Giant space hamster

Giant space hamsters were large, muscular, bear-sized rodents.

Description
These animals were the size of brown bears, covered in thick fur that was usually colored golden-brown with white underbellies and spots. Despite appearing fat, they were quite muscular.

Behavior
Typical giant space hamsters were docile and fearful, in particular domesticated ones. Even wild giant space hamsters, although more aggressive, were not sufficiently well-equipped to defend against predators.

Combat
Giant space hamsters were usually peaceful creatures, but wild varieties were known to be more aggressive. In particular, female giant space hamsters protected their litters fiercely. Their main weapon was a powerful bite. In some cases, a giant space hamster could also stuff a small creature such as a gnome in one of its cheek pouches, storing the victim there until spitting it out when a food source was found.

Ecology
Giant space hamsters fed on a variety of vegetables, raw or cooked meats, and large insects.

Like their predecessors, giant space hamsters reproduced at an incredibly fast pace. They reached adulthood in about two years and lived up to about 18 years.

They were also largely appreciated for their meat, which was called spaham. In fact, a considerable portion of domesticated giant space hamsters were kept as livestock for their meat. Giant space hamster hocks were also considered particularly savory.

Variants
The reproductive process of giant space hamsters could be manipulated via the insertion of one or more enchanted substances at a certain point during the cycle. This process resulted in an extremely vast variety of outcomes, producing different and exotic giant space hamster variants.

Most variants were minor, with unique fur patterns such as albino, mottled, ochre, plaid, spotted, or wooly; different behavior patterns such as cave-dwelling; or morphological variants such as three-toed, lesser, greater, flightless, etc. However, some truly strange variants also existed:
 * Abominable giant space hamster: An albino subspecies that was well adapted to cold climates. It fed primarily on conifers.
 * Armor-plated giant space hamster: Furless and aggressive, covered in natural armor like a rhinoceros.
 * Carnivorous flying giant space hamster: A ravenous bat-winged variant.
 * Invisible giant space hamster: Capable of turning invisible while attacking.
 * Ethereal giant space hamster: A disturbing semi-transparent variant, whose skeleton could always be seen.
 * Fire-breathing phase doppleganger giant space hamster: This extremely intelligent subspecies had the ability to shift back and forth between the Prime Material plane and the Ethereal plane. It could also breathe fire in a 30-ft (10-m) cone, as well as changing shape to look like any similarly sized mammal.
 * Giant space hamster of ill omen: The largest of all variants, a legendary creature endowed with spelljamming powers.
 * Great horned giant space hamster: A charging animal that possessed a rhino-like horn.
 * Miniature giant space hamster: About the size of ordinary hamsters, these were usually kept as pets.
 * Rather wild giant space hamster: Very aggressive toward non-hamsters.
 * Sabre-toothed giant space hamster: Also omnivorous, but with a fierce overbite.
 * Subterranean giant space hamster: Capable of quickly digging through any material, except rock.
 * Sylvan giant space hamster: Capable of quickly climbing vertical surfaces.
 * Two-headed Lernaean bombardier giant space hamster: A rapidly healing creature that could stun nearby creatures by the loud sound of its belch.
 * Tyrannohamsterus rex: A much larger version of giant space hamster, but extremely cowardly and prone to flee in panic from the slightest disturbance.
 * Yellow musk giant space hamster: A yellow creature that emitted a cloud of nauseous, poisonous gas.

History
Giant space hamsters did not evolve naturally. They were believed to have been created by gnome colonists from Krynn in order to serve as power sources for gnomish sidewheelers. This original purpose guaranteed that these animals spread throughout the crystal spheres.

Notable Giant Space Hamsters

 * Boo, a supposed miniature giant space hamster and Minsc's animal companion.

Background

 * In Dragon #271, page 91, Ed Greenwood gives credit to Roger E. Moore for creating the giant space hamster.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (mentioned only)
 * Novels:
 * The Maelstrom's Eye