Syrian Hamsters have specific care needs just like any other exotic pet. Consider these important elements to a hamster's health and happiness before buying your first hamster and throughout your time as an owner! It's never too late to improve your hamster care knowledge and skills.
Hamster Care
FOOD AND TREATS
The best hamster food on the market is actually mouse/rat rodent blocks (Oxbow or Mazuri are the brands I use). They may look dry and unappetizing to humans, but they but have all of the essential vitamins and nutrients little hamsters need. Plus, gnawing on the firm blocks help keep their always-growing teeth trim. Colorful hamster seed mixes are an excellent treat or to supplement the blocks, just not as their primary food source! 80% blocks and 20% seeds is an acceptable diet for any age hamster.
My hamster's favorite treats are sunflower seeds, baby carrots, apple slices, spinach, lettuce, parsley, and hardboiled eggs.
Here is a useful list of safe / unsafe produce and treats for your hamster!
WATER
You can use either a small, heavy water bowl (so it doesn't get tipped over) or a classic rodent water bottle. Hamsters may chew through plastic, so many owners use sturdy glass water bottles or ceramic water bowls instead of plastic just to be safe.
TEMPERATURE
Hamsters thrive at between 65 and 80° F (18 to 26° C). Any hotter and they can suffer from heat stroke, and any lower could put them into a dangerous state of torpor (false hibernation). Either of these conditions are very dangerous, even fatal, so always be aware of your hamster's room temperature!
COMPANIONS
You are your hamster's best friend! Please never attempt to house two Syrian Hamsters together in one cage, even temporarily. They are solitary animals and will aggressively fight if placed together. I've seen hamsters with injuries ranging from mild (cuts and bites) to severe (permanent paralysis) due to misinformed or negligent owners. I promise, your hamster is not lonely and does not want a friend.
If you see hamsters at the pet store housed together, they are either A) A completely different species of hamster or B) Young siblings between 4 to 8 weeks old who have not yet hit "territorial puberty". Once they do, they will need to be separated immediately for their own safety.
ENRICHMENT
Hamsters love to explore! Hiding treats around their cage for them to dig up and discover, or letting them climb all over you (while you're safely seated on the floor and closed off from other pets) is a fun way to bond with your pet.
GROOMING
Never bathe your hamster! They wash themselves more often than cats, and would be highly stressed and potentially even catch a cold from being placed into water. Instead, you may offer them a little sand bath for bathing. Plain reptile sand (free of calcium or dyes) or commercial play sand (baked at 400 degrees for at least one hour) are both acceptable as hamster sand baths.
If your hamster has long fur (especially if they're a male), they may need some help smoothing out matted fur or removing bits of bedding. You can gently help with a toothbrush or fine-toothed comb.
SAFETY
Please do not introduce your hamster to any other animals. It only takes a split second for a sweet dog or a gentle cat to make a mistake, even on accident, and cause irreversible harm to your little hamster. It's never worth risking your pet's safety for a cute photo!
The best hamster food on the market is actually mouse/rat rodent blocks (Oxbow or Mazuri are the brands I use). They may look dry and unappetizing to humans, but they but have all of the essential vitamins and nutrients little hamsters need. Plus, gnawing on the firm blocks help keep their always-growing teeth trim. Colorful hamster seed mixes are an excellent treat or to supplement the blocks, just not as their primary food source! 80% blocks and 20% seeds is an acceptable diet for any age hamster.
My hamster's favorite treats are sunflower seeds, baby carrots, apple slices, spinach, lettuce, parsley, and hardboiled eggs.
Here is a useful list of safe / unsafe produce and treats for your hamster!
WATER
You can use either a small, heavy water bowl (so it doesn't get tipped over) or a classic rodent water bottle. Hamsters may chew through plastic, so many owners use sturdy glass water bottles or ceramic water bowls instead of plastic just to be safe.
TEMPERATURE
Hamsters thrive at between 65 and 80° F (18 to 26° C). Any hotter and they can suffer from heat stroke, and any lower could put them into a dangerous state of torpor (false hibernation). Either of these conditions are very dangerous, even fatal, so always be aware of your hamster's room temperature!
COMPANIONS
You are your hamster's best friend! Please never attempt to house two Syrian Hamsters together in one cage, even temporarily. They are solitary animals and will aggressively fight if placed together. I've seen hamsters with injuries ranging from mild (cuts and bites) to severe (permanent paralysis) due to misinformed or negligent owners. I promise, your hamster is not lonely and does not want a friend.
If you see hamsters at the pet store housed together, they are either A) A completely different species of hamster or B) Young siblings between 4 to 8 weeks old who have not yet hit "territorial puberty". Once they do, they will need to be separated immediately for their own safety.
