Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key"

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The '''Polish Rabbit''' is a breed of [[rabbit]]. It is a compact breed with the reputation for being high-strung. The breed was developed in [[Belgium]] as food; however as time progressed, it became more popular as a pet.
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{{Taxobox
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| color = pink
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| name = Syrian or Golden Hamster
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| status = EN
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| status_system = iucn2.3
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| image = Golden_hamster_front_1.jpg
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| image_width = 250px
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| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
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| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
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| subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]
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| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
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| ordo = [[Rodent]]ia
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| subordo = [[Myomorpha]]
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| superfamilia = [[Muroidea]]
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| familia = [[Cricetidae]]
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| subfamilia = [[Cricetinae]]
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| genus = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''
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| species = '''''M. auratus'''''
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| binomial = ''Mesocricetus auratus''
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| binomial_authority = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], 1839
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}}
  
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== History and Origin ==
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The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s.  In the wild they are now considered endangered <ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=Baillie|year=1996|id=13219|title=Mesocricetus auratus|downloaded=09 May 2006}} Listed as Endangered (EN B1+2c v2.3)</ref>, but are popular as housepets and scientific research animals.  Adults grow from 5 to 7 inches (12.5 to 17.5 cm ) in length, and will usually have a lifespan of 2 to 3 years.
  
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Despite the name, the Polish rabbit is thought to have originated in Belgium and has been exhibited in England since 1884. Many believe that they were developed from Dutch and Himalayan rabbits in the 1860s. The Polish rabbit was originally developed as a meat breed and was larger than the contemporary Polish. In the 1900s, the Polish rabbit was one of the most popular meat breeds in Europe, especially [[Belgium]].hi
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==Biology==
  
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== Appearance ==
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Like most members of the subfamily, the Syrian Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which extend from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]]; they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows.  Their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect where they were found translates to "father of saddlebags" due to the remarkable amount of storage space in their cheek pouches. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts--it has been reported that 25 g of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.
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Today, the Polish rabbit is now considered more of a pet and is classified as a fancy breed. They are small rabbits with short ears that touch each other all the way to the tips. Due to their small size, the Polish rabbit is often confused with the Netherland dwarf, although the Polish is a little larger and the head is not rounded. The Polish rabbit weighs about three to four pounds.
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[[Image:Hamst08082002.JPG|thumb|left|Syrian hamster filling its cheek pouches with dandelion leaves.]]
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Sexually mature female hamsters come into season ([[oestrus]]) every four days.  Putting a male and female hamster together when the female is not in heat may result in the female attacking the male.  Syrian Hamsters have the shortest gestation period in any known mammal at only 16 to 18 days.  They can produce large litters of 20 or more young, although the average litter size is 8.  If a mother hamster is inexperienced or feels threatened, she may abandon or even cannibalise her pups. It is inadvisable for inexperienced owners to breed them.
  
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Until the 1950s, most Polish rabbits were white with either red eyes or blue eyes. The red-eyed white is a true albino. The blue-eyed white has the Vienna white gene and is not a true albino. Since the 1950s, colored Polish breeds have been recognized by rabbit clubs. In 1957, the [[American Rabbit Breeder’s Association]] approved the black and chocolate Polish. In 1982, the blue variety was approved and in 1998 the broken variety was allowed.
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Most hamsters in American and British pet stores are Syrian Hamsters.  Originally, Syrian Hamsters came in just one color — the mixture of brown, black, and gold which gave them their "Golden" name — but they have since developed a myriad of color mutations such as cream, white, blonde, banded, tortoiseshell, calico, and sable. Therefore in pet stores today, ''Golden Hamster'' is only used to label the original coloration (also known as agouti). Other-colored short-hairs are banded under the label ''Fancy Hamster''.  ''Teddy Bear'' is a term used to describe the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. They are also sometimes known as "angora hamsters".  Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of longer fur around their backsides.  ''Black Bears'' are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters (mutation discovered in 1985), with their major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black teddy bears rather than their own breed; on the other hand, black bears were originally selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color. However, in current stock, this may or may not still be the case.  
  
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== Housing and Care ==
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Syrian Hamsters are wildly popular as housepets due to their docile, inquisitive natures and small size.  They are popular as "first pets" for young children, as well as being classroom animals, because of their hardiness and relative ease of care.  Some pet owners find them more attractive in relation to rats and other rodents due to their lack of visible tails.  Syrian Hamsters are notoriously territorial, however.  Even tame Syrian Hamsters will frequently attack and, indeed, kill, other adult hamsters.  When kept as pets, Syrians must be housed in single sex groups after the age of six weeks, and housed individually by the time they are ten weeks old. 
  
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Because of their small size, Polish rabbits need less space in cage and barn facilities, and take up less space in apartments than some of the larger bunnies. As with other small breed rabbits, they tend to be higher strung than their larger counterparts. They are also not ideal pets for small children as they are easily dropped, injured and stepped on. Their high-strung nature makes them more suited for a mature, rabbit-loving, adult home.
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Syrian Hamsters have also been used in scientific research — in the study of many diseases, as well as in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking. They are particularly used in airway and respiratory physiology research.
  
