Syrian Hamster

The Syrian Hamster (sometimes also Golden Hamster) (Mesocricetus auratus) is mammal of the order Rodentia. It originates from semi-desert areas of north-west Syria and south-east Turkey. It lives solitary life in burrows which are deep around 2,5 metres which consist of many tunnels and chambers, where the hamster sleeps and has its reserves of food. It is nocturnal animal which sleeps during hot days and wakes up in colder evenings. It goes for food during the night and it stores it in its big cheek pouches. It goes for and back many times and empties its cheek pouches, so it is running whole night long. Syrian Hamster hibernates in the summer and also winter periods. It has poor eyesight but it has very good hearing (it hears also ultrasound) and sense of smell. Its front teeth, called gnawing teeth, are constantly growing and it is necessary that they are constantly rasped. Its lifespan is 2 - 2,5 year, lenght of the body is 14 - 17 centimetres and its weight is 100 - 200 grams whereas females are usually bigger than males. Syrian Hamster female is in heat every 4. day (excluding period of hibernation and in captivity in the winter period approximately from October to January; there is no pause in the case of extra lightening), gestation period is very short, 16 days in average (shortest gestation of mammals), female usually has more litters during one year and average amount of babies in one litter is 9 babies. Babies are born not totally developed, hairless, blind and deaf, they grow very fast and they very quickly sexually mature. Mother stops to nurse them in 3 weeks and they can start to be weaned from 4. week, latest in the 6. week, when male babies start to produce sperms.  Mother leaves the nest in the nature and after that babies. In captivity, mother usually starts to be aggresive against babies in the week 5, so that is good time to separate her from the babies.

Syrian Hamster original colour is golden. It occured many different mutations of colour, pattern, lenght and type of fur since 1930 when Syrian Hamster was officially caught.

Syrian Hamster is very popular and quite easy to keep pet suitable also for small children. Babies can be bit wider but they get tame as they get older (around 4 months). It is really necessary to keep hamsters solitary as it is solitary animal in the nature.

Characteristics of the Syrian Hamster:

Average life span: 2 - 2,5 years
Body size: 14 - 17 cm
Weight: 100 - 200 g
Pulse rate: 280 - 500/min (average 450/min)
Total volume of blood: 65 - 80 ml/kg
Blood pressure systolic: 20 kPa
Blood pressure diastolic: 14,7 kPa
Characteristics of blood (general data): 0,42 - 0,55 l/l haematocrit, 145 - 180 g/l haemoglobin
Characteristics of blood (cytology): 5,0 - 9,2 1012/l erythrocytes, 4,5 - 8,4 109/l leukocytes, 0,4 - 3,2 109/l neutrophyle granulocytes, 0 - 0,4 109/l eosinophil granulocytes, 0 - 0,1 109/l basophil granulocytes, 3,0 - 5,9 109/l lymphocytes, 0 - 1,0 109/l monocytes, 250 - 570 109/l thrombocytes
Characteristics of blood (biochemical profile): 45 - 78 g/l total protein, 26 - 41 g/l albumin, 27 - 42 g/l globulins, 3,3 - 8,3 mmol/l glucose, 2,0 - 4,1 mmol/l blood urea, 36 - 89 µmol/l creatinine, 4,3 - 10,3 µmol/l bilirubin, 144 - 152 mmol/l natrium, 5,5 - 7,2 mmol/l kalium, 1,2 - 2,9 mmol/l calcium, 1,1 - 2,6 mmol/l phosphorus, 86 - 112 mmol/l chlorides
Respiration rate: 35 - 135/min (average 74/min)
Rectal temperature: 36,8 - 38,5°C
Standard laboratory photoperiod: 14 h light/10 h dark
Water consumption: 30 ml/day
Food consumption: 10 - 15 g/day
Type of ovulation: spontaneous
Estrous cycle length: 4 days
Length of receptive period: 12 - 29 h
Time of ovulation: 10 - 12 h after onset of receptivity
Length of pseudopregnancy: 8 - 10 days
Length of pregnancy: 16 days
Length of parturition: 1,5 - 2,5 h
Postpartum estrus: none
Number of pups in litter: 4 - 15 (average 8 - 9)
Sex ratio at birth: 106 males : 100 females
Pups begin eating solid food: 9 - 10 days
Eyes open: 14 days
Weaning age: 21 days
Sexual maturation of males:    earliest onset of copulatory behavior: 30 days
                                                     presence of sperm in penile smear: 42 days
                                                     maintenance of full reproductive activity: beyond 30 months
Sexual maturation of females: vaginal opening: 8 - 14 days
                                                     first ovulation: 26 - 30 days
                                                     earliest onset of copulatory behavior: 28 days (average 34 days)
                                                     recommended breeding age: 4 months
                                                     onset of reproductive deficiencies: 10 - 12 months (cycle regularity, number of ova, maintenance of pregnancy)