Turkish hamster | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Cricetinae |
Genus: | Mesocricetus |
Species: | M. brandti
|
Binomial name | |
Mesocricetus brandti (
Nehring, 1898)
|
The Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti), also referred to as Brandt's hamster, [1] [2] Azerbaijani hamster, [2] or avurtlak, [3] is a species of hamster native to Turkey, [2] Azerbaijan and other surrounding nations. [1] The Turkish hamster, first catalogued in 1878, [1] is a fairly close relative of the Syrian or golden hamster, [2] though far less is known about it, and it is rarely kept as a pet. The population of the Turkish hamster is said to be declining in the wild, [1] yet this hamster is often used in laboratory testing. [2] Turkish hamsters have lifespans of about two years [2] and are solitary, [2] [4] nocturnal animals, which practice hibernation. [1] [2] They are reported to be more aggressive [2] than other members of the family Cricetidae. [2] They are tan and dark, sandy brown in color. [3] Like all hamsters, the Turkish hamster has cheek pouches that allow it to carry large amounts of food at one time. [3]
Hamsters are found in the wild throughout Europe and Asia [1] [2] and are considered to be extremely adaptable, [1] living in scrublands, sand dunes, desert steppes and farmlands. [1] [5] The land where the Turkish hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grasses. [1] Turkish hamsters usually live between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level. [1] This hamster burrows in the ground for shelter, [1] and its burrows can be 20 inches to 6 feet below the ground surface. [1] These burrows are complex, consisting of several tunnels leading to separate cells for nesting, food, and waste. [1] Turkish hamster burrows are well-enough equipped for the hamsters to hibernate for four to 10 months (though sources do differ on this point), [1] [2] sometimes sleeping for 30 days at a time, [4] though usually waking weekly for a day or two of activity. [1] [2] [4]
Turkish hamsters have fairly varied diets, [1] subsisting primarily on grains and herbs. [1] They do eat insects on occasion and store roots and leaves in their burrows for hibernation. [1] As Turkish hamsters often live near and among farmlands, they often eat human crops and are considered a pest. [1]
The Turkish hamster is a rare species, [1] [3] but is the most widespread of the family Cricetidae. Its ability to live in a variety of environments means the Turkish hamster often lives on farmlands, and is viewed as and controlled as an agricultural pest. [1] In 1996, the Turkish hamster was categorized as an animal with the lowest risk of extinction, [1] but due to cases of direct poisoning by farmers, it is now near threatened. [1] More data are needed to understand the population decline. [1]
Turkish hamsters are weaned from their mothers after three weeks of nursing. [4] After eight weeks of age, females are sexually mature, [4] but males do not mature until six months of age. [4] According to iucnredlist.org, Turkish hamsters have two to four litters of young per year, with four to 20 young per litter, averaging 10. [1] Petwebsite.com differs on this point, arguing the litter size is between one and 13 young, with an average of 6. [4] The gestation lasts from 14 to 15 days, [2] [4] or 16–17 days. [1] The two main breeding seasons are spring and fall, [4] when daylength is about 15–17 hours per day. [4]
All hamsters are solitary creatures and are generally aggressive. Turkish hamsters are most closely related to the Syrian or golden hamster. [2] The Turkish hamster is considered to be the more aggressive of the two, but this could be because the other species has been domesticated. [3] [5]
Turkish hamsters are kept as a pet by some. Hamsters are aggressive by nature and these hamsters are recent pet species, yet this species is still improving. The domestication of the hamster was a fairly recent development; [5] in 1930, a family of Syrian hamsters was domesticated, [5] and this was the first instance of hamster domestication in history. [5] Since then, only five of the 18 species of hamster [5]— Campbell's dwarf hamster, the Djungarian hamster, the Roborovski hamster, the golden hamster, and the Chinese hamster—have been domesticated and are sold in pet shops. [5] Turkish hamsters are often used in laboratory experiments. [2]
