Syrian Hamster (Mesocricetus Auratus)
| Syrian hamsters are probably the most common domesticated hamster. All Syrian hamsters in captivity are believed to be descended from a mother and her 12 cubs who were dug out of a burrow near Syria, in 1930.
Adult hamsters can grow up to 18cm in length. with females being slightly larger than the males. Adults are fiercely territorial and should be housed individually due to the frequent and fierce fighting with other hamsters. Since Syrian hamsters are bigger than the other species, they can cope with more handling before they get tired. They also seem to be more responsive to what is going on around them. The Syrian hamster is also known commonly as the golden hamster, although today's advance breeding techniques have developed more than 40 different colour types.
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