Compared to dogs and cats, hamsters have become pets relatively recently.
For the first time, golden hamsters were discovered in Syria, and scientifically described in 1839 by the naturalist Waterhouse. But only a few specimens of this animal in museums confirmed that a new species of rodent from the family of hamsters had been discovered. Only in 1930, the Israeli zoologist Professor Aharoni from Jerusalem managed to catch the first living hamster. It happened near Aleppo, a place in Syria where a new species of hamsters was first discovered.
Professor Aharoni found a female with twelve cubs in a deep burrow, but during their transportation to England only three or four animals survived. From them offspring very soon appeared. All hamsters kept in captivity in our time are descended from these animals caught in Syria.
In 1938, hamsters from England came to the United States, where after the Second World War they were used as an ideal laboratory material and returned to Europe as such. In a short time, hamsters have turned from a simple laboratory material into one of the most beloved pets.
Hamsters have become domesticated over the past few decades. Syrian hamsters, for example, were domesticated about sixty years ago, and many other species even later.
Variety of species
There are more than 60 genera in the world, uniting about 240 species of hamsters (subfamilies of rodents, family of hamsters.)
In our country, there are 14 species belonging to 6 genera.
The region inhabited by hamsters is quite extensive: they are common in North and South America, Europe, Africa, South, Central and East Asia. They prefer steppes and forest-steppes, live in deserts and semi-deserts, and are also found in the mountains at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level.
After the hamsters were bred in captivity, breeding became possible. And the owners of the hamsters were able to create new breeds with longer hair or a special color. Many breeds have emerged and now we have a lot to choose from. About 40 different colors and 5 types of all kinds of white spot patterns have been developed.
The closest relative of domesticated hamsters is the Large or Field hamster.
He lives in Europe and Asia. But now this species is on the verge of extinction, although until recently it was the most numerous and was considered a pest, spoiling the fields and destroying the harvest.
In many countries, these animals are protected. But this does not help them much, since the habitat habitual for hamsters is changing.
The field hamster is not adapted for life at home. They are too wild and ruffy. Another species of hamsters is the Medium Hamster, which is found in Bulgaria, Romania and Asia Minor. Little is known about this hamster, except for data on its habitat and its biology.
It has not yet been used as a pet.
The common hamster is very beautiful. Body length 25-30cm. The color is bright: the top is reddish, the bottom is black, on the sides of the head and chest there are 3 spots on each side, the nose and legs are white. Black specimens are sometimes found. Hamsters live in the steppes and forest-steppe regions of southern Europe, Western Siberia, northern Kazakhstan and east to the Yenisei.
The hamster is an extremely interesting animal in a pet zoo corner. If you find a burrow with a brood and raise young animals, then they become tame animals, caught adults usually remain wild and angry.
The rat hamster lives in Primorye, Korea, China, and gravitates towards river valleys. Body length 18-25cm. , Coloring gray-brown, lighter below. The length of the tail reaches half of the body, but there are no transverse rings on it, like in rats, and there is pubescence.
White-legged or Deer hamster
More like a mouse, because it has a long tail. They inhabit North Central America, sometimes accustomed to the most severe conditions. Among them there are desert dwellers who easily endure the hellish heat and go without water for a long time; there are dexterous climbers for whom volcanic mountains are their home. Body length 8-17cm. The color of the fur on the back and sides is different, but the abdomen and legs are always pure white. These hamsters are widely used as laboratory animals for a variety of purposes. They are very undemanding to large space, stern and light. Life expectancy in nature is about 2 years, in captivity with good care up to 6 years.
Syrian or golden hamster
Differs in large size, about 16cm. length. They are short-haired, long-haired or hairless, i.e. bald. The first two species can be varied in color from orange to white. Earlier, all representatives of this species had a golden brown color, for which they were given the name "Golden". Hamsters of this species have 4 toes on their front legs, and 5 on their hind legs. They have such large cheek pouches that they can easily carry half their weight in them. They live in captivity for about 2-2.5 years, but they can live up to 3-4 years. They are very friendly towards people. Therefore, they are the most common inhabitant of living corners. But they often fight among themselves, so it is better to keep them alone. It is not uncommon in our apartments and the Dzungarian hamster-
It is half the size of the Syrian ones, reaching up to 10cm in length. are gray in color with a longitudinal black stripe on the back, the soles of the paws are covered with thick hair, hiding the digital tubercles.
In nature, they are found in the southern regions of Siberia, as well as Kazakhstan. They are much more mobile than golden ones, sometimes they bite strongly.
Dzungarian hamster reaches 10cm. in length, lives for about two years, easy to care for and friendly. Can't stand loneliness, so it's worth getting these hamsters in pairs. Live for about 2 years.
There is also such a breed of hamsters as Chinese. They live in northern China and Mongolia and belong to the rat-like breed, so they resemble more a mouse than a hamster. Body coloration is one-color gray-brown. Body length up to 10-12cm. They are very mobile and can crawl into a wide variety of holes, so they should be kept in a terrarium or in a cage with a fine mesh. These hamsters love to live in groups. It is very difficult to breed them, so only professionals are engaged in this. Roborovskiy or Dwarf hamster are fast and dexterous hamsters, and they live in Northern China, Mongolia and in the desert of the south of Tuva. The tiny size (up to 7.5 cm.) Is combined with extreme energy, so these hamsters need a large terrarium to have a place to run.
