Types of Syrian Hamster Breeds
Around 1797, Syrian hamster breeds, sometimes known as Golden hamsters, were found in the Middle East, in and around the country of Syria. These days, you can find a variety of this breed at your neighborhood pet store. These categories are all given nicknames based on particular physical traits.
Physical Features
- As an adult this breed will be 6 to 8 inches in length (15 to 20cm).
- Weighing 5 to 7 ounces (150 to 200 grams).
- You can help reduce stress while grooming by feeding your hamster a small piece of fruit or vegetable.
- It has large upright ears (compared to its broad head).
- The tail is short and hardly visible on long-haired breeds.
- Colors come in: gold, brown black, gray and everything in between.
- Patterns come in: calico, stripes (bands), spots and variegated.
- Coats: short hair, long hair (or fluffy), satin (shiny), rex (curly).
One per Cage
The Syrian hamster leads a solitary life in its natural habitat. The majority of its time will be spent alone, either sleeping in its underground burrow or scurrying from one dwelling chamber to another through its network of underground tunnels. The same reason you shouldn’t keep more than one Syrian breed in the same hamster cage is because they exhibit the same solitary behavior as wild Syrian hamsters. Nursing and mating are two of the two occasions Syrian hamsters can get along.
The baby hamsters will then start to act aggressively and try to claim their own living space. A conflict will probably start if another hamster enters another hamster’s chosen territory. Severe injuries may result from these conflicts. You do not need to provide a playmate for your pet hamster because of this.
A male and female can be maintained together during mating, but only while they are actively reproducing. When a couple loses interest in one another or becomes hostile toward one another, you will know it is time to break them up. It’s crucial to be prepared for this hostility in order to quell it before any harm is done. The exception is dwarf hamster breeds, which can live together.
Needs Space to Run
A Syrian in the natural will emerge from hiding at night and run for kilometers in search of food or a compatible mate, so it’s crucial to remember to only retain one hamster per cage, save for the two circumstances mentioned above. Before returning to its hamster burrow, it would gather seeds in its cheek pouches while on the hunt for food, giving its face a full, rounded appearance.
You should allow your pet as much room to roam around in as you can due to their innate behavior and their breed’s yearning for freedom. The largest cage you can purchase or fit in your space should have tubes and tunnels linking it to additional living chambers. Every hamster, including Syrian and dwarf hamster strains, needs a hamster wheel to provide an alternative source of exercise if you can’t afford it or don’t have the space.
Caring for a Golden Hamster
The common hamster breed in Syria is called the Golden Hamster. The term refers to the hamster’s thick golden brown coat rather than a particular breed. Syrian or Golden hamsters look the same in the wild; their bodies are golden brown with white belly and chest. The Golden does best when kept in its own habitat, as do all larger breeds of hamster.
These creatures are solitary by nature, spending the most of their time alone in their dens. Giving your hamster plenty of room to run about and lots of toys to keep them engaged is another essential component of keeping them happy. Golden hamsters can travel a short distance at night in search of food or a mate in the wild.
Facts
- An adult can grow to 6 to 8 inches (15-20cm)
- It can weigh up to 5 to 7 ounces (140-200g)
- It will need 1/3 to 1/2 ounce of food daily (10-15g)
- It will consume 6 tablespoons (30ml) of water per day
- A Golden Hamster can live for two to three years
- Because they are easier to handle and less jumpy than dwarf-sized hamsters, this larger variety of hamster is one that is good for kids. You can prevent getting an injured or runaway hamster if you train it to be accustomed to being handled while it is still a youngster and if you teach any small children to be careful with their new pet. Generally speaking, you can train your golden hamster to become unafraid of being held with ongoing engagement. Just keep in mind that most animals may bite or nip when they feel threatened or terrified, making correct handling instruction crucial. Find out more about hamster maintenance. Use a huge hamster wheel instead that has closed rungs.
Teddy bear hamsters, often referred to as fancy, long-haired, or Angora Syrian hamsters, are closely related to, if not the same species as, golden Syrian hamsters. This elegant hamster breed has long hair on both the males and females, although the female’s fluffy coat best fits their moniker. The female Teddy Bear’s coat lengthens to around one to two inches (2.5–5 cm), and it seems more fluffy than stringy. This trait is frequently described by breeders as having a velvety texture. The guys, however, hilariously don a skirt made of long, stringy hair that can reach 4 inches in length (10cm).
This kind of hamster’s coat hues can range from red to gold. The length and texture of the coat can be long-haired, satin, or rex.
Although female Teddy Bear hamsters tend to be slightly larger than males, both can appear to be larger than the typical Syrian type due to their luxuriant hair. Their length ranges from 4 to 6 inches (10-15cm).
Grooming Tips
They will require regular grooming assistance to help untangle matted hair because the long hair generated by these kinds of fancy hamsters is a result of breeding strategies that emphasized this trait. Using a comb or brush, men and females should both groom themselves. Typically, a little cat flea brush works well.
It is best to start grooming a teddy bear hamster when it is still a baby hamster if you want your grooming efforts to be effective. Start with brief sessions, then progress to longer ones.
Trimming is an alternative if gentle brushing while holding your hamster in your hand is unsuccessful in removing the matted hair. In actuality, trimming is probably less demanding than brushing. Do not hold your teddy bear hamster on its back while trimming; only trim a small amount at a time. While not being obese, its body should be full and rounded. This will help them link getting a snack and grooming.
Care Advice
Learn how to care for a hamster by doing the following:
- Use crinkled paper bedding instead of wood shavings if you have a male Teddy Bear hamster because the latter will get stuck in his long hair and mat and tangle it.
- For any hamster, but especially for long-haired hamsters, do not use a hamster wheel with metal rungs. The rungs may become damaged if the hair gets caught there.
A Black Bear Hamster: What is It?
There is disagreement about whether the black bear hamster is a distinct breed of hamster or only a different shade of the Syrian hamster. The black bear variant used to be bigger than the typical Syrian hamster breed. Due to industrial breeding, black bears, which were once just 5 to 6 inches (12–15 cm) long in show quality, are now around the same size as the typical Syrian bear.
The same can be stated for their temperamental similarity and tameability. It’s unlikely that the hamster breed’s temperament gave rise to the nickname “dark bear,” which is an American term used to describe a hamster that resembles a black bear. The personality of each hamster is really the only factor that makes a difference in this characteristic.
Usually, its coat is either all black or entirely black except for its white underbelly and feet. Dark brown hues that look to be black can easily pass for a black coat. The acceptance of being around each other for feeding baby hamsters fades at roughly 6 to 7 weeks of age. It’s possible to refer to the variation with the white spots as a panda bear hamster.
A Panda Bear Hamster: What is It?
A hamster that resembles a panda bear is known as a panda bear hamster. The majority of its body is black, with white patches on its belly and/or feet. Actually, this kind of hamster is also known as a black bear hamster. Whatever name is given to these hamster breeds, they are really merely a color variant of the Syrian variety.
To care for this hamster variety, no additional needs are necessary. The easiest way to take care of them is to treat them like a Syrian or Golden hamster. The greatest place for them to live is in a separate cage with lots of space and hamster equipment for them to run about on. Children can safely handle the panda bear hamster if they are taught how to do so without hurting or dropping it.
What type is your Syrian hamster? Add a comment below to let us know!
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