Hello there! Unfortunately that is not a good cage for a Syrian. It is tall and has fall risks and the house is right at the top and enclosed, so doesn't allow for normal behaviours. They aren't cheap either and you can get a much more suitable cage for about the same or less money. I would really try and get a refund and get them to take it back. It also has a very small floor area (50cm x 36cm). You can tell them that the Wood Green animal charity recommend a minimum floor area of 80cm by 50cm for a Syrian and that the cage also doesn't meet the RSPCA welfare requirements for enough floorspace to have normal behaviours.
Hamsters do much better with more floor area and less height. Ideally a house would be open underneath and on top of substrate at floor level, so they can burrow down and bury hoards under the nest. And also so their nest doesn't get soiled by being in an enclosed plastic house where it gets condensation. The nest ends having to be removed a lot and cleaned out then which causes stress to hammies.
They are quite clean little creatures and will use a litter tray, which also helps on reducing the amount of clean-outs needed, but if the house is at the top they are unlikely to go all the way down to the base to do their toiletting.
Zooplus sell good cages suitable for Syrians and they're not too expensive either. The Alaska, Barney and Alexander are all good and popular. (Link below).
Some people have been successful in taking a cage back for a refund and saying it isn't suitable, even after it's been used. I am not sure whether the place you bought it from would accept this, but it's worth a try, or if they stock the Hamster Heaven or Savic Ruffy (both suitable) they might exchange it.
Most cages need some adapting, but a cage like the Barney is good value as it comes with everything needed included and you only need to add a few toys. It has a good sized house for a Syrian, a good shelf and a basic 8" wheel (which would do to start with).
Yes unfortunately most cages are sold with only 5" or 6" wheels which are only suitable for the smallest of dwarf hamsters. An 11" Trixie wheel is not too expensive and is a popular choice.
A good basic starter set up for a syrian that doesn't cost too much is the Alaska cage and 28cm (11") trixie wheel
Alaska Hamster Cage | Free P&P on orders £29+ at zooplus!
Trixie Small Pet Exercise Wheel | Free P&P on orders £29+ at zooplus!
Although the Barney cage costs about £15 more I think it is better value, if you have the space, because it comes with a house (the one in the Alaska is not suitable for a Syrian but might do as a toy), a better shelf and a basic starter wheel. So adding the cost of those things to an Alaska might end up making it cost more in the end. The other advantage to the Barney is you are unlikely to ever need to upgrade to a bigger size cage. Speaking as someone who had to upgrade twice! Our first cage was too small and unsuitable (a Rotostak thing) and our Syrian grew very large and got stuck in the tubes). So I upgraded to an 80cm by 50cm cage but it still felt a bit cramped when set up (even though it seemed huge at first) and eventually upgraded to the 100cm Barney - which is great. An 80cm by 50cm cage like the Hamster Heaven (or the Alaska - similar size) is absolutely fine though - we just happened to have a particularly large Syrian and I like big houses and toys as well so there is more space for them in the Barney.
Barney Pet Cage | Great deals at zooplus!
The Hamster Heaven is a great cage, but most of the colourful plastic contents are pretty useless and end up being removed, as do the external tubes and penthouse (which hammies block up and are an escape route). The cage itself, starting from empty, is good though.
Savic Hamster Heaven Metro Cage | Great deals at zooplus!
The Alexander cage costs a bit more but I have never heard of a Syrian who wasn't happy in an Alexander cage (I am sure there are some rare cases of a hamster who needed something bigger!). It comes with three houses, including a good long built in one, and three platforms like a kind of racetrack so lots of space and things to do.
Alexander Small Pet Cage | Available at zooplus!
I have the Barney cage for our Syrian and it currently looks like this
Attachment 42899
It is a total pain when a shop sells you a cage that isn't really suitable for a hamster. They just sell cages and don't know much about hamsters.
If you can't get a refund, you could adapt it a bit so there aren't any fall risks, a house is at substrate level and replace the wheel but I think you'd want to upgrade fairly soon anyway. I would say it's not suitable for your hamster and ask if you can bring it back for a refund, or at least a partial refund, as soon as a replacement cage arrives.