Hamsters are rodents that belong to the subfamily Cricetinae and are generally kept as small pets. There are about 19 different species of hamsters in about seven genera, but the best-known hamster is the Golden Hamster. These animals are kept as pets because they make little to no noise, don’t cost a lot to maintain, and allow children to learn about responsibility.

Of course, these small animals are also great pets for adults as well. Anyone who doesn’t believe us should take the time to do their own research. And this can easily be done on a holiday dedicated to hamsters called Hamster Day. This day is observed annually on April 12th and encourages everyone who owns a hamster, or who might want to own a hamster, to honor these small animals.

The History of Hamster Day

Unfortunately, we don’t know who invented this holiday or when they invented it. We believe that it’s a day that’s been around for at least 10 years, but we’re still searching for supporting information to back that claim. Until we find the exact origins of this holiday, we’re just going to have to settle for listing a short history of the Syrian Hamster, so let’s check that out now.

The Syrian Hamster (also known as the Golden Hamster) was first described scientifically in 1839 by George Robert Waterhouse. However, it would take about 100 years before domesticated hamsters could be successfully bred in captivity. The species almost went extinct before that, however, but was saved some nine years before they became successfully domesticated.

In 1930, Israel Aharoni, a University of Jerusalem zoologist, captured Syrian Hamsters that were the descendants of a single brother-sister pairing. In Jerusalem, the hamsters were successfully bred, and hamsters from the original breeding colony were exported to the U.S. In the United States, hamsters became a common laboratory animal and pet. It’s been that way ever since.

Observing Hamster Day

This holiday can be observed by anyone interested in hamsters. It doesn’t matter if they have one or not. For people who have a hamster, this is a good day to give your pet a little bit of a treat or to take a picture of them and post it to social media using the hashtag #HamsterDay.

For people who are thinking about becoming a first-time hamster owner, this holiday can be used to research whether this is the type of pet they want to own. This is also a good day for people who have already done their research to go ahead and purchase one of these pets. No matter how a person celebrates this holiday, one thing is certain: Hamsters are lovable and fun pets that any household would be happy to own.