{"topic_id":"exotic_behavior_hamster","category":"exotic-behavior","context":"---\ntopic_id: exotic_behavior_hamster\ncategory: exotic-behavior\ntitle: \"Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)\"\nlang: en\nsource: \"Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner version (merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets), first-hand consumer care text saved to source_file; paraphrased derived fact summary per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3. Pulled 2026-08-01.\"\nsource_file: pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_hamster.txt\ndate_parsed: 2026-08-01\ntokens_estimated: 840\nverification:\n  method: paraphrase\n  claims: 12\n  passed: 12\n  date: 2026-08-01\nrecovered: false\npath: exotic-behavior/exotic_behavior_hamster/01_exotic_behavior_hamster.md\nsource_document: \"Merck Veterinary Manual — pet owner version (all-other-pets)\"\ncitation:\n  authority: \"Merck Veterinary Manual (merckvetmanual.com), pet owner version\"\n  title: \"Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)\"\n  url: \"https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets\"\n  retrieved: \"2026-08-01\"\n  ref: \"Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner version — hamster care\"\n  doc_type: \"professional veterinary manual (consumer version)\"\n  needs_review: false\nlicense: paraphrase\ncopyright_note: \"Source is a copyrighted, non-Open-Access animal-care reference (see citation); per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3 all claims are paraphrased derived fact summaries (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten), not verbatim quotations.\"\nauthority_tier: T3\nauthority_tier_basis: \"T3:vet-ref\"\nauthority_tier_date: 2026-08-04\n---\n\n# Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)\nSource: a copyrighted, non-Open-Access animal-care reference (named in the citation). Per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3, the points below are paraphrased derived fact summaries: numerical values and proper nouns are preserved from the source, but sentences are rewritten and not quoted verbatim.\n\n## Claims\n\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A play area can use short packing tubes, provided they are wide enough for the hamster to pass through freely.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Boxes with holes cut in them also make good play areas.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Sexually mature females are territorial and aggressive and often fight one another.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Breeding females are larger than males, and their aggression can lead to a male cage-mate being injured.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Physical activity is encouraged by providing tubes and boxes to explore.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Hamsters accustomed to handling from a young age can be picked up easily and rarely bite unless startled.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Hamsters should not be kept in groups, since even litter-mates can become aggressive as adults.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Interact with a hamster during its active waking hours.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Evenings are usually good for play, cleaning and shared activity.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Hamsters are not normally aggressive but may become so if startled, suddenly awakened, ill or handled roughly.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Breeding is best left to experienced breeders, as hamsters (especially females) can be aggressive during mating.\n---\n## License & attribution\n\nSource: a copyrighted, non-Open-Access animal-care reference (named in the citation below). Per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3, every claim above is a paraphrased derived fact summary (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten), not a verbatim quotation.\n\n- https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets\n","sources":["exotic-behavior — Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner) (retrieved 2026-08-01)"],"source":{"authority":"exotic-behavior","title":"Hamster — behavior (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)","url":"https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets","retrieved":"2026-08-01","ref":"","doc_type":"official PDF","source_document":"Merck Veterinary Manual — pet owner version (all-other-pets)","verification_file":"pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_hamster.txt"},"source_document":"Merck Veterinary Manual — pet owner version (all-other-pets)","source_file":"pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_hamster.txt","trust":{"authority_tier":"T3","fidelity":"paraphrase","license":"paraphrase","display_grade":"B"},"tokens_estimated":613,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}