The Syrian Hamster is approximately 6-7 inches in length when full grown with a very short tail. It has hairless feet with four toes on the front feet and five on the back feet. The Syrian Hamster has expandable cheek pouches which it uses to collect and carry food and bedding and it can carry up to half its body weight in grain in its cheek pouches

The Syrian Hamster is a solitary animal and will not usually live with another past 8-10 weeks of age and is nocturnal, usually waking during the evening.

The average lifespan of the Syrian Hamster is 2-2½ years although they can live longer and up to 3-4 years is not too unusual.