Friendly and inquisitive by nature and coming in a vast spectrum of different colour combinations the Syrian hamster  is the most common hamster species kept as a pet.
Sometimes referred to as a ‘Golden’ or in the case of the long haired variety ‘Teddy bear’ hamster, these are solitary creatures who must be housed alone after the age of 8 weeks.
A fully grown Syrian will be approx 6-7 inches in length with a short stumpy tail. It has hairless feet and food storage pouches on each side of its face.
They are nocturnal animals, rising in the mid evening and returning to bed at sunrise. Average life expectancy is 2-2½ but can vary with some hamsters living to 3 or beyond.