SYRIAN (GOLDEN) HAMSTER
Mesocricetus auratus
Other names: křeček zlatý, křeček syrský, křeček medvědí, golden hamster, teddy bear hamster, syrian hamster, Goldhamster, chomik syryjski, criceto dorato
Size: 20 cm
Life expectancy: 2–3 years
Sexual maturity: male 10 weeks old, female 16 weeks old
Length of gestation: 15–17 days
Number of offspring: 5–10
Origin: dry steppes and deserts of the Middle East
Description: The original hair color was gold, lower body white. In captivity were bred variants of color and length of hair. Females have a longer tail and a flatter abdomen, males have a rounder abdomen, anus is also distant from sexual and adults are visible testicles.
Behavior: They are mainly active at night, live solitary. Males and females meet only during the mating season. Outside this time and are able to attack the enemy bite. Hamsters are agile climbers and jumpers. They tend to defecate only in one corner; they are able to learn to walk on the hamster toilet. In the wild issued for food away, cram it into cheek pouches and carry them to burrow.
The care: Everyday physical contact, the hamster is well domestic able, although some fail to unlearn bite. Longhair variations need to brush hair.
Attractions: All hamsters in domestic breeding come from a single female – from nine offspring who were caught in 1930 in Aleppo.
Golden hamster comes from Syria, so it is sometimes called Syrian. In his homeland inhabits areas of deserts and semi-deserts with dry and warm climate. By day he sleeps in the sand drilling. It was not until the evening when it cools, coming out for food. Expeditions to food tend to be long, hamster increase and several kilometers per night. For emergencies uses cheek pouches that fills finding food. That takes away a place such as bedroom and pantry while. Collecting instinct not leave him even in captivity, where hunger suffer. (It is good every day to check the contents of the cage and throw away any stocks from the previous day that the hamster could dig up and devour spoiled.)
It was first rodent species described in 1839 by a scientist named Waterhouse. Only then brought the British consul's first live specimens to England. Today's home hamsters are descended catch Aharoniho professor of Jerusalem University, who in 1930 dug a nest in the Syrian Desert and found a female with cubs took up twelve Institutes. It is true that some hamsters escaped, but those remaining who mightily, come all present.
Natural color hamsters had red hair with white markings. Gradually was bred range of colors and variations, such as cream, white, gray, black and white and others. Also the length of the hair has undergone changes; now behave as longhaired hamsters (their hair should care).
Hamster is by nature a loner. Fiercely defending there nest and cannot stand the competition. Even in the time of mating to each other rodents are not usually very hospitable. Such female leads nicely to bite! As soon as the chicks grow up, wash it among them. It is therefore recommended behave hamsters separately to avoid fights. When you try to be a growing female admitted to the male, not vice versa. This is to be subservient and feel a little uneasy, could injure the male. Exceptionally happens that hamsters come together, but must come from the same nest (two siblings, mother and daughter).
Hamster is governed mainly by smell. Scent glands, which tag your territory, are located in the groin. Sight is the main function; hamster used mainly smell and hearing. It is an excellent runner, jumper, like climbing and overcome obstacles. Hamster is not long-lived, lives two or three years.
