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Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were first found in Syria in the 1800's. They are also called "Golden" hamsters, and are the most common species of hamsters kept as domestic pets. Although friendly towards their human caregivers, they must be kept away other hamsters. Syrian hamsters do not tolerate sharing their habitat with others, so it is best that they are housed separately as domestic pets.
Fast Facts
Length: 13-18cm
Weight: 85 to 150 grams
Average lifespan: up to 3 years
Hamsters are considered nocturnal, or active during the night. When wake, you will notice that hamsters are very clean and like to groom themselves constantly. Also, they love to hoard food in their cheeks and then deposit it into their nest box or hiding tubes when in a domestic environment. In the wild, these hamsters will dig elaborate tunnel systems for their homes and for storing food.
Traits and Behavior
Although they do not like spending time or being friendly towards other hamsters, these little mammals do like human interaction. They can be handled easily, however if started or handled roughly they will bite. When kept as pets, they enjoy time out of their cage running inside a hamster ball. This provides them great exercise and plenty of play. They also like to run on wheels and hide benefit the bedding of their habitat. Even though they hide quite a bit, they will come out when their caregiver approaches the cage.
Did You Know?
A Syrian hamster has the shortest gestational period (16-18 days) of all mammals with placentas. Also, their heart beat is over 300 beats per minute when resting, and it can even go all the way up to 500 beats per minute when exercising or playing. Also, these species and others have been observed as having the unique ability to remember their family members.
Male hamsters will generally live longer than females. If a male should smell the scent of a female hamster on their human care giver they will lick them. All hamsters have a really bad habit that is actually good for them, and that habit is eating their own feces. They do this so that they can get more nutrients from the food they just ate.
Syrian hamsters were the first species that were bred for use in scientific laboratories. Now, these species come in 40 different colors due to breeding in captivity. However, in the wild, Syrian hamsters are considered to be almost extinct because of destruction to their natural habitats.
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Source by Jenny Summers
