Long-tongued hamster (Lambous lambous)

The long-tongued hamster (L. lambous) is a descendant of the Campbell's dwarf hamster. Its species diverged sometime ~12,000 years post-establishment. It is endemic to Origin island and can be found anywhere there is sufficient food.

Description: Reaching about 12-14 centimeters in length and 40-50 grams in weight, the long-tongued hamster resembles a dwarf hamster with an elongated snout and tail. It has an extra pair of ears attached to the first. These pseudo-ears are not connected to the ear drums do not disrupt the hamster's hearing. It also has an exceptionally long tongue which it uses to drink nectar from flowers, hence its common name. This hamster can be found in many colors and patterns.

Diet: It is an omnivore that will eat just about anything including nectar, pollen, flowers, seeds, insects, and even the young of other hamsters.

Behaviour: The long-tongued hamster is diurnal. It spends the day foraging, patrolling, and marking its territory. Its behaviour is very similar to the Campbell's dwarf hamster in most regards, save for its tendency to climb up tall plants to access foods that go unnoticed by hamsters on the ground. Its long tail helps it balance but its eyesight is poor so it often falls.

It will either dig its own burrow or find an empty one to claim as its own. Sometimes it can be found sharing a burrow with a tufted hamster. When winter approaches, it begins storing as much food as possible in its burrow.

Life Cycle & Reproduction: It lives an average of 2 years. Reproduction is essentially the same as the Campbell's dwarf hamster.