Romanian Hamster
Encyclopedia
The Romanian hamster or Dobrudja hamster (Mesocricetus newtoni) is a species of rodent
in the family Cricetidae
. It is found in Bulgaria
and Romania
.
(back) fur and a white underside. The top of the head has a dark stripe that extends to the neck. The dark cheek stripes extend back to the shoulder. Its head-body length is up to 180 mm and its weight ranges from 80 to 115 g. Its dental formula is 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3.
species. It lives solitarily in a complex burrow system. It eats seeds, legumes, rooted vegetables, and grasses, but also insects. It transports its food with its elastic cheek pouches to the food chambers. They reach sexual maturity when 56–70 days old and breed through early April to August. The common hamster has a gestation
of 15 days, gives birth to a litter of 1–12 and weans after three weeks of birth. It communicates by squeaking or with ultra-sound. Both sexes flank mark by rubbing their gland
s against objects.
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
in the family Cricetidae
Cricetidae
The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, and New World rats and mice...
. It is found in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Description
The Romanian Hamster has brown dorsalDorsum (anatomy)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
(back) fur and a white underside. The top of the head has a dark stripe that extends to the neck. The dark cheek stripes extend back to the shoulder. Its head-body length is up to 180 mm and its weight ranges from 80 to 115 g. Its dental formula is 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3.
Behavior
The Romanian hamster is a nocturnal or crepuscularCrepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
species. It lives solitarily in a complex burrow system. It eats seeds, legumes, rooted vegetables, and grasses, but also insects. It transports its food with its elastic cheek pouches to the food chambers. They reach sexual maturity when 56–70 days old and breed through early April to August. The common hamster has a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
of 15 days, gives birth to a litter of 1–12 and weans after three weeks of birth. It communicates by squeaking or with ultra-sound. Both sexes flank mark by rubbing their gland
Gland
A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release of substances such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface .- Types :...
s against objects.