These small rodents with touching bead eyes are willingly brought in by animal lovers in houses and apartments. Reviews of Syrian hamsters indicate their great popularity as pets and the simplicity of the contents of these unpretentious animals. How many Syrian hamsters live? How to feed them and what conditions are required for them? This and other information about them will be presented in the article.
General information
The Syrian hamster, it is also an Near Asian, is a rodent belonging to the Hamster family. It was named so because of the area of its distribution. This is Syria, the surroundings of Aleppo. It is here, according to history, that Professor Aharoni in 1930 caught a female animal with cubs. Desperate to find other representatives in nature, the professor eventually crossed two cubs together. All Syrian decorative hamsters, boys and girls, are thus descendants of this family. Distribution as pets they have received since the late 30s of the twentieth century.
It was previously believed that in nature the species has completely died out, but this is not so. Currently, Syrian hamsters also live in the eastern part of Turkey, in the Balkans. They live in steppe regions and on cultivated lands. They live in shallow minks and are active mainly at night.
Description
The average body length of adult animals is 13 - 13.5 centimeters, of which about one and a half centimeters fall on the tail, which, however, is almost invisible due to the thick coat. In nature, animals have a reddish color, but decorative individuals can be black, silver, pink, white, etc. They weigh 100 - 125 grams. These are quite well-fed animals.
This type of hamster is the longest living among ornamental breeds. How many Syrian hamsters live? Their average life expectancy is 1.5 years, but with good care - up to 4 years. It should be remembered that the optimal temperature for the Syrian hamster is + 12 ... + 25 degrees Celsius. If it falls below +8, the animal may hibernate.
Optimal conditions for a pet
Keeping a Syrian hamster at home is not a very difficult task. He needs a cage with bedding and a nest house. The size of the bottom should be at least 30 x 50 centimeters, height - at least 30 centimeters. According to reviews, a small cage with a semicircular top, with a bottom size of 20 x 30 centimeters, is often purchased for Syrian hamsters. This is the wrong decision, such a cage can only be used for carrying. Crampedness extremely negatively affects the health of the pet, as it leads to restriction of movements and, as a result, to obesity. It must be remembered that, initially, in nature, this species had large personal territories, so the space for Syrian hamsters is vital.
As for the layout, it will be most convenient for a Syrian in a cell in which there is a wheel, a maze, a house inside. They use the wheel very willingly. In just one night, this animal can "run over" the cage, and in the wheel including, about 12 kilometers. These kids are capable of speeds up to 3.6 kilometers per hour!
A house with a nest can be located on the second floor, which is led by a ladder. Although reviews of Syrian hamsters indicate that an animal can injure its legs when falling or jumping from the second floor, such cases are quite rare. Nevertheless, for the hamster, the number of floors in the cage is not so important, as its sufficient size.
It is preferable to use dry sawdust as a filler for the cell. Their layer at the bottom should be at least 3-4 centimeters thick. Small pieces of paper (not newsprint!), Straw, hay are suitable for the nest. And, of course, there must be a drinker and a bowl in the cage.
Cell cleaning should be done at least once every 5-7 days, the drinker and bowl should be washed daily and water should be changed every day. Once a month, it is necessary to disinfect the cell using a detergent containing chlorine.
Nutrition
How to feed a Syrian hamster? In nature, this animal is omnivorous. It can eat grains of cereal plants, various nuts and seeds. The hamster also does not mind eating insects: ants, cockroaches, flies and even wasps!
At home, it is better to purchase ready-made grain feed (millet, flax seeds, oats, etc.). You can supplement the diet with vegetables and fruits: pumpkin, apples and pears, carrots, turnips, broccoli.
The hamster needs to be given fresh salad leaves, dandelion leaves, clover, plantain leaves in season. All herbs collected in nature must be thoroughly washed to avoid infection of the pet with various infections or parasites. Dandelion leaves do not taste very good, so they can be pre-doused with boiling water or soaked in water for several hours. This will fix the situation.
From protein products, you can give hamsters milk and cottage cheese. The meat is only low-fat and in small quantities. You can not give animals cabbage, citrus fruits and other exotic fruits, dairy products (kefir, yogurt, etc.), any junk food - smoked meats, canned food, sweets. Do not offer them food from the refrigerator, it should be at room temperature.
It should be borne in mind that the hamster loves to make supplies, so the animal’s house must be regularly inspected and thrown away hidden food, which can go bad and rot or mold. In cheek pouches, your pet can carry supplies weighing up to 20% of its own weight.
Breeding
It is advisable to plan mating pets not earlier than they reach the age of four months. Pregnancy in hamsters lasts 18-20 days, from 4 to 12 cubs can be born. A pregnant and lactating female should be fed more intensively with protein products. It can be, in addition to low-fat chicken and cottage cheese, egg yolk.
In no case should you touch the young animals with your hands, as the female can, having sensed an unfamiliar smell, eat her cubs. Toddlers feed on mother's milk for 4 weeks. After this age, they should be put into another cell. Young hamsters can be kept in groups by gender (girls - Syrian hamsters separately from boys) for another 2-3 weeks, and after that you should find new owners for them or provide separate cells.
Games, communication
There must be toys in the hamster’s cage. These animals are naturally very mobile and curious. You can put cardboard boxes, toilet paper cylinders in a cage, and hang a hammock. How to do it yourself, shown in the video below.
Reviews of Syrian hamsters indicate that these animals are easily accustomed to hands, especially at a young age, and easily make contact with humans. But you should be extremely careful during games, so as not to harm the pet.
Useful Tips
There is one peculiarity of the Syrians that must always be considered: they are solitary animals. You should not keep several adults in one cage, this is stress for them. According to experts and testimonials testify, Syrian hamsters who have reached the age of 5 weeks should definitely be planted in different cells. Otherwise, strife between them will begin, and this may result in the death of the animal.
Syrian hamsters (owner reviews unfortunately confirm this) can be seriously and even fatally injured when falling from an elevation. This is due to the fact that by their nature they are flat inhabitants, and the fear of heights is unknown to them. Carefully monitor your pet, make sure that the cage is securely locked. Do not leave him alone on the surface of a table or window sill. These animals are very nimble and mobile. The hamster is not able to appreciate the height, and will certainly try to jump, and this can end sadly.
Make sure that the distance between the rods of the cage is not more than 10 mm (for cubs - not more than 5 mm). Be careful, because even if the animal is not injured in the fall, it can die in the apartment, there are a lot of dangerous places for it.
Finally
The article provided information on the content at home of Syrian hamsters, their diet, breeding and the conditions that should be created for these furry pets. Reviews of Syrian hamsters left by their owners indicate that these funny animals bring a lot of joy to their owners.