They are active not only at night, but also during the day. The color of the back is pinkish-fawn, the belly and legs are pure white. Animals quickly get used to people, willingly communicate with them. But holding them in your hands is not so easy: they are so active that they constantly move and break out of their hands. These cute animals are rarely kept in captivity, since they require special conditions of detention. They live for about 2-3 years.
There is also a species of hamsters called Eversman's hamsters - the animal is slightly larger than a house mouse (body length is about 13.5 cm) with a very short tail and short legs. The color of the fur is from blackish-brown to pale-red, the belly is pure white. Occurs in nature: the southern part of the Trans-Urals, Northern Kazakhstan, the Lower and Middle Trans-Volga regions. These hamsters are poorly trained and hardly survive in captivity. Live for about 2 years.
Campbell's dwarf hamster is a close relative of the "dzungariks", a native of the south of Western Siberia, where the light skin helped its ancestors to hide from predators. These hamsters are small, about 8cm in length and are ideal for children. Live for about 2 years.
Thus, acquaintance with the species of hamsters expanded our understanding of the nature and characteristics of the content of these cute animals.
The practical part.
This part includes observing and experimenting with hamsters.
2. 1. The habit of hamsters to the owners and to their nickname.
The first step in raising a hamster was taming the owners to us.
For our four-legged pets, smells are of paramount importance in life.
Therefore, in order to "convince" the hamster not to be afraid of our hands, we gave food only when he was awake, and the hand was kept in the cages for some time, so that the hamster could sniff it and get used to the smell of the hand. On the third day, the hamsters ceased to be afraid of our hands, and we were able to calmly take them in our hands, except for Zhora. This hamster on the third day quietly ate from our hands, and when trying to take it to clean the cage, it jumped, gnashed its teeth and "snorted", this reaction lasted for more than 2 weeks.
This means that hamsters, like humans, have different characters.
While accustoming the hamster to our nickname, we gave him food (his favorite treat), while pronouncing his name: “Tim, Tim. ”, Then they took him in their hands and stroked him along his back, repeating his name again. After 1.5 months, when he heard his name, the hamster began to crawl out of his burrow.
It turns out that a hamster can be accustomed to its nickname, but this requires patience.
2. 2 The capacity of the hamster's cheek pouch.
It's funny to watch a hamster when he eats. With his front paws while eating, he acts like hands, stuffing the cheek pouches to the limit. Immediately you remember the hero of E. Shim's fairy tale "Silence is Better", based on which the cartoon "The Silent Hamster" was filmed. How much feed will fit in the cheek pouch?
To find the answer to this question, we gave the hamster sunflower seeds one at a time. As a result, it turned out that:
Tim's 9 month old hamster fits 76 seeds in his cheek pouch
And 4-week Zhorik - 13 pieces.
2. 3Culinary preferences of our hamsters.
Since hamsters are inhabitants of the steppes and fields, the basis of their natural diet is a wide variety of cereals and legumes, as well as nuts, dry herbs, berries, roots, vegetables and fruits.
Giving our hamsters food "Zverushki", which contains all these products, we noticed that some of them are consumed faster than others.
To reveal the taste preferences of the hamsters, we put the following foods separately next to each other: sunflower seeds, peanuts, pea pod, lettuce, apple slices, cabbage and cucumber slices, strawberries, dandelion leaves, dry beans and peas, seeds and green sprouts of oats, and other products. And they began to observe what the hamsters would prefer.
One first of all tried the seeds, the other an apple, the third - a lettuce leaf, that is, each of them has its own preferences. But all the hamsters preferred juicy fruits and vegetables (apple, cucumber, lettuce and dandelion leaves, cabbage, pea pod), as well as sunflower seeds, peanuts, grains and green oat sprouts, and the latter were also used in the nest. I tried only one strawberry, but did not eat it. The seeds of millet and barley remained in the bowls for the longest time. Dry beans and peas, slices of peach and banana, watermelon pulp were ignored. But the hamsters tried the watermelon crust right next to the bowl, although they did not finish the last turn to the end. They did not take the crust into the pantry either. Some of the seeds and nuts were eaten right next to the bowl, and the other part of these products was in the pantry. Hamsters themselves love to hide leftover food and treats. It is not for nothing that V. Dahl's explanatory dictionary explains the word “to hide” as “to hide”.
In the pantries we also find half-eaten pieces of apples, cabbage, green sprouts of oats, lettuce leaves.
We found that hamsters, just like humans, have their own individual taste preferences. But they all chose an apple, cabbage, green oat sprouts, lettuce, cucumber, sunflower seeds and bean pods from the variety of products that we provided them.
In V. Mikhailidi's fairy tale "The Adventures of a Little Hamster", the main character's favorite delicacy is corn. We gave our hamsters four types of corn: dry, popcorn, canned and non-sweet corn sticks. Preference was given to corn sticks and popcorn, canned corn was eaten last, and all dry corn kernels were found in the “pantry”. We've also noticed many times that fruit and vegetable pellets stay in the bowl the longest.
That is, the cooking method affects the hamsters' taste preferences.
2. 4 Features of the hamster day regimen in our conditions. alos for corn sticks and popcorn, soup, Popnimaniya), as well as sunflower seeds, peanuts, grains and green sprout
Unlike other hamsters, the Syrian in nature are awake during the day, namely from 6 to 8 hours and between 16 and 19.30 hours. Perhaps they use this strategy to avoid encounters with nocturnal predators and hide from the heat at noon.
