The Syrian Hamster is one of the most common hamsters sold in pet stores today.

Sadly, the Syrian Hamster has been extinct in its natural environment since the 1980s. Study of the Syrian Hamster in its native habitat indicated that in the wild they displayed fierce territoriality. They were so aggressive that they would attack any intruding body whether it was another hamster or another animal. The captive Syrian Hamster still displays aggressive behavior to other hamsters. For this reason it is not recommended to house more than one Syrian Hamster in a cage. This is not to say they do not make good pets. They do, particularly if they are handled a lot from a young age. In the wild the Syrian Hamster is a burrowing animal. They are nocturnal (meaning they sleep in the day and are active at night). They have highly acute senses of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight. This may be an adaptation from living primarily at night. The Syrian Hamster is an active breed. In the wild, they have been known to travel as far as eight miles to collect food, and return home the same night. The recognition of their origins allows us to provide a proper home that considers their preferred behaviors. As most of us know, hamster cages come in a wide variety of sizes, materials etc. Your Syrian Hamster will do well in a wide variety of these cages, however the plastic cage is probably one of the best, but try not to have anything plastic in it. Hamsters chew everything and if they digest plastic it could make them very sick or kill them. Glass cages tend to be difficult to clean, and metal cages often rust. The glass cage is recommended for breeding, nursing and raising young, as they are draft proof. Homemade cages can also be used, but note that many will need constant repairs, as Syrian Hamsters are known for chewing through wood. It is important that cages be covered, as the Syrian can, and often will jump out and escape. Because your Syrian likes to burrow, bedding is required in the cage. The general floor can be covered in wood shavings, such as aspen, but general bedding should be used for them to make their 'nests'. Many people use paper towels and toilet paper in the bedding. Many commercial varieties of hamster bedding are available. It should be noted that wool and other fluffy bedding material could harm the hamster. It is not well digested and hamsters also become trapped in it. Straw and hay should also not be used, as hay is often dusty or moldy and the sharp edges of straws can harm your Syrian. Your Syrian will need a constant supply of water. Unlike some pets, a water bowl is not preferred, whereas a water bottle is. Because hamsters are highly active many will get them a running wheel. These are wonderful because they allow the hamster to expend a lot of energy within his home. It should be noted that while most love a running wheel, not all would use them. Overall the Syrian Hamster makes a wonderful pet, so long as he is housed individually. Unlike many hamster breeds the Syrian is one of the easiest to handle because of his large size. Some of the smaller breeds are very jumpy and nervous making them difficult to handle.

The Syrian Hamster also known as the 'Common Hamster' or 'Golden Hamster' is one of the larger breeds of hamster. The natural color of the Syrian Hamster is golden, but because this species has been kept in captivity for so long, a rainbow of color morphs has appeared. Some of the common colors include; Cinnamon, Rust, Gray, Yellow, Honey, Lilac, Blonde, Copper, Sable, Ivory, Black, Mink, and Tortoiseshell. The Syrian Hamster is also seen in black eyed and red-eyed varieties. Eye color can be dependant on coat color.

Most hobbyists do not advise housing a female for more than one day. The female is the dominant sex and may kill the male. In general, these hamsters do not do well if they are caged in the company of others; they are even known to fight against the same sex. There are always exceptions, however, and some hobbyists have reported housing males with females without any ill effects.

Hamsters do have powerful jaws, even tame hamsters will bite if mishandled, and therefore children should be supervised when handling a hamster to ensure they are not bitten because of mishandling.

Signs of illness include changes in stool. Checking droppings periodically for diarrhea or lack of droppings is a good way to measure the health of your Syrian Hamster.

If you are going to breed, the female must be placed into the male's cage only when in heat and left for about 20-30 minutes to mate. The female must them be removed to prevent fighting. The gestation period is 16 days and babies can be weaned at 3-4 weeks of age.

Syrian mothers are reported to be very protective over their pups. It has also been reported that mothers may be more inclined to eat their pups if the pups are handled. For this reason the pups should not be touched for at least four weeks. It is also important to keep hands clean before touching the cage or the nest.

Syrians as babies may be housed together. Keep in mind that they can start breeding by 5 weeks of age and should be separated into male and female cages by that age. By the age of 8-10 weeks they become mature enough to realize that they are solitary animals you should only be kept one to a cage. If they are not separated they will become stressed and injuries and death are a possibility. It is important to let young hamster sleep as much as they need to.