The black-striped hamster (Cricetulus Barabensis), also known as the groundhog, is a typical mammal. The black-striped hamster is a dominant species in some provinces north of the Yellow River in China. For agriculture, they are harmful animals that spread diseases.
Chinese name: Black-striped hamster
Scientific name: Cricetulus Barabensis
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Cricetinae
Genus: Cricetulus
Species: Black-striped hamster
Distribution: Mongolia, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Central Asia
The black-striped hamster mainly inhabits the wild, and its burrows are mostly built on high field ridges, ditch edges, and mound backs above the water surface. The habitat is very extensive, especially in sandy soil. It can be found in grasslands, mountains, plain farmland, sparse forests, etc., mainly building burrows in dry environments with higher terrain such as ditches, roadsides, field ridges, wellsides, slopes, and graves. Generally, they do not move into rural areas and are more active in cultivated land, roadsides, wastelands, etc.
Its distribution in China is also found in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu. Outside of China, it is found in southern Siberia in Russia, northern Korea, and Mongolia.
It is listed as a vulnerable species in the "Red List of Endangered Species" (IUCN) ver3.1 in 2013.
It has been included in the "List of Terrestrial Wildlife Species with Beneficial or Important Economic and Scientific Research Value for National Protection" issued by the State Forestry Administration of China on August 1, 2000.
The black-striped hamster is a relatively small-sized groundhog. They have a distinct dark stripe on their back. They are good at building nests and prefer to be active at night. They mainly inhabit grasslands or semi-desert areas in the wild. They are a species of rodents with strong reproductive ability. The black-striped hamster has a diverse diet, mainly feeding on crops such as wheat, corn, and legumes.
Abscess
When hamsters fight, they may leave wounds that can become infected and form abscesses. You can squeeze out the abscess and apply medicine, but this can be painful, so it is not recommended. The best way is to take it to the vet. It is best not to keep two hamsters together, which is the fundamental solution.
Cold/Pneumonia
If your hamster wheezes, has difficulty breathing, or their eyes don't move, you should take them to the vet immediately. There are also other symptoms worth noting, such as sudden weight loss, a runny nose, and excessive sleepiness. These may be caused by a cold or pneumonia.
Tyzzer's disease
Tyzzer's disease is a contagious disease among hamsters caused by a bacterium, often leading to death. Some hamsters show no obvious symptoms before death. Others may show some minor signs, such as listlessness, dirty fur, diarrhea, and dehydration. Hamsters are more likely to contract this disease in unclean environments and under great stress. Fortunately, the chances of hamsters that are well taken care of and live in clean environments are greatly reduced.
Diabetes
Diabetes tends to occur in Campbell hamsters. A hamster with diabetes will feel very thirsty and urinate frequently. The main treatment method is to change their diet. They should not eat fruits, and the quantity of peas and corn in their food should also be restricted or eliminated. The vet will provide an accurate diagnosis and give you advice on how to take care of the hamster.
Glaucoma
Winter white hamsters are more prone to glaucoma. There is no completely cure for this. However, the vet can use some eye drops to reduce the hamster's discomfort.
Cheek pouch problems
Cheek pouches (small sacs on the hamster's cheeks used to store and transport food) can be pierced, blocked, or bitten. Symptoms include the inability to spit things out and the inability to turn the cheek pouch inside out (which is normally turned outward). When you notice these symptoms, take them to the vet immediately.
Generally, feed hamsters fewer high-protein foods to prevent cheek pouch problems. Because if there are cheek pouches, high-protein food that the hamster cannot finish at once can easily decay and cause the symptoms mentioned above.
Black-striped hamsters are typical omnivorous animals, but they mainly eat seeds and occasionally consume small amounts of insects and plants. Like other hamsters, black-striped hamsters have strong reproductive capabilities and can have many offspring in one litter, typically averaging 4-9 young, with 6 being the most common. However, they usually do not reproduce in winter.
Characteristics of black-striped hamsters
They are primarily active at night and hide in burrows during the day. They are most active before dawn and after dusk, with 19:00-21:00 being the time when they cause the most damage. In spring, they dig up and eat seeds such as wheat, corn, and peas, as well as nibble on seedlings, particularly favoring legume seedlings. During the grain filling stage of crops, they eat the ears and have the characteristic of jumping and transferring the damage. When eating fruits and melons, they selectively choose ripe and sweet ones. In autumn nights, they steal and transport mature grains and oilseeds back to their burrows for winter storage. According to tracking surveys, the damage caused by black-striped hamsters can reduce wheat yields by 12.6%-16.5%, legume yields by 9.6%-15.6%, and orchard yields by 9.0%.
They are active at night and have two activity peaks from dusk to dawn, with the most intense activity occurring from 20:00-22:00. They are more active in summer and autumn compared to spring and winter, rarely leaving their burrows during severe winters.
Reproduction of black-striped hamsters
Temperatures and rainfall are important factors that influence population fluctuations. When the average monthly temperature is 10°C, black-striped hamsters are less active, but their activity increases as the temperature reaches 15°C. The optimal temperature for reproduction is 20-25°C. The temperature in May has a significant impact on the population in autumn. If the temperature is high in May and food is plentiful, it promotes the growth and development of young rodents born that year and facilitates reproduction, leading to a significant increase in population size in autumn.
The body of the hamster is also covered with thick and dense fur. Although hamsters often clean their fur themselves, due to various factors, they can't clean it perfectly. Therefore, the owner needs to regularly comb and clean the fur of the hamster. Because hamsters have small bodies, the method of combing and cleaning the fur of hamsters is very simple. As long as the owner can spare some time, they can complete the grooming work for the hamster.
Strictly speaking, as long as the owner has time, they can comb the hamster's fur every day. But if the owner is too busy, they can comb it once every 1-2 weeks. However, during the spring and autumn season when the hamster is shedding, it still needs frequent combing. The tools for combing the hamster's fur are also very simple, such as a toothbrush, towel, and a small comb of suitable size.
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