My first recommendation for buying a hamster would be to find a hamster club or association, or a private hamster breeder, where you should be able to find a young, healthy, and friendly hamster to bring into your home.  Pet store hamsters come usually from large commercial breeders, similar to puppy mills, and young hamsters often succumb to the stress caused by shipping, lack of handling, and overcrowded pet store conditions. 

Syrian hamsters should be housed separately from the age of 4 weeks of age, as they become sexually mature by the age of 3 to 4 weeks of age.  It is not uncommon for pet store hamsters to go their new homes, then give birth a week or two later, as it is difficult to determine sex when hamsters are young, so males and females are mistakenly put together in one cage.  It is also not uncommon for a pet store hamster to develop "wet tail", a disease caused mostly by stress resulting in loose stools, dehydration and often death. 

You may wish to check out my "Helpful Links" section for hamster-related websites.

Syrian hamsters are playful and active, and enjoy being handled once they are accustomed to their surroundings.  Hamsters can be handled by young children, with adult supervision.  They can move very quickly if startled, so are best handled from a position on or near the floor!  They are nocturnal animals, i.e. sleep during the day and play at night, which might also be taken into account if you wish to have a pet for a young child with an early bedtime.  They are, however, very easy to keep, don't take up much space, and don't require constant attention. 

Your pet hamster, at minimum, needs a cage or bin to live in, adequate bedding, food, water, a chew toy, and a safe hamster wheel to run in.  Most of the brightly colored tube cages to be found in pet stores today are neither safe, escape-proof, nor adequate in size for an adult Syrian hamster.  Nor are they easily cleaned, and cages should be cleaned every week.  An alternative cage is easily made from a plastic Sterilite bin, with the lid cut out and wire mesh attached for ventilation, and additional air holes drilled in the upper sides of the bin.  They may be outfitted as you wish, as long as they include the basic necessities.

Do not use cedar bedding, or any bedding w/ aromatic oils which can be irritating to a hamster's skin and respiratory tract.  Pine bedding may also be harmful to a hamster.  Carefresh is a bit more expensive but popular and safe.  I've found it to be absorbent and odor-free when the cage is cleaned regularly.  I've also used aspen with no problems.  Avoid the confetti-like bedding, which can end up wound around a hamster's leg and cause injury.

Also look for safe wheels; the best is a solid-surface plastic wheel so hamsters cannot catch their feet in the wire mesh.  There are various sizes available in wheels; an adult Syrian will usually require an 8" wheel.  Hamsters in the wild run several miles a night; a wheel is a necessity.

A safe wooden hamster chew or toy is also a necessity; hamsters' teeth grow forever, and if unchecked by adequate chewing, can become overgrown and require clipping, or at the worst, prevent them from being able to eat and/or cause injury.

A popular accessory is a hamster ball, which hamsters enjoy running about in.  Make sure you (1) tape the lid shut as they open easily; (2) do not leave your hamster in it for too long, they need a food and water break after about 15-20 minutes; and (3) take care that your hamster is kept to a safe area away from stairs or other animals when running in its ball.

1. Always wash hands before and after handling a hamster.  A hamster who smells food or some other interesting scent on a hand may bite.   Hamsters can also catch colds & other illnesses from people, as well as potentially carry and transmit germs [like most rodents].
2. When bringing a new hamster home, give it at least 24 hrs before handling, to become accustomed to the new smells and sounds of your house.
3. Place cage in an area away from drafts and direct sun.  The area should be fairly quiet, espec. during the day when hamsters sleep.
4. Spend a lot of time talking to your hamster so it becomes accustomed to your voice and your smell.
5. Lift by cupping the hamster in your hands.  It is safer to handle the hamster while sitting on the floor as a fall from even a short height can easily injure a hamster.
6. Never try to lift a hamster right out of its nest when it's sleeping.  Talk to it first and allow it to wake up and move around for a minute or so first.
7. Clean your hamster's cage weekly.  At the same time, clean its food bowl and water bottle. It is a good idea to place a small handful of the old bedding in with the new to help your hamster feel at home.  You may also place a mostly empty cardboard toilet-paper roll in the clean cage; the hamster can use the t-p for its nest, and gnaw on the cardboard. 
   
8. Make sure your hamster always has food available, as well as fresh clean water.   A small serving of fruit or vegetable every 2 or 3 days is also important to a hamster's diet.  See petwebsite.com for a list of safe fresh foods to feed your hamster.