The golden hamster or Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, is a member of the rodent subfamily Cricetinae, the hamsters. In the wild, they are now considered vulnerable. Their numbers have been declining due to loss of habitat (caused by agriculture), and deliberate destruction by humans. However, captive breeding programs are well established, and captive-bred golden hamsters are popular as pets and scientific research animals. Adults are from 5 to 7 in (13 to 18 cm) long, and have a lifespan of two to three years. In captivity, the golden hamster is active mostly at night, but in the wild, it is a crepuscular animal. Wild hamsters sleep during the day in the deepest part of their burrows to avoid predators; they wake up just after sunset, but are active on the ground only for a few hours in the early and late parts of the night.
Read more about Golden Hamster: Biology, Discovery, Surviving in The Wild, Golden Hamsters in Scientific Research, Hamsters As Pets, Long-haired or "Angora" Hamsters
Famous quotes containing the words golden and/or hamster:
“Beneath the azure current floweth;
Above, the golden sunlight glows.
Rebellious, the storm it wooeth,
As if the storms could give repose.”
—Mikhail Lermontov (1814–1841)
“With boys you always know where you stand. Right in the path of a hurricane. It’s all there. The fruit flies hovering over their waste can, the hamster trying to escape to cleaner air, the bedrooms decorated in Early Bus Station Restroom.”
—Erma Bombeck (20th century)