Are there any Syrian hamsters in the wild?
Those animals bred so well, in fact, that they became the founders of a pet industry. Wild Syrian hamsters remain exceedingly rare and elusive. According to Dunn, only three scientific expeditions have observed this species in the wild, the last in 1999.
How many wild Syrian hamsters are there?
Syrian hamsters are larger than many of the dwarf hamsters kept as pocket pets (up to five times larger), and weigh about the same as a sugar glider, though the wild European hamster exceeds Syrian hamsters in size….
| Golden hamster | |
|---|---|
| Species: | M. auratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Mesocricetus auratus Waterhouse, 1839 | |
| Synonyms |
Can Syrian hamsters survive in the wild?
Hamsters were not bred for domestic life until 1939. In the wild they like to live in warm, dry areas, like sand dunes or the edge of deserts, which explains why the first hamsters were discovered in Syria. They also live in the wild in more diverse countries, such as Greece, Romania, Belgium and northern China.
What is the rare color of Syrian hamster?
Beige
Beige. Beige is a rare colour, because it is produced by breeding together a hamster with the rust and dark grey gene, which are, themselves, rare. The beige variety is often smaller than the rest of the litter and may have a kinked tail due to the Dark Grey gene.
What is the rarest hamster?
The Rarest Kind of Hamster
- Golden Hamsters. The golden hamster or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), also called the teddy bear, is a popular pet in homes in the United States and Europe.
- Romanian Hamsters.
- Brandt’s Hamsters.
- French Black-Bellied Hamster.
Are golden and Syrian hamsters the same?
The Syrian hamster, also known as the golden hamster, is among the most popular choices for small pets. It’s generally easy to tame, fun to watch, and fairly low-maintenance, making it a good pet for beginners. These hamsters come from arid regions of northern Syria and southern Turkey.
What happens if I release my hamster into the wild?
It will not suddenly remember its ancestors and learn to burrow and forage. Instead, the hamster will die. So you should never release your hamster into the wild. A hamster that is released in the wild will likely suffer from malnutrition and exposure, experiencing a slow and painful death due to this.
Is it illegal to let a hamster free?
Releasing hamsters into the wild is likely illegal, as well. Animal cruelty laws protect pets from such treatment. Environmental laws protect native plant and animal species from the threat posed by the release of nonnative species.
What is a sable hamster?
Sable (UUee) It is produced by combining the dominant Umbrous gene, U, with the recessive Black Eyed Cream gene, (e). The animal is not truly black; the colour is actually a very dark brown, the colour of black coffee, and the coat is further lightened by the Cream “undercolour” at the base of each hair.
Can Syrian hamsters be white?
Commonly available colours include Golden, White, Cream, Cinnamon, Sable, Black and Silver Grey. The Syrian hamster is also bred with patterned coats. These patterns are the Banded, Dominant Spot, Tortoiseshell and White, Tortoiseshell, and Roan. The Banded Syrian has a band of white around its middle.