All about the Syrian hamster

Among the large number of small animals that can be bred at home as pets, it is worth highlighting hamsters. Today in pet stores you can find a large number of different breeds of this rodent. The Syrian hamster, which stands out for its good immunity and unpretentious care, is especially popular as a decorative pet.

Mesocricetus auratus or the Asian hamster is a fluffy rodent, better known to everyone as the Syrian hamster. The individual belongs to the hamster family, stands out for its external attractiveness and intelligence, therefore it very often acts as a pet. This breed was bred by crossing two species of wild rodents that live in the East.

Animals were domesticated only at the end of the 19th century. Syrian hamsters stand out for their size, which significantly exceeds the same parameters of decorative dwarf individuals. The body of an adult animal in length can reach 14-15 centimeters with a 1.5-centimeter tail. Its weight varies between 200-250 grams. It is noteworthy that this breed of females have more males, while males are inherent in stockiness in the body.

The animals are quite fluffy, their color can vary depending on the species, most often rodents with golden fur are found, but in pet stores you can see white, black and even gray hamsters. It is worth noting the structural features of the forelimbs of the Central Asian rodent - the animal has four full-fledged fingers on its paws. As for the hind legs, five small toes with claws can be observed on them.

The hamster looks pretty funny due to the rounded muzzle and small ears. The peculiarities of the breed also include the fact that rodents can be not only long-haired, but also short-haired with a thick coat of hair on the body... Animals have large pupils, in addition, rodents have symmetrical cheek sacs, in which the animal prefers to store food supplies.

In their natural environment and in captivity, animals live about the same. Typically, a golden hamster has a lifespan of 2-3 years. However, with home breeding, the life cycle of an individual will directly depend on the breeders and the living conditions of the pet. This breed is considered one of the best for breeding at home.

The difference from other breeds of decorative rodents is the need for the settlement of animals in captivity one by one. Even if two individuals are kept together, there is a possibility that they will cause serious injury to each other. Even if this does not happen, then the rodents in the same cage can experience serious psychological discomfort from the constant presence of another animal nearby.

Without risk to health and psyche, the animals can be kept in one cage until they reach one and a half months of age. Like most rodents, Asian hamsters are animals that lead an active lifestyle exclusively at night. During the day, rodents usually sleep in their house.

The division into species in Syrian hamsters is based on the length of their hair. Today there are individuals with the following characteristic external signs:

• long-haired;
• short-haired rodents.

The first type is very often referred to as Angora, since animals have a similarity with cats of the same breed. It is believed that this species was obtained artificially, therefore, it has low immunity.

The fur coat of these animals can be up to two centimeters long, which requires special care from the breeder. The second species will be less demanding in terms of care, but even the fact that such animals are classified as short-haired does not diminish their decorative appeal. There are also hairless Syrian rodents, which were the result of artificial selection. The furless animals were bred for those breeders who are allergic to animal fur.

In addition, the classification of Central Asian rodents is made based on the color of their wool.

• Golden hamster. These are individuals with a reddish or even rusty coat color, in which only the abdomen may have blotches of a different color. The ears of such animals are gray.

• Cream rodents. Unlike red, this particular color is the most demanded. The fur coat of the animal is monochromatic, only some other shade is allowed on the belly and ears.

• White hamsters. In addition to the color of their fur, Syrian hamsters are distinguished by the red color of the pupils, as well as pink or gray ears. Such rodents are often referred to as albinos.

• Gray rodents. The coat has a light smoky color; spots may be present on the belly. This animal sometimes has reddish spots around the eyes, which is considered normal.

• Yellow hamsters. This category includes animals whose fur coat will have a color ranging from bright orange to yellow. This type of rodent was bred for decorative purposes with the help of humans.

• Hamsters with a honey-colored coat. These are yellow-brown individuals that are not able to transmit such breed characteristics to every calf. If a boy has such a color, then males born from him will not receive such a coat color. As for the female honey-colored individuals, they will pass on their qualities to the entire brood of hamsters.

• Tortoiseshell animals. Individuals of different colors can be attributed to this type, the only condition is the presence of a pattern, stripes or spots on the fur coat. Sometimes it is possible to meet animals with three primary colors of wool.

• Agouti hamsters. Such animals are distinguished by the uneven color of their wool. Color can vary from tips to roots.

There are a huge number of nicknames for hamsters, both for girls and boys. Among them, you can pick up something creative and interesting. To solve such a problem, you should be guided by the following tips:

• a nickname for a pet should be selected, coordinating options with all family members in order to avoid disagreements;
• it is best to name a rodent so that its name can be easily pronounced and remembered even by the smallest family members;
• in the presence of several animals, it will be more correct to select nicknames for them if they radically differ in sound from each other.

In Near Eastern rodents, it will be possible to reliably find out the sex no earlier than a month after their birth. Gender determination will be based on the placement of the genitals and excretory organs on the body. As for males, they will have visually distinguishable testes in the tail area as clear signs. In addition, in males, the genital organ will be removed from the holes that remove waste products by 1.5 centimeters.

As for females, their cloaca and genitals will be located almost close to each other. At the time of estrus in females, all organs will be moistened with mucus, and also noticeably increased in size, which will help determine their sex.

You can try to find out the sex of the animal by the presence of mammary glands, which is sometimes somewhat difficult in light of the presence of a large amount of fur on the belly. For males, the norm is two pronounced nipples, when the female will have twice as many. By the combination of the above signs, it is easy to distinguish a male hamster from a female.

Age determination is an important point, especially when buying a pet. Experts conditionally divide rodents into three age groups:

• young - less than one month old;
• mature - from one to three months;
• old individuals.

Young animals stand out for their modest size; it is not recommended to acquire such animals for breeders without experience, since the animals will need specific care. And you should also refuse to buy old hamsters, they can be identified by faded fur, phlegmatic behavior. Optimal for purchase will be animals belonging to mature individuals.

