Temperament and company
The Syrian hamster, also called the golden hamster, lives alone in the wild and defends its territory. Two adults in one cage will fight and can injure each other badly, so keep one on its own. Living alone is not a punishment for it but its natural way of life.
It sleeps through the day and wakes in the evening. Woken in daytime, it may take fright and bite. It suits someone who is home in the evenings and enjoys watching an animal, and suits a small child who wants to play in the daytime less well.
Housing
A hamster needs as much room as you can give it: a cage or tank deep enough for a thick layer of bedding, because it loves to dig burrows. It needs a sleeping house, a few hideaways and a corner where it can store food. Do not clear out its whole store at once: hoarding is natural behaviour.
The wheel must be big enough for its back to stay straight while it runs, with a solid running surface: feet get caught between rungs or bars. Keep the home somewhere quiet, away from direct sun, heaters and draughts. Clean it in parts so you do not wipe out its whole scent-marked world.
Feeding
The basis is a food made for hamsters. Add a little fresh vegetable and, now and then, some animal protein such as cooked egg or insects, because hamsters are omnivores. Give sweet fruit only occasionally and in small pieces.
Clean water must always be available. A Syrian hamster can bite through a brittle drinking tube, so choose a sturdy bottle with a metal spout or a heavy bowl. Untreated wooden chews help wear down its ever-growing teeth.
Handling
Get it used to your hands patiently, and only in the evening when it is already awake. Let it sniff your palm first, offer a treat, then scoop it up in both hands. Hold it low, over a table or sitting on the floor: a fall from your hands can injure it.
Do not reach in from above or wake it when it is asleep: a frightened hamster bites. Children should hold it only with an adult watching.
Everyday health care
Check your hamster every week: clear eyes and nose, a dry, clean coat around the tail, front teeth and nails that are not overgrown. Look at its cheek pouches: if they stay swollen, see a vet. Weigh it regularly, as weight loss may be the first sign of illness.
Find a vet who sees rodents before you need one.
What you will need
- A roomy cage or tank with deep bedding Cages · 847 products
- Bedding deep enough to burrow in Bedding · 401 products
- A large wheel with a solid running surface Wheels · 74 products
- Food made for hamsters Food · 2,671 products
- A heavy bowl and a sturdy water bottle with a metal spout Bowls & Feeders · 258 products
- A sleeping house and hideaways
- Chews and tunnels Toys · 259 products
- A carrier for trips to the vet Carriers & Crates · 57 products
The links lead to product categories, never to a product or a brand. Not a recommendation.
When to see a vet now
See a vet straight away if your hamster stops eating or drinking, the fur around its tail is wet or dirty, it has diarrhoea, breathes with effort, is dull or you see blood. A small animal weakens fast, so do not wait.
Sources
Lifespan, weight, social needs and diet are taken from these sources. The text is our own.