RSPCA Macclesfield, SE Cheshire and Buxton Branch CIO We care for animals in parts of Cheshire and Derbyshire.
RSPCA Macclesfield, SE Cheshire and Buxton Branch CIO
We care for animals in parts of Cheshire and Derbyshire.
Furries and Birds needing homes

Shadow – Syrian Hampster

  • Female 
  • 1 year old
  • Arrived with us 21st May 2026 (72 days ago)
  • Fostered in Buxton
  • Log no: PH8 21/5/26

We realise not everyone is in a position to adopt a companion, so why not take a look at our
virtual adoption scheme …..

Shadow’s owner contacted us for help. Shadow had always been (and still is) a very friendly hamster, until one day during cage cleaning she bit her owner’s hand who then flung Shadow across the room. After hours of finally finding Shadow she was very traumatised. She didn’t want to keep Shadow anymore. We took her in and got her checked by our exotics vet; she has a clean bill of health. Her fosterer has, and still is, helping Shadow rebuild her confidence. Anyone who knows rodents, know they can bite when unhappy, ill or spooked – it’s perfectly normal behaviour.

A few words from her fosterer:

Shadow is a whole little bundle of fun. She is very socialable and curious. She’ll be up at the front of her cage whenever you are around to say hello and to see what’s going on. She loves being out of her cage exploring in a safe environment. She is a strong climber and makes good use of the various hanging and climbing toys in her cage, and she spends a lot of time running in her wheel. She hasn’t been handled much and this is something we are working on but she takes food nice and gently from our hands.

We do really like her! She’s a lot of fun. Very active and curious. Still working on getting her used to being handled.

We do think an adult only home would be best.

  • Example cages are illustrated above – cage size should be a minimum of W 50cm x L 100cm of unbroken floor space. Their cage should have a deep base to allow a generous layer of a suitable substrate so your hamster can burrow.
  • Syrian hamsters can live in cages with bars, or in converted tanks/wooden enclosure (photos are examples). Barred cages allow one-to-one interaction whilst your hamster remains in the cage, although, bar-chewing is a common problem and shouldn’t be tolerated. If your hamster is a relentless bar-chewer, try upgrading their cage, providing more toys, and allowing more out-of-the-cage playtime. Failing that, consider moving your hamster into a tank.
  • Syrian hamsters require a large solid floor wheel approximately 28cm in diameter.
  • Consider toys such as houses, sand baths, tunnels, and bridges for your hamster to utilize.
  • Suitable temperatures are approximately 20-22°C and humidity should be approximately 40-60%.
  • How to care for hamsters: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/hamsters/behaviour

If you’d be interested in sharing your home with Shadow, please contact our Rehoming Co-ordinator on rehoming@rspca-macclesfield.org.uk 

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