Hamster

Hamster, any of various short-tailed rodents of Europe and Asia. Hamsters feed chiefly on cereals, but also on fruits, roots, and leaves. They carry food back to their nests in large cheek pouches. The most familiar species, the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), makes an attractive pet. Both it and the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) are nocturnal.