Video: Why can hamsters stuff so much food into their mouths?

The hamster has a strange ability to contain half of its body weight in its mouth, so that it can be eaten back when it feels safe. Recently researchers have conducted an interesting experiment, returning a video with an X-ray camera to see what actually takes place inside their mouths when stuffing a pile of food in their mouths.

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The video shows that grains and fruits are stored in the cheeks of the mouse, they are like two elastic bags for storing food. Hamsters also use this way to protect their offspring.

The skin on their cheeks is like a balloon, capable of stretching twice their head width. However, the more the skin is stretched, the thinner and more vulnerable to sharp objects.