Mesocricetus auratus (Waterhouse, 1839)

Scientific Name

Scientific name: Mesocricetus auratus (Waterhouse, 1839).

Adult Length

Adult golden hamsters, also called Syrian hamsters, can reach around 7.1 inches (18 centimeters) in length.

Wild Adult Weight and Lifespan

Females are typically larger than males, with a body mass of around 100–150 grams (3.5–5.3 ounces) and a lifespan of 1.5 to 2 years.

Captive Bred Adult Weight

Syrian hamsters from private breeders usually weigh between 175–225 grams (6.2–7.9 ounces).

Cheek Pouch Structure

Like most other members of its subfamily, the golden hamster has expandable cheek pouches that extend from its cheeks to its shoulders.

Cheek Pouch Function

In the wild, golden hamsters are larder hoarders, and they use these cheek pouches to transport food back to their burrows.

Etymology of Common Name

In the local Arabic dialect of the region where the species was originally found, its name translates roughly to "mister saddlebags", a reference to the large storage capacity of its cheek pouches.

Estrus Cycle

Sexually mature female golden hamsters enter estrus (heat) every four days.

Gestation Period Length

Golden hamsters and other species in the genus Mesocricetus have the shortest known gestation period of any placental mammal, at around 16 days.

Gestation Complications

Gestation can rarely last up to 21 days, but this is uncommon and almost always leads to pregnancy complications.

Litter Size

Golden hamsters can produce large litters of 20 or more young, though the average litter size is between eight and 10 pups.

Infanticide Risk

If a mother hamster is inexperienced or feels threatened, she may abandon or eat her pups.

Postpartum Estrus

A female hamster enters estrus almost immediately after giving birth, and can become pregnant even while she is already caring for an existing litter.

Consecutive Pregnancy Risks

This places high stress on the mother's body, and often results in very weak, undernourished young.