Syrians
care guide written by Bekki Fleming of Teesside Hamsters
Cages:
According to the RSPCA the minimum size required by a Syrian hamster is 75x40x40cm with floor space being more important height and levels. Though many Syrians prefer a larger cage and within the hamster enthusiast community 80x50x40cm is recommended as are minimum cage size. Bar spacing for a Syrian can be up to 12mm with no risk of escapes, all hamster cages and some rat cages have suitable bar spacing. Few cages below these size recommendations can accommodate a suitable wheel
Set ups with vast amounts of tubing connecting small compartments such as Rotastak are not advised due to the risk of a Syrian becoming stuck due to the tubes being very narrow. Also adequate floor space cannot be achieved in such set ups, also a wheel suitable for a Syrian cannot fit into such a cage, tubing by Ferplast and Savic is larger and is suitable for smaller Syrians to connect cages together if this is required.
Some cage recommendations are: Savic Hamster Heaven, Savic Mickey 2XL, Ferplast Mary, Ferplast Cricetti 15, Zooplus Barney, Zooplus Alexander, Marchioro Kevin, Hagen ZooZone 1 (for small Syrians & lid needs 12mm or smaller mesh attaching to the lid), Hagen ZooZone 2 (needs mesh attaching to the lid to prevent escapes), 3ft or larger fish tanks though any cage of suitable dimensions and bar spacing is fine.
Toys & Wheels:
Practically all toys, houses and wheels sold for hamsters are too small for an adult Syrian hamster, rat items are a much better size. A great cheap toy for a Syrian is a toilet or kitchen roll tube cut from one end to the other so they can’t get stuck, they will chew this and move it around and it will keep them entertained for a while. Many fancy houses and toys can be bought at pet shops.
A Syrian hamster requires a minimum of an 8 inch wheel, though large Syrians (200g+) benefit from having access to a larger 11-12 inch wheel or flying saucer. Some recommendations for wheels are Trixie 8 & 11 inch plastic wheels, Karlie Wonderland 8 & 12 inch wheel, 12 inch Silent Spinner or 12 inch Flying Saucer. A hamster’s back should not be arched at all whilst running so buying the biggest wheel that will fit the cage is recommended, there is no such thing as a wheel that is too big.
Food & treats:
Almost any commercially available mix is suitable for a Syrian hamster due to them not being prone to diabetes. Harry Hamster available from most pet shops is a great food and recommended within the hamster enthusiast community as being one of the best foods that is easily available. For anyone look for a premium hamster food Silver’s Mix available from ratrations.com is quoted as being the best hamster food available. Small amounts of fruits and vegetables can be fed too an amount less than the size of the animals head every few days is fine, though only feed as much as the hamster will eat there and then because if the food is pouched and put in the hamsters food store it can go mouldy.
Hamsters do not require treats and sugary bars and drops should be avoided as they are “junk food”. Healthy treats for Syrian hamsters include monkey nuts, bird millet sprays, chicken, egg white, mealworms and some dog biscuits (bonio, markies, milk bones) .
Health & behaviour
Some Syrians develop a habit of chewing their cage bars; this is bad for their teeth and if not stopped quickly can become a habit they will never grow out of. Usually bar chewing is a sign that they are bored or need a larger cage, sometimes simply upgrading their cage or providing more toys stops it ,though some Syrians will need to be moved into a tank style cage if their bar chewing becomes too extreme.
Females Syrians can develop a womb infection called Pyometra, this can usually be treated if caught early with a course of antibiotics from the Vets. Signs include blood in the genital area and very smelly cages. If this condition is not caught early it is quite often fatal.