ENRICHMENT
Hamsters love to explore! Hiding treats around their cage for them to dig up and discover, or letting them climb all over you (while you're safely seated on the floor and closed off from other pets) is a fun way to bond with your pet.
GROOMING
Never bathe your hamster! They wash themselves more often than cats, and would be highly stressed and potentially even catch a cold from being placed into water. Instead, you may offer them a little sand bath for bathing. Plain reptile sand (free of calcium or dyes) or commercial play sand (baked at 400 degrees for at least one hour) are both acceptable as hamster sand baths.
If your hamster has long fur (especially if they're a male), they may need some help smoothing out matted fur or removing bits of bedding. You can gently help with a toothbrush or fine-toothed comb.
SAFETY
Please do not introduce your hamster to any other animals. It only takes a split second for a sweet dog or a gentle cat to make a mistake, even on accident, and cause irreversible harm to your little hamster. It's never worth risking your pet's safety for a cute photo!
New Hamster Setup
CHOOSING A CAGE
Syrian hamsters require a bare minimum of 360 sq inches of cage floor space, which is the size of a 20 gallon (long) glass tank. Many breeders recommend a minimum of 450 sp inches of floor space for their hamsters, which is the size of a 40 gallon glass tank.
A bigger cage is always better and will result in a happier, healthier pet!
Syrian hamsters require a bare minimum of 360 sq inches of cage floor space, which is the size of a 20 gallon (long) glass tank. Many breeders recommend a minimum of 450 sp inches of floor space for their hamsters, which is the size of a 40 gallon glass tank.
A bigger cage is always better and will result in a happier, healthier pet!
GOOD
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BAD
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Choosing a Running Wheel
A running wheel is an essential part of any hamster's habitat. In the wild they've been known to run up to five miles every night!
Your hamster, though safe indoors, needs a safe way to get out all that nocturnal energy.
A running wheel is an essential part of any hamster's habitat. In the wild they've been known to run up to five miles every night!
Your hamster, though safe indoors, needs a safe way to get out all that nocturnal energy.
GOOD
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BAD
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BAD
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BEDDING
Bedding (also called "substrate") is the stuffing placed in the bottom of the cage for the hamster to walk on and dig into. Hamsters love to burrow, so make sure to fill their cage with at least a few inches of bedding!
Bedding (also called "substrate") is the stuffing placed in the bottom of the cage for the hamster to walk on and dig into. Hamsters love to burrow, so make sure to fill their cage with at least a few inches of bedding!
GOOD
Paper pulp or shavings: Great absorbency, soft and good for burrowing, many brands and colors available Aspen or Pine shavings: When kiln dried and packaged for animal use, it's the best wood-shaving option for hamster's sensitive respiratory systems |
BAD
Cedar shavings: Very dangerous, can cause seizures in small animals due to the wood fumes. Raw wood shavings: Such as from a lumber yard. Potentially harmful, even if treated. Hamsters have very sensitive respiratory systems and the dust can get into their lungs. |
HIDE AND TOYS
Hamsters love to do a few things most of all: eat, run, hide, and chew! Since you've picked out their food and a running wheel by now, that only leaves the last two things... hiding and chewing. A hide is somewhere a hamster can go out of sight to rest. They'll often build a cozy little nest in their hide, and don't want to be disturbed during the daytime. It should be large enough for the hamster to fit into, plus room to hide a few midnight snacks. Some hamsters can't seem to resist chewing their hides, even if it's plastic, so for these cases I recommend wooden hides.
Chew toys come in all shapes and sizes. Have fun picking them out, or get creative and try making your own!
Hamsters love to do a few things most of all: eat, run, hide, and chew! Since you've picked out their food and a running wheel by now, that only leaves the last two things... hiding and chewing. A hide is somewhere a hamster can go out of sight to rest. They'll often build a cozy little nest in their hide, and don't want to be disturbed during the daytime. It should be large enough for the hamster to fit into, plus room to hide a few midnight snacks. Some hamsters can't seem to resist chewing their hides, even if it's plastic, so for these cases I recommend wooden hides.
Chew toys come in all shapes and sizes. Have fun picking them out, or get creative and try making your own!
"Can I put my hamster in a ball?"
I do not support the use of hamster balls as enrichment. Rodents explore their environment using their smell, touch, and taste, and being put into a plastic ball eliminates their ability to experience their surroundings using those senses. They can become extremely disoriented and frightened, and have no way to voluntarily exit the ball or take a break for food or water.
"But he needs his exercise!"