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====Feeding====
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== Discovery ==
  
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Commercial rabbit pellets are recommended. Feed 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 pounds of body weight every day. For rabbits under 8 months of age, feed unlimited plain alfalfa pellets. Fresh rinsed greens, vegetables, and fruit, as well as grains and hay, can then be given as supplements. Free choice hay, such as timothy, should always be available and changed daily. Alfalfa hay, which is too rich in calcium, should not be offered free choice to rabbits over 8 months of age.
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[[Image:hamster.jpg|thumb|right|dark-eared white hamster]]
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In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century.
  
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====Health Concerns====
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In 1930, [[Israel Aharoni]], a zoologist and professor at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], captured a mother hamster and her litter of babies in the [[Syria|Syrian]] desert.  By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped.  The remaining three hamsters were given to his university, where they were successfully bred.  Because they were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus''.  ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of the Syrian Hamster.
  
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As with other rabbits, Polish rabbits do not do well in high or low temperatures. They are prone to hairball obstructions and matted coats if not cared for properly. Rabbits need daily grooming to remove loose hair. Other health concerns include earmites, Pasteurella, respiratory disease, dental problems, urinary bladder stones and fractured backs. Be quick to notice any changes in diet or litter box habits and contact a rabbit veterinarian immediately.  
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Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and reached the United States in 1938. Soon after their initial discovery, they were found to make great pets. Just about all captive Syrian Hamsters today are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert.  A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it is not known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.
  
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The average life span of a breeding Polish rabbit is 5 to 6 years. By [[spaying or neutering]] your Polish early in life, you can increase their life expectancy to around 10 years.
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==Surviving in the wild==
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In the beginning of the 20th century, the Syrian golden hamster was considered as being extinct in the wild by unknown reason until Professor Aharoni of Jerusalem Hebraic University collected one female and her 12 broods in [[Aleppo]].<ref name="Hochman"> Hochman B, Ferreira LM, Vilas Bôas FC, Mariano M. Experimental model in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) to study heterologous graft of scars and cutaneous diseases in plastic surgery. Acta Cir Bras [serial online] 2004 Vol 19 Special Edition. [http://www.scielo.br/pdf/acb/v19s1/v19s1a12.pdf Online pdf]</ref> After that some later sightings and captures were reported. Since the 1980s this species was not seen anymore in the wild, until two expeditions were carried out during September [[1997]] and March [[1999]] to confirm the current existence of the wild golden hamster in northern [[Syria]]. The researchers mapped 30 burrows. None of the inhabited burrows contained more than one adult. They caught six females and seven males. One female was pregnant and gave birth to six pups. All these 19 caught wild golden hamsters, together with three wild individuals from the University of Aleppo, were shipped to [[Germany]] to form a new breeding stock.<ref name="Gattermann">Gattermann et al. 2001. Notes on the current distribution and the ecology of wild golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Journal of Zoology, 254: 359-365 (Cambridge University Press). [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=78463 Online abstract]</ref>
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==Gallery==
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<gallery>
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Image:100_983.jpg|A Golden Hamster
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Image:Golden_hamster_side_1.jpg|Golden Hamster
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image:Jan2306_122.jpg|male teddy bear hamster
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</gallery>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Hamster]]
  
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*[[Rabbit]]
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==References==
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*[[Domestic rabbit]]
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<references/>
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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*[http://www.syrianhamster.com Syrian Hamster]
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*[http://www.hamster-heaven.com Hamster Heaven]
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*[http://www.hamsterific.com Hamsterific.com]
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*[http://www.xander.it/video.htm Xander.it] - Video collection of Syrian hamsters (page is in Italian)
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
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*[http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/syrian_hamsters.htm Petwebsite Entry on Syrians]
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*[http://hometown.aol.com/TheRiverRd/ The River Road Hamstery]- Very good information on hamster breeding, especially for coat types
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*[http://www.hamsoc.org.uk/varieties.php The Hamster Society]
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*[http://www.razthehamster.com/gallery RaztheHamster] - Syrian Hamster Gallery
  
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*[http://www.arba.net American Rabbit Breeder's Association]
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[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
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[[Category:Hamsters]]
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[[Category:Mammals of Asia]]
  
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{{Uncategorized|October 2006}}
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[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
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[[de:Goldhamster]]
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[[fr:Hamster doré]]
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[[it:Mesocricetus auratus]]
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[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
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[[nl:Goudhamster]]
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[[ja:ゴールデンハムスター]]
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[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
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[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
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[[sv:Guldhamster]]
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[[zh:敘利亞倉鼠]]

Revision as of 22:13, 11 November 2006

Template:Taxobox

The Syrian Hamster or Golden Hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, is the best known member of the rodent subfamily Cricetinae, the hamsters. In the wild they are now considered endangered &, but are popular as housepets and scientific research animals. Adults grow from 5 to 7 inches (12.5 to 17.5 cm ) in length, and will usually have a lifespan of 2 to 3 years.

