There are two basic kinds of hamster, the dwarf and the Syrian, and it's important to know what kind you are dealing with because some of their needs and habits are different. The dwarf is actually several breeds of hamsters which share common traits, while the Syrian is the most common kind found in pet stores.

Because of its popularity, the Syrian is known by many different names, including Fancy, Golden, Dalmation, Panda, Teddy Bear, Black Bear, etc. The actual number of Syrian nicknames is countless, because they are based on fur colors and textures, of which more are constantly being discovered. The foolproof way to tell is by size, as they are much larger than the other breeds. If your hamster is at least 4" (10cm) long, it is safe to assume that he is a Syrian. Besides size, Syrians differ most from dwarves in temperament and social behavior. They are the easiest hamster to tame and handle, but are strictly solitary animals. If adults, even relatives or littermates, are housed together, they will fight until all but one are dead.

Dwarf hamsters include the Campbell's Russian, the Winter White, and the Roborovski. The Campbell's Russian is the most common dwarf, and is known for its furry feet and especially sharp escapist talents. They grow to be about 2-3" (5-8cm) long. The Winter White is a close cousin to the Campbell's, and the biggest difference is that their fur turns white in winter. The Roborovski is very tiny at a full grown size of 2" (5cm) long, and is known for their great energy. They can be very difficult to tame or handle, but it is great fun to watch them play. All dwarf hamsters are considered more difficult to tame and handle than Syrians, due to their smaller size and energy levels. They're more sociable with others of their species, though, and multiple hamsters can be housed in the same cage.

Common pets like cats, dogs, and birds are diurnal*, which means they are active during the day (like humans). The average hamster however, will sleep throughout the day. Sometimes, it can seem like your hamster sleeps all of the time, which can be disturbing because excessive sleep is a symptom of medical issues for most animals and people. Thankfully, this usually isn't the case. Most hamsters are combination nocturnal (active during the night) and crepuscular (active during sunset and sunrise), although it's not uncommon for a dwarf to be diurnal. In addition, many healthy Syrian hamsters naturally sleep more than people. Each hamster has his own individual sleep pattern which depends on his age, environment, breed, and the conditions he was raised in, so if yours doesn't match exactly, you shouldn't worry too much. My hamster has 4 different periods of activity (early evening, late evening, midnight and very early morning), which is fairly normal for an older Syrian living in a quiet place.

* Cats are naturally nocturnal, but they usually become diurnal as pets, changing their sleep cycle to match ours.

Hamsters have small flaps in the cheek skin, called pouches, which allow them to store and carry things. A full-pouched can be an amusing (or scary) sight. They can make their faces about three times as wide this way, carrying up to 20% of their body weight in bedding and yummy things. This is a natural way for them to rearrange their cage and hoard food (more on this later).

Unfortunately, some items are dangerous for delicate pouch skin. Anything sharp, fluffy, or sticky can cause damage, so its important to make sure these things are kept out of reach. Many hamsters assume anything they find is safe to pouch and/or eat (Maybe one reason Syrians are extinct in the wild!). For this reason, "hamster duvet", a fluffy nesting material that looks like quilt batting, is not recommended. There have been many vet trips and hamster funerals caused by this "safe" product. Non-scented tissue makes a much safer nest, and is just as snuggly. Too much peanut butter is also dangerous, although small amounts are fine, especially when watered down or combined with a watery food (I like to spread a little on a banana chunk).

If you aren't sure what's in your hamster's pouches, you can wait until he depouches by himself or depouch for him. Most hams will depouch when they return to their cage, and almost all will do so before they go to sleep. In the case that you need to help your hamster depouch, you can hold him upside-down and gently push (from below the ear to the mouth) the contents out. If you're at all unsure, take him to the vet or let the hamster do it on his own.

Because of the delicate nature of a hamster's pouches, some times a hamster lump really will be something to worry about. Although tumors aren't common in hamsters, a hamster's cheek pouch lacks defenses against cancer that other animals have naturally. Abscesses and impacted pouches, which are caused when items tear or get stuck in the pouches, are more common but still cause for concern. If the lump always stays the same size and shape, or your hamster appears to be in pain, it is time to call the vet for an expert opinion.

Hamsters LOVE to hoard. In fact, it's such a central part of a hamster's instinct that it inspired the German word "hamstern", which means to store.

A normal hamster will pouch any food he finds (perhaps in a food dish?) and bury it in a safe place. As long as he's only storing nonperishables (hamster pellets, seeds, nuts, dried vegetables, etc), this is nothing to worry about. Check through your hamster's stash regularly to make sure he isn't trying to hoard perishable foods (fresh fruits and vegetables), as these can go bad and make him sick.

Hamsters also don't have any instinct that tells them to stop hoarding, so their caches can get pretty big. If you think his storage is taking over, you can reduce the amount you're feeding him, stop feeding him until he's run through his stash, or take away some of the food in his cache. Left unchecked, hamsters store so much food that, historically, farmers around the world would dig up wild hamster burrows and use the food to feed their farm animals!

Another universal hamster trait is their love of digging. In the wild, a hamster would build a large and complex system of tunnels and rooms, which would be used mainly for sleeping and food storage. You can't really let your hamster live on your lawn, but there are ways to help your hamster feel more at home in his cage. Firstly, the thicker you layer on your floor covering, the better. Floor covering made of recycled paper is a good call, because it is soft but can hold its shape. Providing "hamster houses" and tubes helps too. They can be anything from a paper towel roll to a complicated setup of plastic hamster tubes. If you do decide to buy plastic tubes, make sure that you're buying the right size. Dwarf hamsters will have great difficulty climbing around in Syrian-sized tubes, while Syrians have been known to die in dwarf-sized tubes because they get stuck or suffocate.

