The Basics
A Syrian hamster lives alone, because adults fight. It needs a cage with at least 100 x 50 cm of floor, about 20 cm or more of soft bedding to burrow in, a solid wheel big enough that its back stays straight while it runs (for a Syrian, about 27 to 32 cm across), a good hamster food mix with a little fresh food, and a quiet room where it can sleep through the day. Hamsters usually live about 2 years, sometimes a little longer, and are awake at night.
Home: Cage, Bedding and Wheel
Many hamster cages are sold too small, so measure the floor before you buy, wherever you buy. A hamster in the wild runs kilometres a night, so give it as much floor as you can.
- Cage: at least 100 x 50 cm of floor. Bin cages and glass tanks with a mesh lid work well and hold deep bedding. Bar spacing must be under 1 cm so it cannot squeeze out. See our cages.
- Bedding: 20 cm deep or more, paper-based or aspen, so it can dig tunnels. No cotton fluff (it wraps around legs) and no scented pine or cedar shavings. See bedding.
- Wheel: about 27 to 32 cm across for a Syrian, with a solid running surface. If its back bends while running, the wheel is too small.
- Extras: a hideout, a sand bath (chinchilla sand, not dust), chew sticks and a water bottle.
We do not recommend hamster balls. They can be stressful, and the air inside is poor.
Food
Feed a good hamster mix or pellets every evening, about a tablespoon, and expect your hamster to hoard it. Add a small piece of fresh food a few times a week: cucumber, carrot, capsicum, broccoli or a little apple without seeds. Hamsters also need some protein, such as a bit of plain boiled egg. Never feed citrus fruits, onion, garlic, raw beans, almonds, chocolate, or sticky foods that can jam in their cheek pouches. Remove fresh food from the hoard the next day so it does not rot.
Day and Night
Hamsters sleep in the day and wake up in the evening. Keep the cage in a room that is quiet by day and away from your bed if you are a light sleeper; wheels squeak and hamsters dig at night. Do not wake a sleeping hamster to play. It is the most common reason hamsters bite.
Handling
Let a new hamster settle for a few days. Then, in the evening, rest your hand flat in the cage with a treat on your palm and let it climb on. Lift it in your cupped hands low over a table or bed, never high up. Children should handle hamsters sitting on the floor, with an adult close by, as the RSPCA also advises.
Heat and Hamsters
In Delhi NCR summers keep the cage in a cool, airy room out of direct sun, and give a ceramic tile to lie on. In winter, do not put the cage near a heater, and watch for a hamster that becomes cold and very still: warm the room slowly and call a vet. More on keeping small pets safe through a Delhi winter in winter care.
Want a hamster? See the Syrian hamsters at our farm, or compare hamsters with guinea pigs and rabbits in which small pet suits your home.
Hamster Questions
Can two Syrian hamsters live together?
No. Adult Syrian hamsters are solitary and will fight, sometimes badly. Keep one Syrian per cage.
How long do hamsters live?
The RSPCA says hamsters usually live for up to two years, and some live longer. A big cage, deep bedding and the right food help them live a full life.
What size wheel does a hamster need?
For a Syrian, about 27 to 32 cm across with a solid running surface. Its back should stay straight while it runs.
Can hamsters eat fruit?
A little, now and then. A small piece of apple without seeds is fine. Never give citrus fruits, and keep sweet fruit as an occasional treat.
Are hamsters allowed as pets in India?
Yes. India’s Pet Shop Rules, 2018 name the hamster as a pet animal, next to dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Check your housing society’s pet rules before you bring one home.
Why is my hamster awake all night?
That is normal. Hamsters are nocturnal: they sleep in the day and run, dig and eat at night.
Sources
- RSPCA, hamsters: a lifespan of up to two years, and Syrians do not live together.
- Vet Help Direct, hamster cages: at least 100 x 50 x 50 cm, deep bedding, a wheel the hamster can run on without arching its spine, and Syrians live alone.
- Blue Cross, hamster care: a Syrian wheel of 27 to 32 cm and at least 20 cm of bedding.
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018: rule 2(1)(j) lists the hamster as a pet animal.
In the shop Hamsters