• Overview and Physical Description
The Turkish Hamster (Mesocricetus brandti), also referred to as Brandt’s Hamster [1]. [2], The Azerbaijani Hamster [2],or Avurtlak [3], is a species of hamster native to Turkey [2], Armenia and other surrounding nations [1]. The Turkish Hamster, first catalogued in 1878 [1], is a fairly close relative of the Syrian Hamster and the Golden Hamster [2], though far less is known about it, and is rarely kept as a pet (some sources state that the hamster is not kept widely as a pet [2] [3] while others simply say that the hamster cannot be kept as a pet due to its aggressive nature [2]) . 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 a life span of approximately two years [2]and are solitary [2] [4], nocturnal animals who practice hibernation [1] [2]. . They are reported to be more aggressive [2]than other members of the Cricetidae Family [2] and 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].
• Habitat and Burrowing Behavior
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 in which the Turkish Hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grass [1]. Turkish hamsters usually live between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level [1], though some have been found both above and below this range [1]. This hamster burrows in the ground for shelter [1], and its burrows can be anywhere from 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 anywhere between 4 and 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].
• Diet
Turkish hamsters have a fairly varied diet [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].
• Population and Endangerment
The Turkish Hamster is a rare species [1] [3], but is the most widespread of the Cricetidae family. Its ability to live in a variety of environments means that the Turkish Hamster often lives on farmlands [1], and is seen as a pest. Because the Turkish Hamster is looked on as a nuisance by farmers in its area of habitation, the population of the Turkish Hamster is in rapid decline [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, the Turkish Hamster is now near threatened [1]. More data is needed to understand the population decline of the Turkish Hamster [1].
• Reproduction
Turkish Hamsters are weaned from their mothers after three weeks of nursing [4]. After eight weeks of age, female Turkish Hamsters are sexually mature [4], but male Turkish Hamsters 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 anywhere from 4 to 20 young per litter, averaging 10 young per litter [1]. Petwebsite.com differs on this point, arguing that the litter size of the Turkish Hamster is between 1 and 13 young, with an average of 6 young [4]. Hamster-Care.com and petwebsite.com state that the pregnancy of Turkish Hamsters lasts from 14 to 15 days [2] [4], while iucnredlist.org puts the gestation period of the Turkish Hamster at 16-17 days [1]. The two main breeding seasons of the Turkish Hamster are Spring and Fall [4], when there are approximately 15-17 hours of daylight per day [4].
• Relationship to other Hamsters
All wild hamsters are solitary creatures and are generally aggressive. Turkish Hamsters are most closely related to the Syrian Hamster and the Golden Hamster [2], and together these hamsters make up the entirety of the Crecitidae Family [1] [3]. The Turkish Hamster is considered to be the most aggressive of the three, but this could be because the other two varieties of Crecitidae have been domesticated [3] [5].
• Turkish Hamsters as Pets
Turkish Hamsters are not generally kept as pets due to their aggression [2], but the Syrian Hamster and Golden Hamster [5], the closest relatives of the Turkish Hamster, are extremely common in pet stores all across the world [5]. 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 eighteen varieties of hamster [5]—the Russian Dwarf Hamster, the Winter White Russian Hamster, the Roborovski Hamster, the Golden Hamster, and the Chinese Hamster—have been domesticated and are sold in pet shops [5]. Other varieties of hamster remain in the wild [5], and Turkish Hamsters are often used in laboratory experiments [2].
References
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"Mesocricetus brandti". IUCN RedList. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help) - ^
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"Turkish Hamster". Hamster-Care. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
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"Mesocricetus brandti - Turkish Hamster". TrekNature. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
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"Turkish Hamster". Pet Web Site. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
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"Types of Hamsters". About Breeding Knowledge. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help)
• Overview and Physical Description
The Turkish Hamster (Mesocricetus brandti), also referred to as Brandt’s Hamster [1]. [2], The Azerbaijani Hamster [2],or Avurtlak [3], is a species of hamster native to Turkey [2], Armenia and other surrounding nations [1]. The Turkish Hamster, first catalogued in 1878 [1], is a fairly close relative of the Syrian Hamster and the Golden Hamster [2], though far less is known about it, and is rarely kept as a pet (some sources state that the hamster is not kept widely as a pet [2] [3] while others simply say that the hamster cannot be kept as a pet due to its aggressive nature [2]) . 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 a life span of approximately two years [2]and are solitary [2] [4], nocturnal animals who practice hibernation [1] [2]. . They are reported to be more aggressive [2]than other members of the Cricetidae Family [2] and 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].
• Habitat and Burrowing Behavior
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 in which the Turkish Hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grass [1]. Turkish hamsters usually live between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level [1], though some have been found both above and below this range [1]. This hamster burrows in the ground for shelter [1], and its burrows can be anywhere from 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 anywhere between 4 and 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].
• Diet
Turkish hamsters have a fairly varied diet [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].
• Population and Endangerment
The Turkish Hamster is a rare species [1] [3], but is the most widespread of the Cricetidae family. Its ability to live in a variety of environments means that the Turkish Hamster often lives on farmlands [1], and is seen as a pest. Because the Turkish Hamster is looked on as a nuisance by farmers in its area of habitation, the population of the Turkish Hamster is in rapid decline [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, the Turkish Hamster is now near threatened [1]. More data is needed to understand the population decline of the Turkish Hamster [1].
• Reproduction
Turkish Hamsters are weaned from their mothers after three weeks of nursing [4]. After eight weeks of age, female Turkish Hamsters are sexually mature [4], but male Turkish Hamsters 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 anywhere from 4 to 20 young per litter, averaging 10 young per litter [1]. Petwebsite.com differs on this point, arguing that the litter size of the Turkish Hamster is between 1 and 13 young, with an average of 6 young [4]. Hamster-Care.com and petwebsite.com state that the pregnancy of Turkish Hamsters lasts from 14 to 15 days [2] [4], while iucnredlist.org puts the gestation period of the Turkish Hamster at 16-17 days [1]. The two main breeding seasons of the Turkish Hamster are Spring and Fall [4], when there are approximately 15-17 hours of daylight per day [4].
• Relationship to other Hamsters
All wild hamsters are solitary creatures and are generally aggressive. Turkish Hamsters are most closely related to the Syrian Hamster and the Golden Hamster [2], and together these hamsters make up the entirety of the Crecitidae Family [1] [3]. The Turkish Hamster is considered to be the most aggressive of the three, but this could be because the other two varieties of Crecitidae have been domesticated [3] [5].
• Turkish Hamsters as Pets
Turkish Hamsters are not generally kept as pets due to their aggression [2], but the Syrian Hamster and Golden Hamster [5], the closest relatives of the Turkish Hamster, are extremely common in pet stores all across the world [5]. 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 eighteen varieties of hamster [5]—the Russian Dwarf Hamster, the Winter White Russian Hamster, the Roborovski Hamster, the Golden Hamster, and the Chinese Hamster—have been domesticated and are sold in pet shops [5]. Other varieties of hamster remain in the wild [5], and Turkish Hamsters are often used in laboratory experiments [2].
References
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a
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c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
aa
ab
ac
"Mesocricetus brandti". IUCN RedList. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
"Turkish Hamster". Hamster-Care. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
"Mesocricetus brandti - Turkish Hamster". TrekNature. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
"Turkish Hamster". Pet Web Site. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
"Types of Hamsters". About Breeding Knowledge. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
{{ cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=( help)