Our Syrian hamsters sleep during the day, and are active in the evening and at night. When we tried to get them during the day, these charming creatures looked sleepy.
Tim showed activity during the day only once, when he was moved to a new, more spacious cage. It happened during the day. The hamster enjoyed his new home like a child and spent more than an hour exploring the new “apartment”. But the next day, the daily routine remained the same. In our conditions of detention, there is no sweltering heat, and most importantly, there are no night predators. And this is why our hamsters are nocturnal, namely: they are awake from 20-21 to 6-7 in the morning.
2. 5 Home improvement for hamsters.
When arranging his home, the hamster behaves like a master who loves order in everything. In nature, hamsters dig their own holes, so we put a ready-made house in the cage.
But his hamster used it as a dining room, in a darker corner he made himself a bedroom, to the right of it a pantry, and in the opposite corner from the bedroom a toilet. He built a nest from sawdust, laid them out in a circle and made sides with a height of 1-1. 5cm
I also used fresh grass to build the nest. He is constantly busy with his home. When we put a napkin in his cage, the animal gnawed it and laid out a nest for itself. It somewhat resembled a paper cave because it had a roof and walls.
Every time you clean the cage, the socket breaks. But, when we tried to make it ourselves and in the same place, the hamster did not use the nest and made it himself in another place. After a while, we repeated this experiment again, made the nest ourselves in the "new" place, and the hamster again did not accept the nest and returned to the "old" place.
Two hamsters living together share a bedroom and are located in the same place as the "single". Zhora and Pushinka made the nest in the same way as Tim, and sleep in it together, huddled together. They eat either at the bowl, or in the house, then together, then in turn. We find pantries in different places, but more often to the left of the nest and in the corner opposite from the nest. We did not find a specific place for a toilet.
It turns out that the housing of a hamster has zoning, as well as modern human housing. And you need to entrust it with the owner. After all, a person also does not like when they interfere in his life. No wonder there is a proverb: "They don't go to a strange monastery with their own charter."
For two owners, it turns out to be more difficult to lead a joint life, and in nature hamsters live alone, which is why, probably, there is no clear zoning in their house.
2. 6 Reaction of hamsters to different sounds.
We decided to observe how hamsters react to the intonation of a human voice and noticed that when they are addressed or spoken next to the cage in a quiet, calm voice, they listen and show interest in the source of the sound, while behaving calmly. If you speak loudly, scream, then the animal is frightened, shows anxiety and hides.
We also decided to observe the reaction of hamsters to other sound sources.
We spent several days experimenting with the reaction of hamsters to various sounds, so as not to greatly frighten the animals, since it is written in the literature that they are highly susceptible to noise.
When the fish are being fed, tapping the fingers on the aquarium encourages them to develop a feeding reflex. When we knocked on the hamster cage, it caused a negative reaction from the inhabitants. Hamsters squatted on their hind legs and puffed out their cheeks, as they do in nature when a threat arises.
The sound of a clay whistle initially alerted the hamsters, then they calmed down and began to look for the source of the sound, and then they all stopped paying attention to this sound.
The sound of a toy drum frightened the hamsters, and they immediately hid in the "burrow".
The sound of a small metal bell did not cause any negative reaction. The hamsters listened from the beginning, and then continued to go about their business.
The response to sounds could be assessed only during wakefulness; during sleep, the hamsters continued to sleep in their burrow under the house.
We have made sure that hamsters do not like harsh and loud sounds.
Then we started an experiment: to try to develop a conditioned reflex - to take a vertical position to the sound.
As a sound source, we chose a bell, which did not cause a negative reaction in hamsters, and proceeded to the experiment.
Every day, while feeding the hamsters, we rang the bell. From the beginning, the hamsters listened, and then proceeded to the meal, not paying attention to the sound.
On the third day, we began to give the hamsters sunflower seeds from our hands and at that time rang the bell. On the 5th day, the sound of the bell began to immediately arouse interest, and from the 8th day of the experiment, the hamster began to take an upright position on the bell without seeds.
Thus, we confirmed our hypothesis that it is possible to tame the hamster to take an upright position on the bell.
Studying the scientific literature on my topic, observing the behavior of hamsters and analyzing it, as well as the results of the experiment, allowed me to draw the following conclusions:
1. like any other animal, a hamster needs care and attention;
2. each hamster, like other mammals, has its own character traits;
3. a hamster can be accustomed to a nickname, but this requires patience;
4. The capacity of the cheek pouch of Syrian hamsters depends on age, and therefore on their size, and can hold from 13 (in 1 month) to 76 (in 9 months) sunflower seeds;
5. hamsters have a pronounced taste: the favorite food of hamsters is soft and juicy vegetables and fruits, as well as sunflower seeds and nuts;
6. the same type of food can be eaten by hamsters in different ways, depending on the way it is prepared;
7. the hamster's daily routine changes with the changing environment;
8.the hamster's dwelling has zoning, which is partially lost when it lives in the cage
2 animals;
9. no need to build a house for him himself, he himself will be happy to do it;
10. the hamster understands well the intonation of the human voice;
11. harsh and loud sounds are unpleasant for hamsters;
12. Hamsters can be tamed to take an upright position on call.
Conclusion
The hamster is probably the most popular of the miniature pets. By purchasing a hamster, like any other animal, a person takes responsibility for the fate of a four-legged friend. But in return he gets great pleasure from communicating with him. The hamster, like any other animal, becomes a member of the family. They, like people, are different, with their own character traits. But all animals require good care and attentive attitude, so the most necessary for them is the manifestation of love and care.
