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

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[[Image:54986main_mouse_med.jpg|thumb|270px|right|White fancy mouse]]
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{{Taxobox
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| color = pink
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| name = Golden or Syrian Hamster
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| image = 100_983.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 = [[Sciurognathi]]
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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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'''Fancy mice''' ("fancy", in this context, means "hobby") are domesticated versions of the common or house mouse (''[[Mus musculus]]'').
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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.  They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.
  
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==Physical description==
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==Biology==
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Fancy mice are approximately 16-18 cm long from nose to the tip of the tail, and weigh about 35 g for females and 50 g for males. As fancy mice have a different process of [[natural selection]] than their wild cousins, they come in a variety of colors and patterns. Most fancy mice tend to be black, brown, or white in their primary color, but others (blue, champagne, white-[[albino]], chocolate, cream, dove, fawn, lilac, red, silver, or cinnamon) in color are available. Female mice are called ''does'' and males are called ''bucks''.
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Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders.  In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows.  They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" &#1571;&#1576;&#1608; &#1580;&#1585;&#1575;&#1576;. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.
  
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==Mice as pets==
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[[Image:hamster.jpg|thumb|left|albino golden hamster]]
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[[Image:Fancy Mouse.jpg|thumb|left|A tame black fancy mouse]]
 
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Mice are kept as pets in many countries for a number of reasons. Fancy mice are small, inexpensive, clean, and generally have a good [[temperament]]. Female mice are more popular with many owners since they tend to cohabitate with other mice better than males. Additionally, the urine of female fancy mice does not contain as strong of an odor as that of the male mice. Bucks will fight with each other, unless they were introduced at a very young age, and they produce urine with a strong, musky smell. Some people, however, prefer the personality and curiosity of male mice. It is a good idea to keep fancy mice in pairs if possible, since they are sociable animals. However, if a buck and a doe of breeding age are put in the same cage they will keep reproducing every three weeks until separated.
 
  
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Many mice keep ending up in the animal rescue, because people keep males and females together all the time. They reproduce rapidly in a population explosion and the owner finds himself soon with hundreds of mice.
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Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters.  ''Teddy Bear'' is a term used for the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears.  Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of fur around their backs. "Black Bears" are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters, their major difference being their black-colored fur.  It can be argued that black bears are just black syrians rather than another breed; on the other hand, black bears are selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color.
  
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==Caging==
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[[image:Jan2306_122.jpg|thumb|right|male teddy bear hamster]]
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Mice should be kept in well-ventilated areas. Fish tanks or cages with bars and plastic flooring make good housing. Give attention that the distance between the bars is below than 9mm. Also at the doors. It is no problem for young mice to force themselves through a cage with wider bars, and it's dangerous when they get stuck there.  
 
  
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The best products for in-cage bedding are aspen wood shavings, dried corn cob, or a commercial paper-based material. Mice can also be given newspaper with black-and-white printing for nesting. But mice should not be given [[cedar shavings]], as the oils in the wood are unhealthy. Small hide-aways and toys (such as a [[cardboard]] tube) are also good to have in the cage. Comercial toys are also available.
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Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.
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It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.
  
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[[Cat]] owners must also take special precautions to ensure that the mouse's housing is secure, as even the friendliest of domestic cats have been known to torment or kill fancy mice if given the chance.
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== Discovery ==
  
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==Feeding==
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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. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.
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Food for fancy mice is relatively inexpensive. Veterenarians generally recomend a product called ''lab block,'' a scientifically-formulated blend originally desinged for mice in laboratories. Dry [[dog food]] is another good option when lab block is unavailable, as it offers balanced nutrition for a mouse and helps keep their teeth conditioned. Special mice food found in pet stores makes an also good diet. In order to keep variety in their diets, mice can also eat oats, oily seeds, clean [[egg shell]], breakfast cereal, and stale [[bread]]. Fruit and vegetables can be offered occasionally. They should also have clean water at all times and some sort of chewing wood in order to keep their teeth from growing too long.  
 
  
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==Breeding mice==
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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 in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters 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 isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.
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It is important to consider breeding carefully and to do so thoughtfully due to the very fast reproducton rate of mice, and the housing of the young.  
 
  
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Mice should not be bred before 12 weeks or after 8 months. Doing so can be very dangerous and some mice can even die while giving birth. Don't forget, when a mouse gets to 9 months old they are already very old. Bucks and does should be housed in separate enclosures until you want to breed. When the time comes you can place them together. Place the doe in the buck's tank, otherwise the doe will fight with the buck to defend her territory. Does come into heat around every five days, so it is best to leave them together for ten days or so.
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==See also==
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*[[Hamster]]
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[[Image:Mice 24 Nov 2004.jpg|thumb|Baby Mice.]]
 
  
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You can tell when a mouse is pregnant because they grow very round near to the time of birth. The gestation period goes 18 - 21 days. She will likely give birth to 8-12 though it can be more. Its best to remove the buck otherwise he will mate with the female as soon as the first litter is born, putting a huge strain on the mother, unborn litter and the new babies.
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==External links==
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*[http://www.xander.it/video.htm Xander.it] - Golden hamsters video collection
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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.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]
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*[http://www.savetherennets.com Spoof hamster website]
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*[http://www.furrycritters.co.uk Furry Critters]
  
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Baby mice (pups) are born blind, naked and deaf. Their eyes are closed and ears are stuck to the sides of their heads. It’s best to leave the mother alone for a while, otherwise she might panic and eat the babies. She might also eat any dead or sickly offspring, getting the litter down to a reasonable size. You can tell if the babies have drunk any milk for their tummies turn white.
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[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
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[[Category:Hamsters]]
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Hair begins to grow at two to four days; you can see what the patches in marked mice will look like now. Ears open at three to five days and they will start vocalising more. Eyes open at 14 days and now the babies will start exploring the world around them. At 3 weeks old they look like a miniture versions of adult mice. At 4-5 weeks pups must be separated otherwise they will breed with their siblings.
 
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==Mice clubs==
 
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Many fancy mice clubs have been set up around the globe. Shows are also held so owners can display their mice. ''See External links below.''
 
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==External links==
 
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*[http://www.rmca.org Rat & Mouse Club of America]
 
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*[http://www.miceandrats.com/miceas.htm Mice as Pets]
 
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*Varieties of [http://www.miceandrats.com/standmic.htm Fancy Mice]
 
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*[http://www.nationalmouseclub.co.uk National Mouse Club]
 
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*[http://www.dmrm.de Mouse Club of Germany]
 
  
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[[Category:Old World rats and mice]]
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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 22:18, 23 March 2006

Template:Taxobox

The Syrian Hamster or Golden Hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, is the best known member of the rodent subfamily Cricetinae, the hamsters. They may now be extinct in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

Biology

Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are larder hoarders, and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local Arabic dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

albino golden hamster

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Teddy Bear is a term used for the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of fur around their backs. "Black Bears" are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters, their major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black syrians rather than another breed; on the other hand, black bears are selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color.

File:Jan2306 122.jpg
male teddy bear hamster

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of fixed action patterns that are readily observed, including scent-marking. It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

Discovery

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. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem Israel Aharoni found a mother and litter of hamsters in the Syrian desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named Mesocricetus auratus, although they were probably the same species. Mesocricetus auratus is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

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 in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters 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 isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

See also

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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