There are two types of pet hamster: Syrian hamsters and dwarf hamsters. Dwarf isn’t just a clever name; dwarf hamsters tend to be smaller than Syrian hamsters. Dwarf hamsters grow to a length of three to four inches. Syrian hamsters are nearly twice as big, growing to a length of six to seven inches.
Syrian hamsters are also known as golden hamsters, though they come in many colors. The name comes from wild Syrian hamsters, who are mostly golden in hue. Syrian hamsters are also called Standard or Fancy hamsters; long haired versions are known as Teddy Bear hamsters. A Black Bear hamster is a Syrian hamster with black fur. And a hairless Syrian hamster is known as an Alien hamster! By any name, the Syrian hamster is the most common type of pet hamster.
Syrian hamsters have short tails and hairless feet. Take a close look at those feet: the front feet have only four toes while the hind feet have five! Expect your pet Syrian hamster to live between two and three years. These hamsters are generally gentle and good natured. Even young children can handle a Syrian hamster, with parental supervision.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about Syrian hamsters is that they must live alone past the age of eight weeks. Babies may be housed together until they are weaned, but adults caged together can fight, often to the death. This doesn’t mean you are restricted to only one pet hamster; you will need a separate cage for each hamster, but the cages may be close together for companionship.
Dwarf hamsters can safely live in pairs or small, same-sex groups without fighting. These hamsters come in fewer colors than Syrian hamsters, but do have a distinctive dorsal stripe running from head to tail. Dwarf hamsters also tend to be shorter lived; the average lifespan of a dwarf hamster is only two years.