A hamster is a mammal that belongs to the subclass animals, infraclass placental, superorder Euarchontoglires, grandorder rodents, suborder rodents, suborder mouse-like, family hamsters (Cricetidae).
The origin of the Russian word "hamster" is not fully determined, although, according to historians, one should lean towards the Old Slavonic roots of the word "khomѣstor". The English designation for a hamster "hamster" comes from the German word "hamstern", which means "to store" in translation.
Hamster - description, structure, characteristics. What does a hamster look like?
A hamster is a small to medium-sized rodent with a fairly dense build, 4 short legs with sharp claws, a small rounded head with a slightly pointed muzzle, small or rather large (like field hamsters) ears, long whiskers, dark beady eyes and a tail from 4 mm to 23-24 cm in length (as in web-toed or forest hamsters). The tail of a hamster can be either almost naked (for example, in rat hamsters) or fluffy (for example, in a hamster Neotoma cinerea).
Taken from the site: insolitanaturaleza.blogspot.ru
Many hamsters in their appearance resemble or, some are similar to, or dormouse (sleepy hamsters, neotoma cinerea hamster).
By the way, sleepy hamsters have large black eyes, which give the muzzle an expression of surprise, and there are rings of darker fur around the eyes.
Depending on the species, the length of the hamster's body can vary from 4-5 cm (Roborovsky hamster) to 34 cm (common hamster). The weight of a hamster also depends on the species and varies from 7 g (in dwarf hamsters) to 700 g or more (in a common hamster). Sexual dimorphism in these animals is practically not expressed, although in some species the females are slightly larger than males. The hamster's eyesight is rather weak, but his hearing and sense of smell are perfectly developed. Animals communicate with the help of ultrasounds and squeaks, which are distinguished by the human ear.
The hamster has 16 teeth, four of which are the front incisors, located in pairs above and below, and 12 molars. A hamster's teeth grow throughout its life, so the rodent must grind them down. Surprisingly, the teeth of the animal are covered with strong enamel only in front, and on the back side there is practically no enamel layer.
Taken from the site: www.omlet.co.uk
In general, the hamster's fur is soft, but some species (for example, rice hamsters) may have coarse hairs, and cotton hamsters have very coarse hair on the back, almost bristly. The color of the rather thick mammalian fur can be very diverse. Hamsters in the wild range in color from brownish gray, ash brown, and almost black to reddish buffy and golden. The hamster's coat on the abdomen and legs can be white, cream, black, grayish or yellowish. In some species, for example, the Dzungarian hamster, there is a clear strip of gray or black along the back. In some species (for example, in field hamsters), the tail can be two-colored: dark above, and white below. The soles of the hind legs of the animals can also be covered with thick fur, as, for example, in the fur-legged hamsters of the genus Phodopus. By the way, Dzungarian hamsters belong to this genus.
A distinctive feature of many hamsters (except for the South African Mystromys albicaudatus and some others) is the cheek (buccal) sacs - unusual muscle cavities that are located on the sides of the head, passing into the neck and shoulder area. Cheek pouches in hamsters serve as a kind of pantry, where animals temporarily store their food in order to later eat it in a secluded place or hide it for storage. In these bags, animals can carry up to 50 g of their favorite treats at a time. In some species of hamsters, the inner surface of the sacs has glands that produce a pungent-smelling secret. It helps adults to normalize the digestive process and strengthen immunity, and in baby hamsters it promotes proper growth and development. There are suggestions that this odorous substance gives animals the ability to smell food previously hidden in a secluded place. By the way, some hamsters swim and dive perfectly, gaining air in their cheek sacs. For example, rabbit and web-toed hamsters even have swimming membranes between the toes of their hind legs.
Where do hamsters live in nature?
The natural habitat of various hamster species includes the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, North, South and Central America, Mexico and the Galapagos Islands, Asia Minor and South Asia, Africa, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam and China, Iran and Syria, Russia and Kazakhstan, Romania and Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Alaska, Canada, USA and Israel.
Representatives of the cotton-wool family live in South America, from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago to the territory of Mexico. In the United States of America, they live north of the states of Nebraska and New Jersey, and are found in the Galapagos Islands.
Neotomous hamsters live in North America, they are found from Alaska to the northern regions of Canada and Panama, they often settle on agricultural land and near human habitation.
Climbing hamsters are typical inhabitants of Central America.
Animals from the hamster family live in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in the north of China, in Korea, in Siberia, in Mongolia, in Asia Minor, Syria and Iran.
Rodents are unpretentious to the surrounding conditions: they feel great in forest-steppe, steppe regions, in semi-deserts and arid desert landscapes, they live in fields, gardens, meadows and mountainous areas. Altiplano hamsters can be found in the mountains at an altitude of 4.6 km above sea level, and Pune hamsters feel great at an altitude of 5.2 km.
Hamster lifestyle
Hamsters are solitary animals: the male and the female converge for a joint pastime only during the mating season. The rest of the time, hamsters prefer to live separately, protecting their home from the encroachments of other individuals. Although there are species, individuals of which live in pairs and even in small groups, for example, Campbell's hamsters.
