These hamsters originated in the desert areas of Syria and Syrian hamsters were first reported as far back as the 18th century.
The first hard evidence of their existence was provided by the zoologist George Waterhouse in 1839, when from an expedition to Syria he sent a hamster skeleton and skin to the Natural History Museum in London.
Almost all Syrian hamsters kept as pets today are descended from a group of hamsters which were sent to Britain and the USA in 1930 by Professor Aharoni of the University of Jerusalem and the first hamster club was set up in England in 1945.
Appearance of Syrian hamsters
Syrian hamster, SootySyrian hamsters have a broad head with large eyes and erect ears which makes them resemble to some extent a teddy bear, hence they are also sometimes referred to as teddy bear hamsters. They have stockily built, wide bodies and their best known characteristic is their cheek pouches, in which they collect their food. These extend for some way down the side of their bodies and it can be surprising how much material they can store in them.
The front feet have only four toes and the back feet have five. Syrian hamsters grow to an average of about 5-6 inches in length excluding their short tails, which are less than an inch long. They weigh about 150 grammes (5 ounces) on average and the females are typically slightly larger than the males. There are a number of different types of Syrian hamsters that have occured through mutations or selective breeding over the years. These vary mainly in colour, patterns and types of coat.
Behaviour of Syrian hamsters
Syrian hamsters live a solitary life and will only tolerate each only when they have to, such as to mate and to help with rearing the young. Young Syrian hamsters will get along fine for the first few weeks, but when they get to about 6 weeks they will start to fight very aggressively and have to be separated. It makes no difference if they are male or female, Syrian hamsters must be kept in separate cages. Syrian hamsters mark their territory with scent from glands located on their flanks and they have very poor eye sight and rely largely on smell to recognise things.
Syrian hamsters are nocturnal creatures that sleep for most of the day curled up in a nest that they will make from whatever materials are available. They become more active at dusk and dawn when they will come out in search of food. Food that they find will mainly be placed in their cheek pouches and taken back to their bedding area where it is stored for later. Dependent on conditions Syrian hamsters may hibernate, this is likely if average temperatures fall below 10oC (50oF) and virtually never occurs in hamsters living indoors with central heating.
Syrian hamster housing and bedding
Hamster cageSyrian hamsters can be kept in traditional wired cages or aquarium type cages. Wired cages have the advantages that they have bars which the hamsters like to climb and they are well ventilated although, this can lead to a mess around these cages. Aquarium type cages can be made of plastic or glass, these are tidier in use as material cannot spill out around them, however ventilation can be a problem and they can overheat in the summer.
Hamster bedding material can be hay, paper derived products or some types of dust free wood shaving, these should be used with care as allergies can occur and they can cause breathing difficulties. Syrian hamsters usually restrict their excretions to one place in their cage and with some training they can be encouraged to use small litter trays.
Care of Syrian hamsters
Syrian hamsters are self cleaning so they don’t need to be bathed, they will look after their own coats. Their claws can sometimes become too long and Syrian hamster, Troublemay need clipping. Their cages should be cleaned out about once per week, with the toilet corner being cleaned out almost daily. As hamsters store food, usually in their bedding area, this needs inspecting frequently for rotting food, particularly uneaten fresh vegetables.
Syrian hamsters need some exercise and a large enough wheel should be provided for them, otherwise they can get back problems. Some hamsters can become a bit obsessed with the wheel so you should monitor its use and if this is happening remove it from the cage at times. Syrian hamsters are very inquisitive and some interesting objects should be placed in their cage to let them explore and play and a stump of wood, twigs from fruit trees or interestingly shaped stones can keep them amused.
Handling Syrian hamsters
Syrian hamsters are easy to tame, rarely bite and will usually learn to enjoy being handled if you go about it gently and gradually. You should not wake a Syrian hamster, Sootysleeping hamster, if possible, but approach the hamster when it is well rested, awake and alert. You should approach the hamster at its eye level, not from above, and ideally wait for it to come to your hand. You can encourage this by using small snacks as treats.
When you do start to pick the hamster up you should cup your hands carefully around it and lift it gently and avoiding squeezing it tightly. The more time you spend handling your hamste the tamer it will get. Another benefit of Syrian hamsters is that once they are tamed they will remain that way for the rest of their lives, in contrast to most dwarf hamsters where maintenance regular handling is required. Although, you probably going to want to regularly handle your hamster anyway, so it's hardly a hardship is it?
Reproduction & breeding in Syrian hamsters
Female Syrian hamsters can reproduce from as early as 5 weeks old, but this is too young and can actually harm them, it is better not to let them breed until the female is about 4 months old. They can mate roughly every 4 days and you can tell when they are receptive by stroking their back and if she raises her tail, then she can be placed with a male that night. The male and female Syrian hamsters should be introduced cautiously, on neutral territory and with the female entering the area first.
The gestation period of the Syrian hamster is about 16 days and the young are born bald and blind. A mother and her young should be interrupted as little as possible or cannibalism can occur. The young can leave the nest at about 2 weeks old and they no longer require the mother hamster from about 4 weeks old. The life expectancy of a Syrian hamster is two to three years on average.
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