Marilyn King, age 12, of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, for her question:

Where did the hamster originate?

We must begin with a word of caution for the owners of all cuddly hamster pets. The furry little fellows are by nature chewers and burrowers who stubbornly refuse to learn to curb these natural traits. Their hutches and cages must be securely tooth proofed. Escaped hamsters have been known to make themselves at home under neighbor¬hood gardens. There they multiply and do untold damage to the roots and seeds of valuable flowers and vegetables. In their native haunts, wild hamsters have been rated as a major menace to fields and crops.

Our imported hamsters come in several varieties and assorted colors. None of them are native American animals. Small, silky hamsters are at home in many parts of Asia. One attractive fellow lives in South Africa. An extra furry hamster lives in Siberia and changes his coat to winter white to match the snows. A big, foot long hamster pesters the farmers of northern Europe. Most of our pets are Golden Hamsters. These six inch bundles of charm and fluff were imported from their native home in Syria around 1938.