Some hamsters dig long (up to 2.5-4 m) burrows with complex and intricate labyrinths of passages, among which they necessarily equip a nest and a pantry, where they sometimes accumulate up to 70-90 kg of edible supplies, including not only grains, but also potatoes. carrots, corn and other foods. Some types of hamsters, for example, rice, can equip a dwelling not only in burrows, but also on the surface of the earth: they build their nests in the branches of bushes, in foliage, under fallen trees and in their roots, between stones. The nest of rice hamsters is in the shape of a ball lined with fluff, animal hair or dry blades of grass. Some hamsters may not dig holes at all: they prefer to occupy the holes of other animals, expelling them from the dwelling, and sometimes killing and even eating their owners. Golden hamsters build spherical nests from dry grass, attaching them to tree branches at a height of four to five meters and lining them with down, bird feathers or the wool of forest animals. Web-toed hamsters make a dwelling with a diameter of up to 40 cm in reed thickets or above water, constructing it by interweaving plant stems. The disturbed animal tries to instantly hide in the water.
Hamsters are mainly active in the early morning or at dusk, preferring to hide and sleep in a burrow during the day. Some species are exclusively nocturnal. Hamsters living in countries with warm climates are active almost all year round. In regions with cold winters, they endure frosts, falling into a prolonged numbness, but this process cannot be called full-fledged hibernation, since periodically hamsters wake up for a hearty snack.
What do hamsters eat?
Hamsters are omnivores, although the bulk of their diet is plant foods. Hamsters feed on grains and seeds of plants, eat young shoots of shrubs and bamboo, vegetables, fruits and roots. The diet of rodents also contains oats, peas, lentils and millet, rice, buckwheat, oily cotton seeds, soybeans, alfalfa and lupine seeds, beets, pumpkin plants, dandelions, plantains and other greens. To replenish protein in the body, the hamster can eat earthworms, and the larvae of various insects. Cases have been recorded when hamsters ate mice and did not even disdain carrion.
Sleepy hamsters love to eat figs and avocados, and will also love to feast on. But rice hamsters are lovers of fish, which of course they cannot get themselves, but they will not miss the opportunity to taste the fish meal left over from other animals. Scorpion hamsters bravely attack small scorpions, eating them, although such prey is not the main one for them. Neotomous hamsters eat with appetite various rhizomes, bulbous plants, seeds, leaves, they can do without water for a long time, the absence of which is easily made up by gnawing fleshy cacti. Web-toed hamsters eat molluscs, crayfish, and crabs. The mouse hamster, Calomyscus bailwardi, loves pistachios.
How long does a hamster live?
In their natural habitat, the life span of hamsters varies from 1 to 3, less often 4 years, in captivity, these rodents live for two to four years, and some species even 5-6 years.
Enemies of hamsters in nature
In the wild, hamsters have quite a few enemies. They are hunted by kites and buzzards, wild dogs, weasels, etc. Do not miss the opportunity to feast on a hamster, a gray heron, or a kestrel.
Types of hamsters, photos and names
There are several subfamilies in the hamster family, which include different types of hamsters:
- Subfamily Hamsters (Cricetinae);
- Subfamily Neotominae hamsters;
- Subfamily Sigmodontinae;
- Subfamily Climbing hamsters (Tylomyinae).
Below is a brief description of some of the hamster species.
- Dzungarian hamster ( Phodopus sungorus)
The body length does not exceed 10 cm, the weight of the hamster varies from 35 to 65 g. Rodents of this species have a short, almost imperceptible tail, the feet of the limbs are covered with hairs. The fur of a brown or yellowish-gray shade can have numerous blotches of white; a strip of dark gray or black runs along the back. In the wild, the Dzungarian hamster lives for two to three years; in favorable conditions, the life expectancy can reach 4 years. The natural habitat of the Dzungarik hamster is the south of Western Siberia, Dzhungarskiy Alatau and Khakassia. This type of hamsters are often kept at home.
- Syrian hamster he is Central Asian hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus)
The animal is of medium size with a body length of 13.5-18 cm, weight about 100-130 grams. The tail of the Syrian hamster is short - up to 1.5 cm. The color of the soft, velvety fur of wild individuals is golden or brownish on the back, white on the belly. Today, short-haired and long-haired (Angora) Syrian hamsters have been bred by the selection method. Their color is much more varied: from completely white and black individuals to peach-colored hamsters and spotted variations. In their natural environment, Syrian hamsters live in Syria and possibly Turkey. The species is very popular with those who like to keep hamsters at home. With good care, a Syrian hamster can live for three to four years. Listed in the Red Book.
