P et Rodent s Wild Rodents Hamsters and gerbils are cute furry animals and make great pets They belong to a group of animals called rodents What’s the Difference Hamsters are slightly bigger than gerbils They have a small stumpy tail while gerbils have a long tail Hamsters like to sleep all day and are active in the evening and at night Gerbils are awake during the day Both hamsters and gerbils have extra-large front teeth for chewing Hamsters do s not have a long tail like gerbils 4 Gerbils have long back legs s with large feet and a long furry tail They use their tail for balance
Pet or Wild Pet hamsters and gerbils are the same size and body shape as their wild relatives However pet animals have a wider range of colors and hair types Wild gerbils live in the desert and are light brown Pet gerbils can be black gray or even spotted Hamster Colors Wild hamsters have dark or multicolored coats that help to camouflage them from enemies Pet hamsters have been bred to have black brown golden and white coats In the wild the color of s a gerbil’s fur helps it to blend in with its background The pet hamster left is s light gray and cream The wild European hamster below has a multicolored coat that helps it to hide in the wild 5
