Long-haired Syrian Hamster

Coat and looks how to spot one

Long, soft, dense fur (recessive long-hair gene)

A standard Syrian hamster in every way except its coat. The body is broad and cobby with a large, wide head, short face and blunt nose. The fur is soft and thick and grows long over the back and sides, while the face stays short-haired. Bucks grow far more hair than does, often forming a flowing 'skirt' around the hindquarters, with individual hairs reaching up to about 10 cm. Females carry a noticeably shorter coat, though still longer than a short-haired Syrian's, and may develop longer wisps at the rear as they mature. The difference between long and short-haired babies shows from about three weeks old. The long coat can be combined with satin (extra shine) or rex (which gives long-haired animals a wavy look).8172

Personality what they are like

Temperament is the same as any Syrian hamster: an independent, curious night owl that is busiest in the evening and at night. With calm, regular handling most become relaxed about being picked up, and they are happiest when left to sleep undisturbed during the day.269

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Very active from evening through the night; wild Syrians can travel several kilometres in a night of foraging. Offer a solid-surface wheel of at least 28 cm (up to about 33 cm for big animals) so the back stays straight; long-haired males do best on a larger wheel without a central spindle the fur could catch on. Add deep bedding for digging, tunnels, chews and scattered food for foraging.5149

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The hamster keeps its own coat in order, so routine brushing is not needed and can actually break the hairs or thin the coat. If bedding or food gets tangled in the fur, the affected hair can be carefully trimmed. A sand dish can be offered for the hamster's own grooming. Spot-clean the enclosure every few days and do a fuller clean once or twice a month.1109

Home where they are happiest

Same as for other Syrians: a solid-floored enclosure of at least 100 x 50 cm (about 5,000 sq cm; some large females appreciate more), with deep bedding of 20 cm or more for burrowing. Use dust-free paper or aspen-type bedding rather than cedar or pine, plain hay or paper for nesting, and several hides. Keep indoors, away from draughts and direct sun, at about 18-26 C.591011

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A good hamster pellet or seed mix as the base, small portions of fresh greens and vegetables, a little fruit now and then, and occasional protein such as insects. Keep treats to a small share of the diet and always provide fresh water. Grapes and rhubarb should be avoided.11129

Company who they like around

Syrian hamsters are naturally solitary and territorial, so a long-haired Syrian should live on its own. It enjoys gentle, regular interaction with its owner and a well-furnished enclosure.642

The story where it all began

The Syrian hamster was first described by Patrick Russell in 1797 and named as a species by George Robert Waterhouse in 1839. In April 1930 zoologist Israel Aharoni collected a mother and litter near Aleppo for Saul Adler's research, and descendants reached Britain in 1931, private breeders from 1937 and the United States around 1938; mitochondrial studies suggest all pet Syrians trace back to one female. All early hamsters were short-haired and golden. A long-hair mutation then turned up in pet-shop hamsters in the United States around 1972, and Schimke, Nixon and Connelly described it in the Journal of Heredity in 1973. The gene (symbol l) is a simple recessive, so two long-haired parents produce only long-haired young. Pet shops soon marketed the fluffy animals as 'teddy bear' hamsters, and hamster clubs adopted Long Haired as a show coat. Breeders still work to improve coat length and density, which can take years of selection.13217

Recognised by the official bits

National Hamster Council (UK)

Long Haired is a recognised Syrian coat variety in the NHC exhibition standard; the coat should be soft, very dense and evenly long over the whole top of the body (shorter on the face), males are expected to carry longer fur than females, and the coat may be combined with satin and/or rex.8

California Hamster Association (USA)

Describes and promotes the Long Haired Syrian as a coat type and quotes the British Hamster Association show standard (soft, very dense fur, evenly long over the top surface, males longer than females).1