- Common hamster or field hamster ( Cricetus cricetus)
A very large representative of the family: the length of adults often reaches 27-35 cm, the hamster's tail is wide at the base and thin towards the end, covered with stiff hairs and can have a length of 3.5 to 8 cm.The mass of an ordinary hamster sometimes exceeds 0.5-0 , 7 kg. The color of the fur is quite bright: the back is brownish-red, the abdomen is of a contrasting black color. On the sides there are a couple of large light-colored spots separated by a strip of dark fur. There are the same light spots behind the ears, on the sides of the head, and sometimes on the shoulder blades. Quite often there are absolutely black hamsters (melanists) or black individuals with white spots in the throat and paws. The common hamster lives in Eurasia from Belgium to Altai and Northern Xinjiang. In Russia, the northern border of the range starts from Smolensk north of Rzhev and goes to Yaroslavl, Kirov and Perm. In the north of the Perm Territory, it reaches 59 ° 40 ′ N. sh., in the Trans-Urals passes through Yekaterinburg, crosses the Irtysh and Ob, from where it goes to Krasnoyarsk. The eastern border of the habitat is formed by the Minusinsk steppe, into which the common hamster has recently entered. The southern border of the area runs along the coast of the Azov and Black Seas, encompassing the western part of the Ciscaucasia, bends around the zone of deserts and semi-deserts of the eastern Caspian and Volga-Ural interfluves from the north, then crosses the Volga in the Astrakhan region. Further, the area goes to Kazakhstan, where it goes to the lower reaches of the Sarysu River, captures the northern part of Betpak-Dala, the central and northeastern parts of the Kazakh Upland, the valleys of the Ili and Karatal rivers, the foothill regions of the northern and eastern Tien Shan, Alakol and Zaisan basins, then along the border of the western Altai it goes to the right bank of the Yenisei. In the wild, the field hamster lives up to four years, in captivity - up to six years.
- Campbell's Hamster ( Phodopus campbelli)
Lives in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and in the northern part of China, and also lives in Russia in Transbaikalia, Tuva and Buryatia. The size of the hamsters reaches 7.6-10.5 cm, the length of the tail is from 4 mm to 1.4 cm, the weight is about 25 g. whitish to the tip. A dark strip runs along the back, the soles of the legs are covered with white hairs. Domestic hamsters of this species can have a variety of colors.
- Roborovsky's hamster ( Phodopus roborovskii)
One of the smallest species in size: the body length of an adult hamster is 4-5 centimeters, the hamster weighs about 30 grams. The head and back are painted in a sandy-golden hue, the belly is white, there are spots of a light tone above the eyes. Roborovskiy's hamster is widespread in Mongolia and the neighboring regions of China, and also lives in Russia. The life span of this species of hamsters reaches 2-3 years.
- Gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius)
Body length from 9.5 to 13 cm, tail length 2-3.5 cm. The back is gray, belly and tail are light. The species lives in Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, Mongolia, China, North India, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Jordan. Gray hamsters live for 2-3 years.
- Newton's hamster ( Mesocricetus newtoni)
It lives in Bulgaria and Romania, choosing as its places of residence fields, vineyards, meadows, fields with cereals and rocky slopes overgrown with bushes. The body length is 14-17 cm, the tail is 1.8-2.6 cm. The color of the fur is grayish-brown on the back, along which a black strip runs. The coat on the breast and throat is black, the belly is yellow-gray.
Taken from the site: www.thingsabouttransylvania.com
- Hamster Radde, or pre-Caucasian hamster ( Mesocricetus raddei)
A rodent with a body length of 25-28 cm, a tail 1.4 cm long. The back is painted in brown tones, the belly is dark gray, less often black. There are light-colored spots in the cheeks and behind the ears. This species of hamsters lives in the territory of the Ciscaucasia, the North Caucasus, Georgia and Russia.
Breeding hamsters
Hamsters are very fertile animals that reach puberty early. Already at the age of 4-6 weeks, they are capable of reproducing offspring. Hamster pregnancy, depending on the species, lasts from 16 to 37 days, and in a litter there can be from 1 to 12-15, sometimes up to 18 cubs weighing from 1 to 5 grams. A female hamster can be pregnant almost all year round and bring up to 8-10 litters within 12 months (depending on the type of animal). Domestic hamsters are not allowed to mate until they reach the age of four months: this allows males and females to achieve normal development and exclude the birth of sick or defective hamsters. Moreover, the first mating in a female should be no later than her one-year-old age.
Hamster cubs are born tiny, completely hairless and blind. The eyes are opened at the age of 12-14 days. For the first two weeks, it is categorically impossible to take the hamster in the hands: the mother hamster can stop feeding the cubs, smelling extraneous odors. The female hamster feeds the cubs with milk for 14-25 days, after which the babies begin to replenish their diet with regular feed.
At the age of a month, domestic hamsters are necessarily seated in different cages, taking into account their gender, because even at such a young age, rodents are already able to mate.
The genus of common hamsters. The largest of the hamsters. Body length up to 350 mm, tail length up to 58 mm. The tail is thick at the base and thin at the end, covered with short coarse hair, longer in the first third. The muzzle is of moderate length. The ears are relatively short, covered with darkish hair, thicker at the ends. The 5th toe of the hind limb is shortened. On the 1st toe of the forelimb there is a flat nail. The sole of the foot is covered only in the heel with black hair. The color of the skin is bright, three-colored: the upper body is monochromatic, ocher-brown, the entire lower surface is black. On the sides of the body, in its front half, there are two large light spots, usually separated by a patch of black fur. There is also a large light spot on the sides of the head and a small one behind the ears, and sometimes in the scapular region. Black melanistic individuals are common. Rough on the back well developed. There are 22 chromosomes in the karyotype. A lightening of the color of the common hamster from North to South, as well as an increase in size from West to East and from North to South, was noted. More than 10 subspecies are described in total.