The mass of the animal will help determine the age of the individual. So, animals aged from one to three months will weigh in the region of 50-80 grams, old rodents gain weight up to 100-150 grams. However, such an indicator can be rather arbitrary, since the weight of an animal directly depends on care, nutrition and activity.

Hamsters can be kept in aquariums or cages. The second option is more convenient and popular. It is important for the rodent to provide space and good bedding, since the natural need for the animal is to dig holes. Paper, special filler, wood shavings can act as a substrate in an animal's house... The main thing is that the raw material is light and perfectly absorbs liquid.

For animals, you will also need material to build a nest. Cuts of paper will do the job well.

You will need to install a wheel inside the rodent house. Unlike toys for dwarf hamsters, a Syrian will need a wheel with a diameter of at least 20 centimeters. As a rule, cages specially designed for such pets already contain running wheels. In addition, the animals will enjoy spending time in the walking ball.

Water for the animal can be in the drinker or in the bowl; containers with liquid should be washed regularly. If the water will stand in the bowl, then the container should be heavy so that the hamster does not turn it over. This nuance also applies to containers for animal feed.

Another important point regarding the keeping of a pet is the presence of wood objects in the cage, about which hamsters can grind their teeth that grow in them throughout their life.

In order for the Syrian hamster to live in captivity as long as possible, it needs to be provided with quality and balanced nutrition. So, for feeding, you can use specialized feed mixtures consisting of grains, seeds and nuts. For pregnant females, you need to take care of the proper protein content in the daily diet.

Rodents can be given root vegetables, vegetables and fruits, but citrus fruits, exotic fruits, and overly acidic treats should be avoided. All food should be fresh, as hamsters love to store their food in their nests as supplies. All additional products must be washed without fail, those pieces that have been in the cage for more than a day should be thrown away in order to exclude rodent poisoning. Syrian hamsters can be given a boiled egg, cottage cheese, peanuts once a week.

Since the animals are nocturnal and are naturally shy, after acquiring them to a new place, they need to be taught gradually, not to make noise near the cage, and also not to parade the animal. From the stress they have endured, the rodents bite and even faint.

You need to spend some time with a hamster every day so that the fearful pet gets used to its owner. If the animal is asleep, it is not recommended to wake it up, and you should not forcefully pull the hamster out of the nest.

Hamster houses do not smell if they are regularly cleaned. As a rule, it is recommended to carry out hygiene measures at least once every 2-3 days. It is forbidden to bathe Syrian hamsters in the water, and you should also avoid changes in height on the surface where the rodent is walking. Falling from a height, he can seriously injure himself.

The male of the Central Asian hamster reaches sexual maturity by three months, while the female must be at least four months old. For fertilization to occur, she must be in heat, which occurs at intervals of 5-7 days. For mating, the selected rodents are placed in a separate cage. After that, the offspring are carried. Pregnancy lasts 18 days.

One individual gives birth to 4 to 15 hamsters. For successful labor, the female needs to be provided with clean bedding and plenty of food. In the first few days after the birth of animals, it is recommended not to disturb the mother with the offspring. For newborns, the main food in the first month will be breast milk. Hamsters should not be touched, because if there are foreign odors on the cubs, the female will eat them. When babies reach one month and seven days, they can be transplanted into a separate cage.

In order for the animal not to be afraid of its owner and calmly walk into his arms, it will be necessary to gradually tame the animal. To do this, you should be guided by the following recommendations:

• contact with a person should occur several times a day, but for a short time (a quarter of an hour will be enough);
• a newly acquired rodent should not be immediately picked up, as the animal will be under stress; it will take him several days to get used to the new environment;
• it is better to transfer acquaintance with hands to the evening, when the animal is full of energy, which will help to exclude bites.

Getting used to contact with a person should be regular. It is important to study the animal's lifestyle, be sure to talk to him in a low voice, pronouncing his nickname. After that, you need to lower your palm into the cage, placing a treat for the hamster on it.

It is impossible to catch an animal, it is worth waiting for the rodent to show interest on its own... This may take several attempts, in between, you can treat the rodent with a treat through the bars. When the hamster makes contact and sits down safely on the palm, you can lift him out of the cage, perhaps he will jump from the palm for the first time. Therefore, taming attempts should be continued a little later.

Unfortunately, captive Syrian hamsters can suffer from some ailments. Among them, the following are the most common:

• obesity associated with improper diet and lack of toys for physical activity in the cage;
• dental problems arising from the fact that the animal has nowhere to grind off growing teeth;
• E. coli, which infected the animal through poor food or unwashed food.

Changes in behavior will be signs of the Syrian hamster's poor health. He can become aggressive and restless, or, conversely, too passive. The animal may have bald patches on the coat, sores, tremors, itching. Self-medication is strictly prohibited.

Syrian hamsters, unlike their relatives, with proper training and taming, can establish quite close contact with the owner and even fall asleep with him. And also it is worth noting the well-developed intelligence of the animal, thanks to which it will react to its nickname. Of all the breeds of hamsters, it is these rodents that are famous for their docile and cheerful disposition.

In addition, individuals accustomed to family members will become very affectionate towards a person, not perceiving him as a threat. However, small animals can become depressed if kept in too small a cage. Syrian hamsters should have a cage size at least one square meter with a height of 30-40 centimeters.

According to the responses of the breeders of the Central Asian rodents, it can be noted that the animals in the dwelling show themselves as friendly and cheerful, which allows them to be kept in families with small children. However, care and attention for a pet should be dosed, since continuous contact with a person can provoke aggression from the animal, as well as stress., which will negatively affect its life expectancy.

For information on how to keep a Syrian hamster, see the next video.