Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus ) use spatial memory in foraging for food to hoard

We have collected evidence that a hoarding species of rodent, the Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), uses spatial memory in foraging for food to hoard. Before each trial, we baited the same four arms of a modified seven arm radial maze with sunflower seeds. During the trial we gave each hamster 15-min access to the maze and observed its behaviour. Typically their behaviour comprised two phases: Upon entering the maze the hamsters frequently explored the arms of the maze, not eating seeds nor storing seeds in their cheek pouches. This exploration was followed by food gathering. In doing this, the hamsters generally visited the baited arms in succession, placing all the seed that they found in an arm into their cheek pouches. While gathering food, the hamsters seldom revisited depleted arms, suggesting that they remembered the locations of depleted food sites.