The common hamster is widespread in the forest-steppe and forb steppes of Europe, Kazakhstan, the south of Western Siberia, and northern Xinjiang. Most abundant in the forest-steppe and in the forb and cereal-forb steppe. Penetrates into the forest zone along floodplain and dry meadows, into the mountains to the lower border of the forest or up to mountain meadows. In the South, the range adheres to more humid places: river valleys, groundwater discharge points. The common hamster also settles in forest belts, gardens, vegetable gardens and residential buildings. Aggressive animal, leads outside the breeding season. Active at night and at dusk. Swims well. Air in the cheek pads can increase buoyancy. The common hamster digs deep, complex burrows with 2 to 10 holes. In addition to living cells, they have storage rooms for supplies. Hibernation is incomplete. Since October, the terrestrial activity of the animals decreases, but sometimes in the second half of winter they appear on the surface.
The common hamster is omnivorous, but most of the year plant food predominates in food. By autumn, it switches to feeding on seeds (grain, peas, millet, lupine, and others) and tubers, which it stores (the mass of reserves is 10-16 kg). In pantries, different varieties of seeds are stacked separately. high. Breeds from April to August, bringing 2-3 offspring. There are on average about 10 cubs in a brood, sometimes up to 20. Young females of the first litter are capable of breeding at the age of 3-4 months.
The common hamster sometimes make autumn forage migrations from the steppe areas to agricultural lands, where, after harvesting, they feed on weed seeds, the remains of unharvested grain and garden crops, and a drop of fruits. In the spring they move back to the steppe. Cases of migration of animals over long distances were noted, during which they swam across large rivers. Although the number of the common hamster is not very high, but due to its continuous activity and the ability to make large reserves, it causes serious harm to agriculture. Carrier of pathogens of a number of natural focal diseases (leptospirosis, plague).
The hamster family includes small, densely built rodents with short limbs, small ears, and short tails. Body length varies from 5 to 34 cm, tail from 0.7 to 10 cm. Females in some species are larger than males. The color of the thick fur on the back is from ash-or brownish-gray to dark brown-ocher; on the belly - black, white or gray. Sometimes a black stripe runs along the back. There are very developed cheek pouches.
Spreading
Reproduction
Very fertile, they bring 2-4 litters per year. Pregnancy lasts 15-22 days. The litter contains from 1 to 18 cubs, which reach sexual maturity by 6-8 weeks. Life expectancy in nature is 1-3 years, in captivity - about 3 years. Hamsters are hunted by numerous predators, including the red and black kite, buzzard, lesser spotted eagle, fox, ermine and badger. Young animals are attacked by kestrels, gray herons, black crows, rooks.
Classification
This small subfamily includes 19 species belonging to 6 (7) genera:
- Subfamily Cricetinae
- Genus Medium Hamsters ( Mesocricetus
)
- Syrian hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus) popular as a pet,
- Brandt's hamster ( Mesocricetus brandti),
- Hamster Radde ( Mesocricetus raddei),
- Newton's hamster ( Mesocricetus newtoni ),
- Genus Upland hamsters ( Phodopus)
- Dzungarian hamster ( Phodopus sungorus),
- Campbell's Hamster ( Phodopus campbelli),
- Roborovsky hamster ( Phodopus roborovskii),
- Genus Cricetus
- Common hamster ( Cricetus cricetus),
- Genus Gray hamsters ( Cricetulus)
- Short-tailed hamster ( Cricetulus alticola),
- Baraba hamster ( Cricetulus barabensis),
- Tibetan hamster ( Cricetulus kamensis ),
- Long-tailed hamster ( Cricetulus longicaudatus ),
- Gray hamster ( Cricetulus migratorius),
- Sokolov's hamster ( Cricetulus sokolovi)
- The genus Eversman's hamsters ( Allocricetulus)
- Mongolian hamster ( Allocricetulus curtatus),
- Eversman's Hamster ( Allocricetulus eversmanni)
- Genus Cansumys
- Kansk hamster ( Cansumys canus)
- Genus Tscherskia
- Rat hamster ( Tscherskia triton)
- Genus Medium Hamsters ( Mesocricetus
)
Conservation status
Some species cause serious harm to agriculture by eating legumes and grains. They are a natural reservoir of pathogens of a number of infectious diseases. Some types of skins are harvested. Hamsters are used as laboratory animals and are kept in captivity as pets.
The Syrian hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus) and Newton's hamster ( Mesocricetus newtoni).
In Russia there are 12 species of hamsters belonging to 6 genera: rat hamsters ( Tscherskia), gray hamsters ( Cricetulus), fur-legged hamsters ( Phodopus), medium hamsters ( Mesocricetus), real hamsters ( Cricetus), Eversmann hamsters ( Allocricetulus).
House hamsters
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Notes (edit)
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
- Russian titles according to the book The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia. "Mammals" Book. 2 = The New Encyclopedia of Mammals / ed. D. MacDonald. - M .: "Omega", 2007. - P. 444. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-465-01346-8.
- = Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch: in 4 volumes / auth.-comp. M. Fasmer; per. with him. and add. Corresponding Member USSR Academy of Sciences ON Trubacheva, ed. and with a foreword. prof. B. A. Larina [t. I]. - Ed. 2nd, erased. - M. : Progress, 1986-1987.
- (English). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ... Lenta.ru (March 7, 2008). Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- (Retrieved June 6, 2009)
Literature
- Shimkevich V.M.,.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
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Probably everyone is familiar with such cute rodents like hamsters. There are several types of them, and they live well in humans as pets. But an ordinary hamster is not the same as its domestic counterparts, it differs in many respects from them.