Turkish hamster | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Cricetinae |
Genus: | Mesocricetus |
Species: | M. brandti
|
Binomial name | |
Mesocricetus brandti (
Nehring, 1898)
|
The Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti), also referred to as Brandt's hamster, [1] [2] Azerbaijani hamster, [2] or avurtlak, [3] is a species of hamster native to Turkey, [2] Azerbaijan and other surrounding nations. [1] The Turkish hamster, first catalogued in 1878, [1] is a fairly close relative of the Syrian or golden hamster, [2] though far less is known about it, and it is rarely kept as a pet. The population of the Turkish hamster is said to be declining in the wild, [1] yet this hamster is often used in laboratory testing. [2] Turkish hamsters have lifespans of about two years [2] and are solitary, [2] [4] nocturnal animals, which practice hibernation. [1] [2] They are reported to be more aggressive [2] than other members of the family Cricetidae. [2] They are tan and dark, sandy brown in color. [3] Like all hamsters, the Turkish hamster has cheek pouches that allow it to carry large amounts of food at one time. [3]
Hamsters are found in the wild throughout Europe and Asia [1] [2] and are considered to be extremely adaptable, [1] living in scrublands, sand dunes, desert steppes and farmlands. [1] [5] The land where the Turkish hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grasses. [1] Turkish hamsters usually live between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level. [1] This hamster burrows in the ground for shelter, [1] and its burrows can be 20 inches to 6 feet below the ground surface. [1] These burrows are complex, consisting of several tunnels leading to separate cells for nesting, food, and waste. [1] Turkish hamster burrows are well-enough equipped for the hamsters to hibernate for four to 10 months (though sources do differ on this point), [1] [2] sometimes sleeping for 30 days at a time, [4] though usually waking weekly for a day or two of activity. [1] [2] [4]
Turkish hamsters have fairly varied diets, [1] subsisting primarily on grains and herbs. [1] They do eat insects on occasion and store roots and leaves in their burrows for hibernation. [1] As Turkish hamsters often live near and among farmlands, they often eat human crops and are considered a pest. [1]
The Turkish hamster is a rare species, [1] [3] but is the most widespread of the family Cricetidae. Its ability to live in a variety of environments means the Turkish hamster often lives on farmlands, and is viewed as and controlled as an agricultural pest. [1] In 1996, the Turkish hamster was categorized as an animal with the lowest risk of extinction, [1] but due to cases of direct poisoning by farmers, it is now near threatened. [1] More data are needed to understand the population decline. [1]
Turkish hamsters are weaned from their mothers after three weeks of nursing. [4] After eight weeks of age, females are sexually mature, [4] but males do not mature until six months of age. [4] According to iucnredlist.org, Turkish hamsters have two to four litters of young per year, with four to 20 young per litter, averaging 10. [1] Petwebsite.com differs on this point, arguing the litter size is between one and 13 young, with an average of 6. [4] The gestation lasts from 14 to 15 days, [2] [4] or 16–17 days. [1] The two main breeding seasons are spring and fall, [4] when daylength is about 15–17 hours per day. [4]
All hamsters are solitary creatures and are generally aggressive. Turkish hamsters are most closely related to the Syrian or golden hamster. [2] The Turkish hamster is considered to be the more aggressive of the two, but this could be because the other species has been domesticated. [3] [5]
Turkish hamsters are kept as a pet by some. Hamsters are aggressive by nature and these hamsters are recent pet species, yet this species is still improving. The domestication of the hamster was a fairly recent development; [5] in 1930, a family of Syrian hamsters was domesticated, [5] and this was the first instance of hamster domestication in history. [5] Since then, only five of the 18 species of hamster [5]— Campbell's dwarf hamster, the Djungarian hamster, the Roborovski hamster, the golden hamster, and the Chinese hamster—have been domesticated and are sold in pet shops. [5] Turkish hamsters are often used in laboratory experiments. [2]