Biology

Like most members of the subfamily, the Syrian Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which extend from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are larder hoarders; they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. Their name in the local Arabic dialect where they were found translates to "father of saddlebags" due to the remarkable amount of storage space in their cheek pouches. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts--it has been reported that 25 g of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Syrian hamster filling its cheek pouches with dandelion leaves.

Sexually mature female hamsters come into season (oestrus) every four days. Putting a male and female hamster together when the female is not in heat may result in the female attacking the male. Syrian Hamsters have the shortest gestation period in any known mammal at only 16 to 18 days. They can produce large litters of 20 or more young, although the average litter size is 8. If a mother hamster is inexperienced or feels threatened, she may abandon or even cannibalise her pups. It is inadvisable for inexperienced owners to breed them.

Most hamsters in American and British pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Originally, Syrian Hamsters came in just one color — the mixture of brown, black, and gold which gave them their "Golden" name — but they have since developed a myriad of color mutations such as cream, white, blonde, banded, tortoiseshell, calico, and sable. Therefore in pet stores today, Golden Hamster is only used to label the original coloration (also known as agouti). Other-colored short-hairs are banded under the label Fancy Hamster. Teddy Bear is a term used to describe the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. They are also sometimes known as "angora hamsters". Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of longer fur around their backsides. Black Bears are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters (mutation discovered in 1985), with their major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black teddy bears rather than their own breed; on the other hand, black bears were originally selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color. However, in current stock, this may or may not still be the case.

Syrian Hamsters are wildly popular as housepets due to their docile, inquisitive natures and small size. They are popular as "first pets" for young children, as well as being classroom animals, because of their hardiness and relative ease of care. Some pet owners find them more attractive in relation to rats and other rodents due to their lack of visible tails. Syrian Hamsters are notoriously territorial, however. Even tame Syrian Hamsters will frequently attack and, indeed, kill, other adult hamsters. When kept as pets, Syrians must be housed in single sex groups after the age of six weeks, and housed individually by the time they are ten weeks old.

Syrian Hamsters have also been used in scientific research — in the study of many diseases, as well as in the study of behaviour. They have a number of fixed action patterns that are readily observed, including scent-marking. They are particularly used in airway and respiratory physiology research.

Discovery

dark-eared white hamster

In 1839 British zoologist George Robert Waterhouse reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it Cricetus auratus, the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the British Museum (Natural History). The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century.

In 1930, Israel Aharoni, a zoologist and professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, captured a mother hamster and her litter of babies in the Syrian desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining three hamsters were given to his university, where they were successfully bred. Because they were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, they were named Mesocricetus auratus. Mesocricetus auratus is the currently accepted scientific name of the Syrian Hamster.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world for use as research animals. They arrived in the United Kingdom in 1931, and reached the United States in 1938. Soon after their initial discovery, they were found to make great pets. Just about all captive Syrian Hamsters today are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it is not known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

Surviving in the wild

In the beginning of the 20th century, the Syrian golden hamster was considered as being extinct in the wild by unknown reason until Professor Aharoni of Jerusalem Hebraic University collected one female and her 12 broods in Aleppo.& After that some later sightings and captures were reported. Since the 1980s this species was not seen anymore in the wild, until two expeditions were carried out during September 1997 and March 1999 to confirm the current existence of the wild golden hamster in northern Syria. The researchers mapped 30 burrows. None of the inhabited burrows contained more than one adult. They caught six females and seven males. One female was pregnant and gave birth to six pups. All these 19 caught wild golden hamsters, together with three wild individuals from the University of Aleppo, were shipped to Germany to form a new breeding stock.&

Gallery

  • 100 983.jpg

    A Golden Hamster

  • Golden Hamster

  • Jan2306 122.jpg

    male teddy bear hamster

See also

References

  1. ↑ Template:IUCN2006 Listed as Endangered (EN B1+2c v2.3)
  2. ↑ Hochman B, Ferreira LM, Vilas Bôas FC, Mariano M. Experimental model in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) to study heterologous graft of scars and cutaneous diseases in plastic surgery. Acta Cir Bras [serial online] 2004 Vol 19 Special Edition. Online pdf
  3. ↑ Gattermann et al. 2001. Notes on the current distribution and the ecology of wild golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Journal of Zoology, 254: 359-365 (Cambridge University Press). Online abstract

External links

bg:Златист хамстер de:Goldhamster fr:Hamster doré it:Mesocricetus auratus he:אוגר זהוב nl:Goudhamster ja:ゴールデンハムスター pl:Chomik syryjski fi:Kultahamsteri sv:Guldhamster zh:敘利亞倉鼠

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