Description of the animal
This species of hamsters is considered the largest of all that are now known. The body of an adult animal grows on average up to 30 cm and has a dense build. This "crumb" weighs about a pound, and sometimes more. The tail reaches 4-6 cm, while it is thick at the base and pointed towards the end, covered with small hard hairs. The legs of the animal are short and have claws to facilitate movement. His ears are small. The common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) has special cheek pouches in which it can store about 50 grams of cereals.
The color of the animal
The animal has a beautiful multi-colored skin. The main color is reddish, the breast and abdomen are black. The feet, nose, cheeks and several spots on the sides are white. Depending on the habitat, its tone can be lighter or darker. Sometimes there are animals that have a non-standard black and white or pure black color. Many agree that the common hamster is the most beautiful of its family. Therefore, for the sake of bright fur, they hunt him with special dogs.
Where does the hamster live?
Usually, the size of a hamster depends on the area in which it lives. You can meet him in the south of Europe, mainly in the steppe zone. He also lives in Northern Kazakhstan and Western Siberia. Of course, sometimes an ordinary hamster climbs into new territories for him, even in cities. He prefers to settle near vegetable gardens or fields in order to provide his food.
Lifestyle
Many more from cartoons know that a hamster is a thrifty animal. He is a good boss who works all summer. Around August, he begins to stockpile globally to provide himself with food for the winter and spring. To preserve food, the common hamster digs long burrows of varying duration. He has many passages and chambers, designed separately for a nest, several storerooms, a winter house, a bedroom, a dining room. In total, the length of all its corridors can be about 8 meters. All the chambers are deep enough so that nothing happens to the treasures of the animal in cold weather. Sometimes a common hamster can occupy a ground squirrel burrow and settle there. In addition to collecting supplies, the animal is engaged in the fact that it monitors the cleanliness of its litter and regularly replaces it with fresh one. With the onset of frost, the animal hibernates, waking up from time to time to refresh itself.
This animal is aggressive and does not tolerate the proximity of congeners. If another hamster wanders into his territory, he will fight with him. It is known that, defending the entrance to its burrow, this "fluffy" can attack not only predators, but even humans, and at the same time it is able to bite painfully. But, despite such courage, the animal can die, becoming the prey of a ferret, fox or bird. He is able to run quickly and jump sharply, but if he is calm, he walks quite slowly. Basically, the hamster begins to swarm and come out of the mink only with the arrival of the evening. At dawn, he goes to the hideout. An ordinary hamster spends all his day there. The photo below shows the animal resting in a burrow.
The diet
The animal can eat a variety of foods, but its main dish is plant food. His diet contains herbs, peas, grains, flowers, corn, alfalfa, seeds and tubers. But on occasion, he will not refuse to eat insects or invertebrates. Frogs, lizards, chicks, and sometimes mice can become its victims. With the approach of autumn, hamsters begin to actively stock up on food, which they carry in their bags, holding them with their paws. By the beginning of winter, the animal's pantries are filled with a large number of tubers and seeds (from 500 g to 25 kg). Therefore, in order to support itself, the common hamster prefers to settle near agricultural land. Surprisingly, this "owner" found pantries in his burrows, in which different varieties of cereals were stacked separately.
Sometimes, many relatives can settle in one territory, which leads to a lack of nutrition. Therefore, the common hamster can move to other areas. During such times, even rivers are not afraid, since it easily overcomes them.
Rutting period and motherhood
With the arrival of spring, the hamster leaves its winter burrow and goes in search of the female. In her hole, he can stumble upon an opponent with whom a fight will surely take place. After the victory, he marks a hole and waits for the consent of the female. Having got what he wants, the hamster goes home. In the female, three weeks after this meeting, a brood appears, in which there can be from 4 to 20 heirs. Each hamster weighs about 5 grams, and in the second week their eyes open, and the body is overgrown with fur. If the offspring is in danger, the mother transfers them to a quiet place in food bags.
Already a month later, the kids become independent and are forced to leave their native nest. Freed from motherhood, the female is ready to accept the male again. In one season, the animal can have two or three, and sometimes even five broods. A common hamster becomes mature by the age of three months, so by the end of summer, young offspring may have their own babies.
Relationship with a person
People love to have different ones at home. But very rarely, an ordinary hamster becomes a person's pet. The description of his life shows that this animal needs freedom and does not like society. Therefore, other breeds were bred for keeping in cages. In addition to its aggressiveness (in captivity, malice is not so pronounced), this animal differs in that it carries diseases, for example, encephalitis. But some people still decide to have such an animal. Experience proves that it will never become tame. In addition, difficulties may arise when, with the onset of spring, the animal has natural needs, and he needs to look for a pair. Some specimens are capable of breeding in captivity. hamster - about 8 years old.
Cricetus cricetus is the only representative of its kind. Of course, there are many more animals belonging to the hamster family. But unlike its rodent cousins, which can be tamed, this one does not lend itself to domestication and feels best free. This hamster was first described by a scientist in 1774.
It is worth noting that in many areas this beast is a pest, which steals, therefore, is subjected to targeted destruction. But the tremendous speed of its reproduction contributes to the fact that the animal is not threatened with extinction. Also, this animal is used as a laboratory animal.
