Syrian hamsters: size, lifespan, cage and care

What is a Syrian hamster?

The Syrian is the large, solitary hamster most people picture. It takes its other name, golden hamster, from its wild colour: golden brown on top with a pale grey belly. The MSD Veterinary Manual says most pet hamsters today descend from just three littermates caught in Syria in 1930.

You can tell a Syrian from a dwarf hamster by size alone: at 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in), it is the largest pet species. Our guide to Syrian vs dwarf hamsters sets the species side by side. Like every hamster, Syrians have stretchy cheek pouches that run back to the shoulders; MSD warns a full pouch can look like a swelling.

Syrian hamster types and varieties

There is only one Syrian species, but it comes in many colours and four coat types. Crittery Exotics, a UK exotic pet rescue, puts the number of colours and markings at over 40.

Colour makes no difference to temperament or care. The long-haired Syrian has its own page: our teddy bear hamster guide. PetMD notes long-haired hamsters sometimes need help removing debris from their fur, with a soft brush made for hamsters.

Large Syrian hamster: how big do they get?

An adult Syrian is 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) long and weighs 110 to 140 g (4 to 5 oz), according to MSD. Females are often the larger and more active of the two; Wood Green says female Syrians may need a bigger enclosure for that reason. Weigh your hamster on kitchen scales once a week: Wood Green lists sudden weight loss among the signs of serious illness.

Syrian hamster cage size

A Syrian needs at least 100 x 50 cm (40 x 20 in) of unbroken floor space. Wood Green gives 100 cm wide, 50 cm deep and 50 cm high (40 x 20 x 20 in), and PDSA gives the same floor. PetMD gives an American minimum of 450 square inches of continuous floor; 100 x 50 cm is about 775 square inches. Where the figures differ, we follow the bigger UK one, because a Syrian is a big, active hamster that is awake all night.

• At least 100 x 50 cm (40 x 20 in) of floor, not counting shelves or tubes
• Bar spacing no wider than 1 cm (about 0.4 in)
• Bedding at least 25 cm (10 in) deep over most of the floor
• A solid wheel at least 30 cm (12 in) across
• Two or more hides, including one with several rooms
• A sand bath, a scatter of food and things to chew

Most "hamster cages" in shops are smaller than this. A large glass tank, a converted storage box with a mesh lid, or one of the bigger cages in our guide to the best hamster cages will do. Our hamster cage size guide has the measurements for every species.

Syrian hamster cage set up

1. Pick the spot. The RSPCA advises a quiet room away from draughts, damp, direct sun, TVs, speakers and running water. Keep the room at 18 to 21°C (64 to 70°F), as PDSA advises.
2. Fill the bedding deep. Add paper-based bedding (substrate) at least 25 cm (10 in) deep. Wood Green suggests a digging area of 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) and avoiding wood shavings and sawdust.
3. Add the wheel. Fix a solid 30 cm (12 in) wheel so it can't wobble. If your hamster's back arches when it runs, the wheel is too small.
4. Place hides and tunnels. Give at least two hides and some tunnels, buried partly in the bedding so your hamster can build its own burrows.
5. Set up the sand bath. A shallow dish of safe sand lets your hamster roll and clean its fur.
6. Scatter the food. Wood Green recommends scattering the daily food rather than using a bowl, so your hamster forages.

How long do Syrian hamsters live?

Most Syrians live 18 months to 3 years. MSD gives 18 to 36 months, VCA gives an average of 18 to 24 months with some reaching 36, and PDSA says Syrians tend to live longer than the smaller species.

Temperament: must Syrian hamsters live alone?

Yes, always. The RSPCA says Syrians "aren't naturally sociable and should always live on their own". Hamsters don't play-fight, so any fight is serious, and two Syrians in one cage will fight as they mature. They are happiest with their own space and a human who handles them gently every evening.

VCA describes well-socialised hamsters as affectionate and fairly easy to handle, but quick to startle. They bite when they are woken suddenly or grabbed. Let your hamster know you are there, wait until it is awake and moving, and scoop it up in cupped hands. We share our home with a dwarf hamster,.

Syrian hamster food

Syrians are omnivores. Wood Green suggests about 10 g (one tablespoon) of dried hamster food a day, and PetMD advises a base diet with 15 to 25% protein. PetMD adds fresh produce in moderation, and Wood Green says to keep treats small and occasional. Our hamster diet guide covers portions and foods to avoid.

Syrian hamster toys and enrichment

A Syrian's best toys are space, deep bedding to dig in, a good wheel, and food it has to find. Add cardboard tubes, cork or wooden tunnels, hides with more than one entrance, safe chews and a sand bath, and move a few things around each week to keep it interesting. Our guide to the best hamster toys has ideas that cost almost nothing.

What is different about caring for a Syrian?

Compared with dwarf hamsters, a Syrian needs a bigger wheel, more floor space and a life alone. Bar spacing can be a little wider: PetMD gives half an inch (about 1.3 cm) for Syrians against a quarter inch (about 6 mm) for dwarfs, though Wood Green advises 1 cm (0.4 in), which we'd follow. Dwarf species can sometimes live in pairs; Syrians never can. VCA notes hamsters don't cope well with heat, so keep the cage somewhere cool in summer, and see our hamster temperature guide for the cold side, including what to do if your hamster goes limp and cold.

• Daily: check your hamster is eating, drinking and moving normally
• Daily: refill water and remove fresh food that wasn't eaten
• Every few days: spot clean the toilet corner and wet bedding
• Weekly: weigh your hamster and check teeth, eyes, bottom and coat
• Weekly: brush a long-haired Syrian gently
• Once or twice a month: a deeper clean, keeping some old bedding back

Common Syrian hamster health problems

The problems vets see most in Syrians are wet tail, skin mites, tumours, overgrown teeth, and womb infections (pyometra) in females. VCA explains wet tail is diarrhoea that most often strikes young hamsters at 3 to 10 weeks old, and says any hamster with diarrhoea must see a vet as soon as possible. Wood Green adds that it can kill within days.

Wood Green lists hair loss, red skin, heavy dandruff and small scratches as signs of fur mites, and lumps and bumps, especially in older hamsters, as possible tumours. PetMD adds overgrown teeth and Cushing's disease. Our hamster health guide shows what is normal and when to worry.

Syrian hamster for sale: where to find one

Look at rescues first. Humane World for Animals advises adopting from a local animal shelter or small animal rescue where you can, RSPCA centres, Blue Cross and Wood Green all rehome small pets, and many rescues will tell you an adult hamster's temperament before you take it home.

If you buy from a breeder, ask how old the hamster is, whether it has been handled every day, what it eats now, and whether its parents were healthy and calm. Choose one with bright eyes, a clean, dry bottom, a smooth coat and a steady walk. We couldn't find a welfare source for Syrian hamster prices, so we haven't given one. Read our guide on where to get a hamster for what to ask, and our complete hamster care guide before the first night.

Breeding Syrian hamsters is best left to experienced hobby breeders: with so many hamsters waiting in rescues, most pet owners should keep just one.