Hamsters are as sweet as they are tiny - weighing in at just 100 to 150 grams, some varieties just 30 to 50 grams. With their cheeks stuffed with food, you just want to cuddle them. Don't.

They are nocturnal loners, not cuddly toys. What they love is moving around, says Saskia Rössner who has written a book about them. Rössner is appalled by the ways people keep hamsters ...