Syrians -

Mesocricetus auratus

 

          Syrian Hamsters are by far the most popular and biggest hamsters kept as pets.  Shops have a tendancy to call them by different names, and depending on what name they use, depends on how much they charge. They've been known as Black bear, Panda Bear, Teddy Bear hamster. They come in various colours and with either long hair or short hair. All are Syrian Hamsters, and should be known as Syrian Hamsters.  

Feeding

           As with all hamsters they need a balanced diet. Apart a good dry hamster mix, they need to get fruit, and vegatables and a portion of meat in their diet. All hamsters are omnivors, and need meat in their diet. It is important that when introducing new foods to them, it needs to be done over a period of time. If foods are introduced to quickly, it can cause them to have an upset stomach. Normally a hamster has 2 types of stool, which are a dark brown in colour, one  a hard type, which they discard, and the other is a slightly softer type which they eat, or store to eat later. Unlike humans, with an upset stomach, their loose stools are either a lighter colour, or very soft when they have an upset tummy. Severe upset tummies can cause their stools to be watery. Here is a link to the foods they can eat.  

Temperament

            Syrian Hamsters can be quite jumpy and prone to stress. It is vitally important to take your time with Syrians. When bought from a pet shop, they have usually been taken away from their mums, at very early age, usually about 4 weeks of age, and placed in an environment that is alien to them. This can be a very stressful time. All the different noises, the light on all day, people coming to handle them, all these things can affect them badly. Together with that, once taken home, they have to get used to another new environment, and this is even more stress for them. Peculiarly to Syrians there is a stress related illness that can appear out of nowhere, its called Wet Tail, and is almost always fatal. This is why its always vitally important that your hamster is given at least 3 or 4 days rest, with peace and quiete for them to have time to relax into their new home. 

Taming Your Hamster. 

          If handled properly, they will come round to you, and can be a really friendly pet. When first bought home, they will need time to settle in and get used to their surroundings, and they need to be left alone for at least 3 or 4 days for them to adjust to their new surroundings. In that time, it is advised to just talk to them, and feed them, letting them get used to you and your voice, and smell. The more they associate you with food, the more they come to learn that you aren't going to harm them.

Once this period is over then you can start to bond with them. There are quite a few different ways to do this, but this is how I do it with my hamsters that are a bit jumpy.

Never handle a hamster standing up. If they jump, and they will, the fall can give them some serious injuries, both internal and external. Some hamsters are protective of their cage, and might attack anything that is put in there. So its advisable to let the hamster come out of the cage, before handling it, or use a ladle or large cup to scoop the hasmter up in.

Get a cardboard box big enough to put the cage in it with space to allow the hamster to come out. Cut the sides down to about 1 foot deep. Put the cage and box on the floor, or on the bed. Place the cage inside the box, and open the cage door, allowing the hamster to come out on his own. Once out of the cage, take the cage out of the box, and leave the hamster to explore its new surroundings.

Now you can start to let the hamster get used to your hand. Just place your hand flat in the box, and let it come to explore and smell. Don't move, unless you think it might bite, in that case just gently move your hand away. Don't make any sudden moves, as this may scare it. Remember, this is going to be a stressful time for your hamsters, so to begin with, these bonding session should be kept short. I usually do this for about 20 minutes, and then call it a day.

If your hamster is really scared, try the big cup, or ladle to lift your hamster back into the cage, so as not to frighten it. Do this a couple of times a day. The more patience you have the better your hasmter will get to trust you.

This can be done until you begin to feel your hamster relaxing towards you. As the time goes on, and your hamster has decided that your hand is ok, place a little treat in your palm, and your hamster will eventually step onto it. The more this happens, the more relaxed he becomes, the more you can do. Eventually, your hamster will be happy to come out of the cage, directly onto your hand.

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All Pictures used on this page were used by permission of those who took them.

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