Consumption and utilization of natural foods by the common hamster

Górecki, Andrzej; Grygielska, Małgorzata

doi:10.4098/at.arch.75-20

Cited by 17 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…We therefore designed this experimental study specifically to analyse the impact of natural-based diets composed of cereals supplemented with natural protein-rich items on the reproductive investment and ultimately on the reproductive success of captive female hamsters. This design is based on the study of Gorecki & Grygielska [33], and on the postulate of Nechay [34] which states that wild female hamsters do not emerge from their burrow before their first gestation. They thus rely on the food they hoarded the previous summer (mainly seeds) until gestation occurs, then supplement their diet with fresh food items, including plants available in spring, such as clover or invertebrates such as earthworms during gestation and lactation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diets derived from maize monoculture cause maternal infanticides in the endangered European hamster due to a vitamin B3 deficiency

et al. 2017

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From 1735 to 1940, maize-based diets led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people from pellagra, a complex disease caused by tryptophan and vitamin B3 deficiencies. The current cereal monoculture trend restricts farmland animals to similarly monotonous diets. However, few studies have distinguished the effects of crop nutritional properties on the reproduction of these species from those of other detrimental factors such as pesticide toxicity or agricultural ploughing. This study shows that maize-based diets cause high rates of maternal infanticides in the European hamster, a farmland species on the verge of extinction in Western Europe. Vitamin B3 supplementation is shown to effectively restore reproductive success in maize-fed females. This study pinpoints how nutritional deficiencies caused by maize monoculture could affect farmland animal reproduction and hence their fitness.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diets derived from maize monoculture cause maternal infanticides in the endangered European hamster due to a vitamin B3 deficiency

et al. 2017

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“…Hamsters are more or less polyphagous and thus forage on a variety of food species and types. In natural habitats in Poland, the diet mainly consisted of green parts and seeds of wheat and poppy (45%), clover, rape, beet, maize, lucerne and occasionally invertebrates (6.2%;GÓRECKI and GRYGIELSKA 1975). In cities, ornamental plants and fruit trees provide supplemental high quality food such as blossoms, fruits and seeds of chestnut, sycamore, plum, honey locust, oak, walnut, filbert, rowan, arrow-wood, pear, apple and cherry , and vegetables (e.g., potatoes, corn and beans; .…”

Section: Potential Factors Facilitating Synurbismmentioning

confidence: 99%

The common hamster as a synurbist: a history of settlement in european cities

Feoktistova¹,

Surov²,

Tovpinetz³

et al. 2013

Zoologica Poloniae

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Following the expansion of agriculture in the Neolithic period, the common hamster has spread throughout Europe, and occurred abundantly until the recent past. However, in the last 45 years, populations declined markedly, partly attributable to urbanization and to major changes in agricultural practices. As a result, the species has been considered endangered at international levels as well as in most European countries. At the same time, the species has established populations in large Central and Eastern-European cities such as Vienna (Austria), Simferopol (Ukraine) and Nalchik (Russia), where it inhabits green spaces such as parks, gardens, embankments and buffer strips. In an attempt to reveal factors enabling hamsters to cope with urban environments, we reviewed historical data and habitat conditions of several urban hamster populations. We suggest that supplemental food resources and reduced predation pressure were the main factors promoting urban occurrence of common hamsters in the last 30 years. Its notable adaptability may be associated with higher stress resilience, ecological opportunism, polyphagy and higher fertility compared to species Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/13/18 9:19 AM 114 NATALIA -YU. relying on non-urban habitats. The phenomenon of synurbization implies coexistence of wildlife and our urban civilization, but at the same time conflicting interests in conservation and urban development. Thus, the common hamster might serve as a model species for efficient mitigation and compensation concepts in urbanism and spatial planning.

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“…Males and females weigh on average 350 g and 250 g, respectively, with important seasonal and local variations [23,24]. Hamsters are omnivorous and feed on seeds, roots, green parts of plants, invertebrates and small vertebrates [23,25]. This species is described as territorial and very aggressive [14,18,23,26], although no studies have investigated the behavioural responses of hamsters towards predators.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Captive-reared European hamsters follow an offensive strategy during risk-assessment

et al. 2019

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Understanding whether captive-reared animals destined to reintroduction are still able to discriminate predators has important implications for conservation biology. The endangered European hamster benefits from conservation programs throughout Europe, in which several thousand individuals are released into the wild every year. Despite this, the anti-predator strategy of hamsters and their ability to maintain predator discrimination in captivity remain to be investigated. Here, we explore the predator discrimination behaviour of captive-reared European hamsters and their response to different predation cues. When first exposed to the urine of cats and goats in a Y-maze test, hamsters spent more time close to the cat scent rather than to the goat scent. In a second experiment, during which hamsters were exposed to a non-mobile European ferret (inside a cage), hamsters significantly increased the time spent close to the ferret’s cage and displayed aggressive behaviour towards the ferret. Furthermore, they did not take refuge inside an anti-predation tube (APT), a device designed to upgrade wildlife underpasses and reconnect wild hamster populations. Finally, when exposed to a mobile ferret (but without physical contact), hamsters displayed mobbing and aggressive behaviours towards the ferret, before taking refuge inside the APT. Taken together, our results show that captive-reared hamsters are still able to detect and react to predation cues, but that they initially adopt an offensive strategy (grunting, spitting, mobbing) during the risk-assessment phase. After risk assessment, however, hamsters used the APT as a refuge. Our study provides important insights into the anti-predator behaviour of hamsters. Testing the efficacy of the APT, a device that will allow upgrading wildlife underpasses for the hamster and other rodents, is also of great importance and is instrumental in conservation efforts for these species.

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Consumption and utilization of natural foods by the common hamster

Cited by 17 publications

References 7 publications

Diets derived from maize monoculture cause maternal infanticides in the endangered European hamster due to a vitamin B3 deficiency

Diets derived from maize monoculture cause maternal infanticides in the endangered European hamster due to a vitamin B3 deficiency

The common hamster as a synurbist: a history of settlement in european cities

Captive-reared European hamsters follow an offensive strategy during risk-assessment

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