[2] Turkish hamsters have lifespans of about two years[2] and are solitary,[2][4] nocturnal animals, which practice hibernation.

[3] It is named after Johann Friedrich von Brandt, a German-born Russian zoologist and first Director of the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Science in St.

[5] Hamsters are found in the wild throughout Europe and Asia[1][2] and are considered to be extremely adaptable,[1] living in scrublands, sand dunes, desert steppes and farmlands.

[1][6] The land where the Turkish hamster lives is extremely dry and open, with fairly little vegetation aside from grasses.

[1] These burrows are complex, consisting of several tunnels leading to separate cells for nesting, food, and waste.

[1][2][4] Turkish hamsters have fairly varied diets,[1] subsisting primarily on grains and herbs.

[1] In 1996, the Turkish hamster was categorized as an animal with the lowest risk of extinction,[1] but due to cases of direct poisoning by farmers, it is now near threatened.