How to Care for a Syrian Hamster

Syrian Hamsters, also called Golden Hamsters, make gentle, friendly pets and require a minimum of care. Many children start with hamsters as a "first pet" and the Syrian Hamsters deserve their popularity. They do have certain basic maintenance requirements to stay healthy, happy and cheerful.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Give your Syrian Hamster its own cage. They will fight and kill other hamsters if not housed alone. Choose an escape-proof cage that's as large as possible to give the hamster room to exercise.

2. Keep your hamster cage out of direct sunlight to avoid dehydration, away from drafts and secure from larger pets.

3. Line the cage with aspen chips or recycled paper bedding rather than pine or cedar, which have oils that can make hamsters sick. Stay away from cotton nesting material sold in pet stores which can hurt the hamster if eaten, and also get twisted around the toes. Shred toilet paper or facial tissue for a harmless, inexpensive cozy nest.

4. Feed hamster pellets, supplemented with nuts, most fruits except citrus, vegetables, cheese shavings and a bit of boiled egg. Install a water bottle rather than an easily-tipped water dish. Remove uneaten food daily.

5. Clean the cage at least once a week or more, depending on how soiled the bedding gets. Vinegar and diluted disinfectant soap remove urine stains and odor. Keep the hamster in a travel carrier or secure space while cleaning, and make sure to dry the cage completely before returning the little guy back home.

6. Consider buying a "jumbo" exercise wheel. Even though they're designed for rats, bigger wheels help hamsters avoid back problems. Also provide toys and climbing surfaces for your pet. Expect your hamster to run at night; if noise bothers you get a silent wheel and keep it oiled with vegetable oil.

7. Provide a hamster hideaway, such as a small cardboard, wooden or plastic box, or even half a coconut or a small flower pot. Bear in mind that anything chewable will have to be replaced often.

8. Hold the hamster carefully in both hands over the cage to avoid escapes and falls. Let shy hamsters climb a hamster ladder or toy and then lift the toy carefully out of the cage.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't scare the hamster by chasing it around the cage with your hand; the hamster nipping to defend itself. Hamsters may also nip if handled too much in the daytime, which is their natural sleep time.
• Never feed citrus or chocolate to a hamster.
• Watch for signs of illness and bring it to a veterinarian if it seems sick. A Syrian Hamster's natural life span is two to three years.