Editing Hamster (section)

===Hamsters as pets===
[[File:Hamster standing in exercise wheel.jpg|left|thumb|A [[Syrian Hamster|Syrian hamster]] (''Mesocricetus autatus)'' standing in [[Hamster wheel|exercise wheel]]]]
{{anchor|Gerbils as pets|reason=Old section name, may be linked.}}
The best-known species of hamster is the [[golden hamster|golden or Syrian hamster]] (''Mesocricetus auratus''), which is the type most commonly kept as [[pet]]s. There are numerous [[Syrian hamster variations]] including long-haired varieties and different colors. British zoologist [[Leonard Goodwin]] claimed most hamsters kept in the United Kingdom were descended from the colony he introduced for medical research purposes during the Second World War.<ref name="tel">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4241645/Leonard-Goodwin.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4241645/Leonard-Goodwin.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Leonard Goodwin – Telegraph|date=14 January 2009|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=18 January 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Hamsters were domesticated and kept as pets in the United States at least as early as 1942.<ref>Testimony from Grant C Riddle (born 1929, living in Lake Wildwood, CA) who had a pet hamster in 1942.</ref>
[[File:Syrian Hamster Cage.jpg|thumb|298x298px|A spacious [[hamster cage]] made from a display cabinet]]
Other hamsters commonly kept as pets are the three species in the genus [[Phodopus]]. [[Campbell's dwarf hamster]] (''Phodopus campbelli'') is the most common—they are also sometimes called "Russian dwarfs"; however, many hamsters are from Russia, so this ambiguous name does not distinguish them from other species appropriately. The coat of the [[winter white dwarf hamster]] (''Phodopus sungorus'') turns almost white during winter (when the hours of daylight decrease).<ref name=Barrie/> The [[Roborovski hamster]] (''Phodopus roborovskii'') is extremely small and fast, making it difficult to keep as a pet.<ref name="Fox"/>