Pet Syrian, Teddy Bear, Black Bear Hamsters
Hamsters make delightful family pets. They sleep during the day and become active in the evening, ideal for many family schedules. Most hamsters, including Syrian hamsters, are solitary and must be kept alone. Occasionally, dwarf hamsters may be social and prefer to live in pairs or groups, however you should have an extra cage available in case they need to be separated.
Syrian Hamsters aka Teddybear Hamster
Syrian Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)
Description
I’ve always thought they looked like little teddy bears, and maybe that’s where some of their nicknames have come from. Nicknames like “Black bears”, “Teddybears”, etc. They’re bodies our round and plump, like potatoes, with short legs and almost no visible tail.
Diet
They can be maintained on a diet of rodent block or hamster mix, and should get bits of fruit or veggies regularly. Cheerios or wheat bread are also great treats, in small quantities. Do NOT feed chocolate, garlic, onions, rabbit mix (that contains antibiotic ingredients), raw kidney beans, or any processed sugars (sweets, etc). Hamsters may like an occasional mealworm or dog biscuit, so long as there are no added dyes in the biscuits. But don’t feed too many or they will become overweight.
Vitamins like Nutri-Cal are a good addition to their diet, and added calcium during nursing and growth due to demands on their systems at those times, but take care not to overdo it. Water bottles are better then bowls, as hamsters love to make large nests, and may do so right next to the bowl, filling it with bedding. Ceramic or stoneware food dishes may work for keeping seeds or fresh foods off the cage floor, but I think you’ll discover that the hamster will empty the dish into it’s cheek pouches, then carry all the food off to hide it in his “pantry”.
Habitat
Syrians are solitary animals. Occasionally you may find a good tempered one that will accept a permanent cage mate, but for the majority they will need to be separated after eight to ten weeks of age or fights might break out, leading to injuries and possibly death. A 10 gallon tank will house a hamster comfortably, or a litter of weanlings temporarily.
All hamsters enjoy some form of entertainment while they are restricted to their cages. Wodent wheels, rope ladders, PVC pipe tunnels, and cardboard houses to shred will keep your hamster from getting bored during the hours when you are sleeping or can’t be with it. Bedding should be aspen, paper based, or hay. Try to avoid Cedar or Pine.
Special needs
Hamsters make great pets for almost any age, so long as they are treated gently. However you’ll probably want to start with a baby that was handled frequently from birth, so you don’t have to spend so much time in taming and have more time to spend playing with your hamster. If given regular attention they can become very friendly, sociable pets. Most hamsters are easy to handle once they learn to trust you. Allow your new pet a few days to settle into its new home before picking it up.
Offering food from your hand helps to build confidence. Regular exercise in a safe area outside the cage is important, but wait for your hamster to wake up on its own, have a snack, and go to the bathroom before you take it out of its cage. Never wake a sleeping hamster as it may become irritable and bite.
Personality
- Attitude – Nervous, flighty, quick to run if they feel danger present
- Tame-ability – Bad to poor, unless fostered onto tame domestic mouse mothers as pinkies
- Trainability – Poor
- Activity level – High
- Vocal – Not unless very frightened
- Minimum owner’s age – 12 (if supervised by an adult, and youth understands that this is a ‘look but don’t touch’ animal)
Reproduction
- Lifespan 2-4 years
- Maturity 4-5 weeks
- Sexual maturity 4-6 months
- Receptive 4 day cycle, in the evening. Females may become sterile after about 14 months.
- Gestation 16 days
- Infants show color pigment at 4-6 days
- Infants can be handled at 2 weeks, if mother is gentle
- Infant eyes open at 3 weeks Ready to wean at 4-5 weeks
Mutations
Many colors have been developed, but sadly, most of these are still only to be found in the UK. Coat markings may include banded, dominant spot, umbrous (darkening), and roan. Coat types include longhair, shorthair, satin, hairless, and rex (curly)
Pet Status Very common