Every hamster's cage should include a large, safe running wheel so he or she can run as much as they'd like, eliminating the need for "exercise time" in a ball.
"But he loves his ball!"
How can you tell? Just because he is running (and making the ball move) does not mean he is enjoying the experience. Due to a hamster's strong instincts to run, dig, and hide, hamsters will generally run non-stop until they are removed from the ball.
"How else would I take him out to play?"
Hamsters would love to be taken out of their cage to explore, just not in a plastic ball. Make sure you are in a safe, contained area where the hamster cannot squeeze under anything dangerous (such as into a couch or under a fridge). Many pet stores sell small fences or tents you can set up for hamster playtime, or you can use something you have at home, like a dry bathtub, kiddie pool, or even your bed! Just make sure to watch your hamster at all times, as they have poor depth perception and are known to be brave and jump or fall off very high surfaces.
I do not support the use of hamster balls as enrichment. Rodents explore their environment using their smell, touch, and taste, and being put into a plastic ball eliminates their ability to experience their surroundings using those senses. They can become extremely disoriented and frightened, and have no way to voluntarily exit the ball or take a break for food or water.
"But he needs his exercise!"
Every hamster's cage should include a large, safe running wheel so he or she can run as much as they'd like, eliminating the need for "exercise time" in a ball.
"But he loves his ball!"
How can you tell? Just because he is running (and making the ball move) does not mean he is enjoying the experience. Due to a hamster's strong instincts to run, dig, and hide, hamsters will generally run non-stop until they are removed from the ball.
"How else would I take him out to play?"
Hamsters would love to be taken out of their cage to explore, just not in a plastic ball. Make sure you are in a safe, contained area where the hamster cannot squeeze under anything dangerous (such as into a couch or under a fridge). Many pet stores sell small fences or tents you can set up for hamster playtime, or you can use something you have at home, like a dry bathtub, kiddie pool, or even your bed! Just make sure to watch your hamster at all times, as they have poor depth perception and are known to be brave and jump or fall off very high surfaces.
Sources
- Meredith, Susan (2000). Hamsters. Tulsa, Okla. : EDC Pub. p. 30. ISBN 9780794507961. 2020.
- Hill, Lorraine. Caring for your hamster. 2004.
- Franklin, TN : Dalmatian Press. p. 64. ISBN 9781403708854. 2020.
- Rayner, Matthew (2004). Hamster. Milwaukee, Wis. : Gareth Stevens. ISBN 9780836846171.
- "Leaflet No. 62 - Pets, accessories contrary to animal welfare" (PDF). TVT. Germany: TVT. 2020.
- "Hamster Balls: RSPCA companion animals pet care position". RSPCA. 2021.
- Coutinho A.E., Fediuc S., Campbell J.E., and Riddell, M.C. 2006. Metabolic effects of voluntary wheel running in young and old Syrian golden hamsters. Physiology and Behavior 87: 360-367.
- Gattermann R., Weinandy R., and Fritzsche P. 2004. Running-wheel activity and body composition in golden hamsters. Physiology and Behavior 82: 541-544.
- Reebs, S.G.; Maillet, D. (2003). "Effect of cage enrichment on the daily use of running wheels by Syrian hamsters". Chronobiology International. 20 (1): 9–20. doi:10.1081/CBI-120018329. PMID 12638687. S2CID 21925891.
- Gebhardt-Henrich, S.G., Vonlanthen, E.M., and Steiger, A., 2005, How does the running wheel affect the behavior and reproduction of golden hamsters kept as pets, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 95: 199-203.
- Sherwin, C.M., 1998, The use and perceived importance of three resources which provide caged laboratory mice the opportunity of extended locomotion, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 55: 353-367.
- Beaulieu, A.; Reebs, S.G. (2009). "Effects of bedding material and running wheel surface on paw wounds in Syrian hamsters". Laboratory Animals. 43 (1): 85–90.
- Veillette, M.; Guitard, J.; Reebs, S.G. (2010). "Cause and possible treatments of foot lesions in captive Syrian hamsters". Veterinary Medicine International. 2010: 951708.
- Reebs, S. G.; St-Onge, P (2005). "Running wheel choice by Syrian hamsters". Laboratory Animals. 39 (4): 442–451. doi:10.1258/002367705774286493. PMID 16197712.
- Mrosovsky, N.; Salmon, P.A.; Vrang, N. (1998). "Revolutionary science: an improved running wheel for hamsters". Chronobiology International. 15 (2): 147–158. PMID 9562919.
- Banjanin, S., and Mrosovsky, N., 2000, Preferences of mice for different types of running wheel, Laboratory Animals, 34: 313–318.