Turkish hamster
mesocricetus brandti latin

Turkish hamsters are weaned from their mothers after three weeks of nursing.

The land where the Turkish hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grasses.

Turkish hamsters are often used in laboratory experiments.

Its ability to live in a variety of environments means the Turkish hamster often lives on farmlands, and is seen as a pest.

The Turkish hamster is considered to be the most aggressive of the two, but this could be because the other species has been domesticated.

Turkish hamsters have lifespans of about two years and are solitary, nocturnal animals, which practice hibernation.

Like all hamsters, the Turkish hamster has cheek pouches that allow it to carry large amounts of food at one time.

Turkish hamsters have fairly varied diets, subsisting primarily on grains and herbs.

The Turkish hamster is a rare species, but is the most widespread of the family Cricetidae.

As Turkish hamsters often live near and among farmlands, they often eat human crops and are considered a pest.

Because the Turkish hamster is looked on as a nuisance by farmers in its area of habitation, their population is in rapid decline.

According to iucnredlist.org, Turkish hamsters have two to four litters of young per year, with four to 20 young per litter, averaging 10.

The population of the Turkish hamster is said to be declining in the wild, yet this hamster is often used in laboratory testing.

Mesocricetus brandti (Brandt's or Turkish hamster)

Turkish hamsters are most closely related to the Syrian or golden hamster, and together these hamsters make up the entirety of the Crecitidae family.

The Turkish Hamster (Mesocricetus brandti) is a species of hamster closely related to the Syrian hamster.

In 1996, the Turkish hamster was categorized as an animal with the lowest risk of extinction, but due to cases of direct poisoning by farmers, it is now near threatened.

Turkish hamsters are not generally kept as pets due to their aggression, but the Syrian and golden hamsters are extremely common in pet stores all across the world.

The Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti), also referred to as Brandt's hamster, Azerbaijani hamster, or avurtlak, is a species of hamster native to Turkey, Armenia and other surrounding nations.

Turkish hamster burrows are well-enough equipped for the hamsters to hibernate for four to 10 months (though sources do differ on this point), sometimes sleeping for 30 days at a time, though usually waking weekly for a day or two of activity.