For
50 years the Syrian hamster was thought to be extinct but a single litter
was discovered in Syria in 1930. It is from this one litter that all pet
Syrian hamsters have descended.
Life
expectancy
2
years.
Temperament
/ Behaviour
·They are nocturnal. They can be a bit docile and
sometimes grumpy if handled during the day, but in the evening and at night
they become very active. For this reason they may not necessarily ideal
for children.
·In general they are quite friendly and don't normally
bite.
·If they get cold they can hibernate.
Company
·Syrian hamsters live solitary lives and must not
be mixed. They do however seem happy to be handled and enjoy human company.
Mixing
/ Introducing
·They must not be mixed. They will fight another hamster
to the death.
Diet
What
we feed: A complete hamster food e.g. Harry Hamster.
Treats:Fresh
fruit and vegetables. Tiny amounts of biscuit.
Do
not feed:Chocolate as they may put it in their pouches and
it will melt and get stuck. Oak leaves, buttercups or hemlock.
Accommodation
·A tank or cage is fine, but generally cages are more
interesting as the hamster can climb. They need wood to gnaw on.
·In the wild they would run up to five miles a night
in search of food so a solid exercise wheel should be in the accommodation.
·Minimum tank size: 75cm x 30cm.
Cage with 2 levels: 60cm x 30cm.
Cage with 3 levels: 45cm x 30cm
Obviously
the larger the accommodation generally the better it is.
Maintenance
·Food and water must be changed daily.
·Cages will need cleaning weekly. Bedding should be
checked daily for any uneaten food or faeces.
An adult should give the Syrian hamster aweekly health check.
IN CASES OF
CRUELTY, NEGLECT OR IN AN EMERGENCY TEL: 0300 1234 999 (24 HOUR)