Although Syrians are less likely to nip than dwarfs, they all do it. However, there are ways to convince your hamster to bite less often and more gently, until it becomes the rare squeeze on your finger.

When you first bring your hamster home, give him a day or two to settle in. At first, he will be pretty nervous, and who can blame him? Once he's comfortable in his cage, slowly introduce yourself. Depending on the age and breed, this process can take days or months. Let the hamster smell your unmoving hand, and give him a chance to walk on it if he likes. Some people suggest feeding the hamster treats, so that he associates your smell with good things. Others claim that this will confuse your hamster, making him think that your hand itself is food (this is poopoo in my opinion, but more on this later). Once he's OK walking on your hand, sit on the floor and let him wander around on your lap. When you first start to pick up your hamster, stay still and sit on the ground. This will make him more comfortable, and less likely to hurt himself if he decides to jump away. If at any time during this the hamster bites, you're trying to get too familiar with him too quickly or your nervousness is making him nervous. Slow down, or put on a pair of gloves if that will make you less afraid.

Once you and your hamster are buddies, he should bite far less often. Make sure you continue to handle your hamster, preferably daily, so that he doesn't forget you. Don't try to handle your hamster immediately after he wakes up, or handle him too long. Finally, make sure not to present your hand as food. How far this last point goes is a matter of opinion and your hamster's intelligence, but if he mistakes your finger for a treat, he's likely to chomp down. My hamster can feed from my hand without any confusion, although if I put my finger, sans food, right in front of his nose or through the bars (as I often do with treats), he will bite rather hard. I'm guessing he thinks it's a carrot or something. Besides that, my hamster no longer bites, instead he'll nibble gently once in a while to let me know that he's cranky at me. It is more of a little pinch, and I consider it one of his ways of communicating. If this bothers you, though, just be more careful about heeding the advice above.

Hamsters don't usually make much noise with their mouths, but they do make a lot of noise when they're scurrying, gnawing and running late at night. This is one reason why it isn't usually a good idea to keep your hamster cage in your room. My own hamster is usually taking a nap when I go to bed, and once I'm out I'm a heavy sleeper, so our arrangement works out fine. If your hamster is interfering with your sleep, the only thing you can really do is move their cage to another room.

Squeaking often indicates fear, pain or anger. If your hamster is outside his cage, return him to it. Check him over for injuries, and if he's physically OK, leave him alone for a little while.

If your hamster is absolutely fine (in good health, good cage location, all needs met, and being left alone), but still squeaks, it could just be that you have a talkative one. Although most of the reasons for squeaking are negative, others will squeak for attention, while playfighting (dwarfs-only), and while they dream. If a hamster switches from squeaking to hissing, he is extremely upset. This is more common with untamed hamsters.

Some hamsters may make clicking noises. This is a sign of happiness, and occurs most while sorting food and playing with people. If you click your tongue at your hamster, he may also click back.

There are many aspects to hamster body language, and understanding them can help you to develop a happier relationship with your pet. Some things, like yawning, are obvious, while others are not.

A common sight is that of a hamster grooming himself. Hamsters with their tongue and paws, not unlike a cat, and they will only do this when they feel safe, and a little bit dirty. This is a good sign, because it means your hamster is content and cares about his hygiene.

Signs of curiosity include sniffing and standing on the hind legs with ears up. Hamsters often smell new things to see if they might be tasty, and they'll also stick their noses into places they can't reach, perhaps to see if it's worth the effort to find a way in. Hamsters standing on their hind legs are trying to see or listen to something interesting; if your hamster stays in this position for a long time without moving, it means that he's found something so interesting, he thinks it's more important to check it out than to move around.

Rubbing against objects is, like in many other animals, a way to mark territory. Scent glands are located in a Syrian's hips and a dwarf's belly.

Teeth grinding and crouching with an open mouth are signs of upset. A hamster grinding its teeth is feeling aggressive and may well bite if you move closer, while the open-mouthed crouch is a defensive response to something scary.

A hamster's teeth grow continuously throughout his life, so a hamster needs to gnaw in order to keep them trim. Feeding your hamster "lab blocks", or large hamster pellets, can help, as can wooden chew sticks and edible hamster toys/huts. Many hamsters will also chew on the bars of their cage, although this can cause some health problems. The hard metal can cause teeth to chip or break, prompting a vet visit, and the constant rubbing of the nose against the bars can cause hair loss and bleeding. Some people insist that it also causes brain damage, though it's unproven. Putting vinegar or bitter apple spray on the bars can help to stop this behavior.

As noted earlier, adult Syrians do not get along well, as they are very territorial and will kill each other. Littermates will get along until maturity (3-4 weeks). After that, the only contact a Syrian should have with another hamster is if they are being bred. This can happen any time after maturity, but it's best to wait until the mother and father are at least 3 months, for the health of the mother and pups. Females can only breed when they're in heat, which happens every 4 days, and introducing a male and female when the female is not in heat can often end in the male's death. In short, it's not really a good idea to breed Syrians unless you are an expert, and there's no other reason to keep them together.

Dwarf hamsters are pretty social, and will get along well in groups. Groups should be put together when the hamsters are still young (8 weeks or younger, the younger the better). Dwarf hamsters will not get along well with hamsters that they've not been introduced to early on in life, and even when they are, they can sometimes grow apart and begin to fight. If this happens, it's best to buy a new cage and separate them. Note that every dwarf in your group should be of the same type - don't mix breeds in the same cage! It's also best if they're all the same gender, or else they'll breed (even if they're siblings). Unless done carefully and knowledgeably, breeding dwarf hamsters can result in sickly pups. Many dwarfs suffer from diabetes because of this.

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