Hamster

The Syrian hamster, also known as the Golden hamster, is the most aggressive species among the hamsters. It has a similar appearance to the Campbell's dwarf hamster, and individual differences are not very obvious. Some Syrian hamsters have red eyes.

Wild-type Syrian hamsters are easily confused with wild-type Campbell's dwarf hamsters. The distinguishing feature is that the stripes on the back of the wild-type Campbell's dwarf hamster are more prominent.

Chinese Name: 一线仓鼠

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Mammalia

Subclass: Eutheria

Order: Rodentia

Suborder: Myomorpha

Family: Cricetidae

Subfamily: Cricetinae

The temperate terrestrial nocturnal animal has a large natural habitat, untouched deserts, grasslands, and high mountain areas, and can be found at an altitude of 2000 meters. The diet is mainly seeds and plants, known to eat insects. The average life span ranges from 1.5 to 3 years. Distributed in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia.

Prairie, semi-desert, desert, sand dunes and mountains. More likely to be found on soil with a harder matrix than that inhabited by dwarf hamsters.

Like other members of the hamster subfamily, they live in underground tunnel systems. Campbell's hamster burrows typically consist of four to six main tunnels, both horizontal and vertical. The nest is usually built at the end of the tunnel, consisting of dry and insulating materials, including but not limited to grass, feathers, and wool. Seeds and nuts are often very close to the nest. The burrows (4-6 vertical entrances) lead to a nest chamber and a seed food storage room deep up to 1 meter (but usually shallower). They may occupy the burrows of gerbils instead of digging their own burrows.

The Syrian hamster is recommended for those who love small pets. The most common fur color of hamsters is white from the cheeks to the abdomen, and brown on the back. However, there are also spotted patterns formed by different shades of brown. The fur color is mostly gray, and later variations such as golden, spotted, and even long-haired varieties have been developed. Various hamsters look very similar, with only slight differences in body size and fur color, but their personalities are very similar. Among them, the Roborovski hamster is the smallest in size among the dwarf hamsters, with fast movements and a more timid personality. During the growth period, the color of its fur on the back changes from black to brown. Hamsters are very cute pets. When many children or women see this "living teddy bear," they can't help but fall in love with it.

Abscess

When hamsters fight each other, wounds may occur and become infected, leading to abscesses. You can squeeze out the abscess and apply medication, but it can be painful, so it is not recommended. The best way is to take it to the veterinarian. It is advisable not to keep two hamsters together, which is the fundamental solution.

Cold/Pneumonia

If your hamster wheezes, has difficulty breathing, or the eyes do not move, you should take it to the veterinarian immediately. There are also some symptoms worth noting, such as sudden weight loss, runny nose, excessive sleepiness, and more. These may be caused by a cold or pneumonia.

Tyzzer's Disease

Tyzzer's disease is a contagious disease among hamsters caused by a bacterium, often leading to death. Some hamsters may not have obvious symptoms before dying. Others may show some minor signs, such as listlessness, dirty fur, diarrhea, dehydration, and more. Hamsters are more prone to this disease in unclean environments and under significant stress. Fortunately, the probability of hamsters that are well cared for and in clean living environments getting this disease is greatly reduced.

Diabetes

Diabetes is more likely to occur in Campbell's dwarf hamsters. A hamster with diabetes will feel very thirsty and urinate frequently. The main treatment method is to change its diet, avoiding fruits, and limiting the quantity of peas and corn in its food, or not giving them to the hamster at all. The veterinarian will provide an accurate diagnosis and also give you advice on how to care for the hamster.

Glaucoma

Winter white hamsters are more susceptible to glaucoma. There is no complete cure for this condition. However, the veterinarian can use some eye drops to reduce discomfort in the hamster.

Cheek Pouch Problems

The cheek pouches (small pouches on the hamster's cheeks used for storing and transporting food) may get pierced, blocked, or bitten. Symptoms include the hamster's inability to spit out food or turn the cheek pouch inside out (one should face outward). When you notice these symptoms, take it to the veterinarian immediately.

Feed hamsters fewer high protein foods during regular times to better prevent cheek pouch problems. Because with the presence of cheek pouches, high protein foods can easily become rotten, causing the aforementioned symptoms.

Hamster breeding knowledge

The Syrian hamster, also known as the Golden hamster, is the most aggressive species among the hamsters. It has a similar appearance to the Campbell's dwarf hamster, and individual differences are not very obvious. Some Syrian hamsters have red eyes. The

Just let the newly arrived Syrian hamster stay in the observation cage for a week, on the one hand to let the Syrian hamster adapt to the smell, sound and temperature of the new home, on the other hand, you can also use this time to train the Syrian hamster to go to the toilet in the litter box (refer to the Syrian hamster toilet training method) and get the Syrian hamster used to interacting with me. One thing to note is to always call the Syrian hamster's name so that the Syrian hamster can respond to the name. You can put tissue paper in its cage, and the Syrian hamster will make a warm bed to sleep in.

Hamsters are nocturnal animals. They sleep during the day and are active at night. They are usually most active from 19-22 o'clock (some from 0-4 o'clock). So the owner should let the hamster rest during the day and play with it at night. Arbitrary changes to the habits of nocturnal animals can easily lead to short lives. Why do hamsters always hide? Because hamsters originally lived in caves in desert areas, they would hide in caves to sleep during the day to avoid attacks from wild animals. They hide in the dark because it is their instinct and they feel safe in the dark. However, hamsters that have been with humans for a long time will be less vigilant and will also change their instincts in the wild and can sleep soundly anywhere.

Points for feeding Syrian hamsters

Syrian hamsters like to eat food like melon seeds. Melon seeds not only meet their requirements for food, but also serve to grind their teeth. However, it is important not to feed too many sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are high in calories, and if Syrian hamsters eat too many, they can easily become overweight and develop fatty tumors. For more information on the diet of Syrian hamsters, refer to the following text.

1. Don't think that hamsters don't need to drink water! Water must be provided and the drinking water should be changed every two days.

2. For vegetables and fruits, do not feed too much at once, as it can cause wet tail death. Most vegetables and fruits contain pesticides, so they should be washed with clean water and wiped dry before feeding. Do not feed vegetables and fruits with too much water content.

3. When it comes to snacks, reduce the main food and increase the snacks. Do not give too many treats. Hamsters that get too hot and fat are prone to illness.

4. Please seal the feed and snacks in a sealed container. They can be placed in the refrigerator. Discard any food that breeds worms or ants.

The body of the hamster is also covered with thick and dense fur. Although the hamster often grooms and cleans its own fur, it is not always perfect due to various factors. Therefore, the owner also needs to regularly groom and clean the fur of the hamster. Because the hamster is small in size, the method of grooming and cleaning the fur of the hamster is very simple for the owner, as long as the owner can spare some time to complete the grooming work for the small pet hamster.

Strictly speaking, as long as the owner has time, they can groom the hamster's fur every day. However, for busy owners, they can groom it once every 1-2 weeks. But during the spring and autumn seasons when the hamster is shedding, frequent grooming is still needed. The tools for grooming the hamster's fur are also very simple, such as a toothbrush, towel, and a small comb of appropriate size.