1. There are 4 genera of hamsters we use in research:
Name the genera – and might as well name the species too…
- Which is the smallest?
- Which one does NOT hibernate and which one is a TRUE hibernator?
2. We know that hamsters have ‘special’ cheek pouches:
- What is special about them and why are they that way?
- What are they often used for?
Golden (Syrian) Hamsters
3. True or false?
- They hibernate
- They need to fatten up before hibernation
- If they wake during hibernation they won’t go back into hibernation
4. What is different about the anatomy of the stomach in hamsters compared to other rodents?
5. What characteristics of their pulmonary system makes them a good model for smoke inhalation studies?
6. How are their oocytes used in a biomedical/clinical setting?
7. What is the cause of “wet tail” in hamsters?
8. Tyzzers disease in hamsters has a triad of pathologic signs: what are they?
9. What is unique about the hamster Helicobacter aurati (compared to mouse and rat Helicobacter species)
10. At what ABSL must hamsters be kept if they are infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis? Is this the same as in mice?
11. Hamster parvovirus is nearly identical to which mouse parvovirus?
12. Name three differences (2 anatomic, one epidemiologic) between the 2 cestodes that hamsters are susceptible to.. (Rodentolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta)
Other Hamsters
14. Which species is highly susceptible to oncogenic viruses? – can you name (3 or 4) oncogenic viruses?
15. In general, when breeding hamsters, the male should be taken away for raising the young. Which hamster species is the exception and you should leave the male to help raise the young?
Answers posted here
