Syrian

The Syrian (golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus) is a small rodent with expandable cheek pouches that stretch from the cheeks to the shoulders. Adults can reach around 18 cm long. Females are usually larger than males, at roughly 100-150 g, while Syrians from private breeders can weigh 175-225 g.

Syrians are larger than many dwarf hamsters, up to five times larger, though the wild European hamster is bigger still.

Most hamsters in British pet shops are Syrians. They come in many colours and patterns, including cream, white, blonde, cinnamon, tortoiseshell, black, grey, dominant spot, banded and dilute, and in long-haired, satin and rex coat types.

Syrians come from an arid region of northern Syria and southern Turkey. They were first described in the 1797 second edition of The Natural History of Aleppo, written by two Scottish physicians living in Syria, and were recognised as a distinct species in 1839 by the British zoologist George Robert Waterhouse.

In 1930 the zoologist Israel Aharoni captured a mother and her litter in Aleppo. Their descendants were bred in Jerusalem, then reached Britain in 1931. Some went to the Zoological Society of London in 1932, and in 1937 their descendants were passed to private breeders.

The first commercial hamster breeder, Gulf Hamstery, began in 1946. DNA studies show all domestic Syrians descend from a single female, probably the one caught in 1930.

In the wild they are now endangered because of habitat loss to agriculture and deliberate elimination by humans.

Syrians are docile and inquisitive, which is part of their appeal as pets. They are solitary, very territorial and intolerant of one another, and attacks between them are common. Same-sex groups of siblings may live together until about eight weeks old, after which they become territorial and can fight, sometimes to the death.

They mark their territory with scent from flank glands on the hips. Males in particular lick the area and drag their sides along objects.

In the wild they hoard food, carrying it in their cheek pouches to their burrows. In laboratories they are mainly nocturnal, doing about 80% of their activity at night, but wild Syrians seem to be active at dawn and dusk or in the daytime.

Captive Syrians in small cages gnaw the bars more. In one study, all those given 40 or 80 cm of bedding built burrows like wild ones.

Females have a lifespan of around 1.5-2 years.

They are sensitive to their housing, and welfare concerns include undersized cages, noise, excessive handling and the presence of dogs and cats. Wet tail (proliferative ileitis) is a known condition, and its risk rises with poor hygiene and high stress.

Wheels that are too small are linked to permanent spinal curvature, especially in young animals, and rungs or mesh running surfaces can cause injury or bumblefoot.

Females have a 4-day heat cycle and a gestation of about 16 days, the shortest known in any placental mammal. Gestation lasting up to 21 days is rare and almost always brings complications.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

How long do Syrian hamsters live?

Females have a lifespan of around 1.5-2 years.

How big do Syrian hamsters get?

Adults can reach about 18 cm long; females weigh roughly 100-150 g, with some from private breeders reaching 175-225 g. Females are usually larger than males.

Are Syrian hamsters good pets?

They are popular because they are docile, inquisitive, cute and small. They can be sensitive to their housing, though, and although some people think of them as pets for young children, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends them only for people over 6, with adult supervision.

Can Syrian hamsters live together?

Generally not: they are solitary, very territorial and intolerant of one another, and attacks are common, though same-sex siblings can stay together until about eight weeks old.

Are Syrian hamsters nocturnal?

In laboratories they are nocturnal, doing about 80% of their activity at night. Wild ones seem to be active at dawn and dusk or in the daytime.

Their local Arabic name roughly means "mister saddlebags", because of their roomy cheek pouches.

Long-haired Syrians are nicknamed "teddy bears", and males grow a longer "skirt" of fur around the backside.

A Syrian pregnancy lasts around 16 days, and litters average eight to 10 pups, though 20 or more are possible.

Syrians are also used in scientific research, and SARS-CoV-2 transmits efficiently in them.