Portrait of a Syrian Hamster
The Syrian Hamster is an adorable little rodent that can become very docile, friendly and affectionate.
Syrian hamsters, also known as golden hamsters, are 5 to 7 inches long and weigh 4 to 8 ounces.
Wild Syrian hamsters are native to Syria and Turkey and are golden brown in color with a cream or white underside.
This color is found in many domestic hamsters today, along with a wide variety of new colors and patterns, some of which are the result of careful breeding.
Domestic Syrian hamsters may be solid white, black or red with white patches, or light blue and gray shades.
Breeders have tried to create hamsters with perfect panda markings, but producing a white face and solid black parts appears to be genetically tricky.
Long-haired Syrian hamsters are of course bred very successfully and are known as "teddy bear" hamsters.
The trademark of the teddy bear hamster is the long fur skirt on both sides of the small tail.
Male teddy bear hamsters tend to be furrier than females.
Syrian hamsters in the wild live in arid areas and dig burrows deep underground.
Hamster burrows can be 10 feet deep and have several rooms.
One room is a dedicated toilet area, and this natural tendency makes pet hamsters one of the cleanest pet rodents around.
Syrian hamster cages are relatively odor-free because they choose a corner of the cage to defecate.
Additionally, as desert dwellers, Syrian hamsters do not drink much water and therefore produce very little urine compared to some smaller animals from forest habitats such as rats, mice, and rabbits.
Tamability is another reason golden hamsters are such common pets.
When they were first used in scientific research in the 1930s, laboratory workers quickly made them pets, and their popularity grew.
Today, the Syrian hamster is endangered in its native habitat, with fewer than 5,000 Syrian hamsters believed to survive in the wild.
But the domestic population of this species is estimated to be about 6 million, and it is kept as pets around the world.
Syrian hamsters are solitary animals and do not tolerate company.
Keepers separate the pups when they are a few weeks old to prevent siblings from killing each other.
Occasionally two adult hamsters, usually related, will successfully cohabitate, but in general hamsters should be kept alone.
However, they do enjoy interacting with humans and make curious, friendly, affectionate pets.
Hamster owners spend millions of dollars each year on elaborate cages, toys and treats for their little friends.
Ultimately, the only downside to having a pet Syrian hamster is their relatively short lifespan of 2 to 3 years.
Hamster Cheeks
There are approximately 19 different species of hamsters, with the Syrian hamster being one of the largest.
All hamsters have specially designed "cheek pouches" to store and carry food.
Cheek pouches are pockets of skin that extend from the mouth to the side of the body to the buttocks.
A hamster's cheeks can be filled with enough items to equal its own body weight.
Not only do they stock up on food such as seeds and fruits, but they also stock up on litter.
To empty their cheek pouches, hamsters push from the outside with their paws and from the inside with their tongues.
Others
- Syrian hamsters are also known as golden hamsters
- Teddy bear hamsters are long-haired Syrian hamsters
- They sleep during the day and wake up at night
- Hamsters' teeth never stop growing
- They have to chew on something hard to wear them down Teeth
- Hamsters can learn their names and be taught very simple tricks
