) To hoard

Germans still say someone is 'hamstering' when they stockpile groceries, which is exactly what the animal does with its cheek pouches.

Q 04/05

A hamster's cheek pouches extend back as far as which part of its body?

A) Its ears

B) Its chest

C) Its hips

D) Its shoulders

Answer · why

D) Its shoulders

Stuffed full, the pouches can double the width of the animal's head; they are used to carry food back to underground storage chambers.

Q 05/05

The golden hamster's name in the Arabic dialect where it was found roughly translates as what?

A) Little golden one

B) Desert mouse

C) Mister saddlebags

D) Sand digger

Answer · why

C) Mister saddlebags

The saddlebags are the cheek pouches, which stretch from the cheeks all the way to the shoulders.

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