Mary Allen
Dwarf hamsters are easy-care pets that are easy to watch. You are very active and curious. However, they are not suitable for cuddling. Here you will find an overview of the most popular dwarf hamster species.
Keeping Dwarf Hamsters
Dwarf hamsters are active and curious animals. That is why it is a lot of fun to watch the lively rodents. They are active at twilight and prefer to spend the days and nights in underground structures. Although they are relatively easy to care for and look overly cute with their big button eyes, they are not suitable as pets for children. However, older and responsible children who are careful with the hamsters can take good care of such an animal.
Dwarf hamsters differ from hamsters in terms of their keeping in that cages with bars are not suitable for them. Here the little bullies could quickly escape between the bars. It is a mistake that the dwarfs need less space than, for example, golden hamsters because they are smaller. Since the small hamsters can hardly be guaranteed to run freely, they need a large cage in order to be able to meet their high urge to move.
The cage for your dwarf hamster must be at least 100 x 50 x 50 cm and have a 20 cm deep layer of bedding for digging. Of course, a bigger cage is always better. The most important thing for the perfect dwarf hamster cage is enough hiding places. You can set up cork tunnels, cardboard tubes, and wooden sleeping houses. Employment opportunities such as gnawable branches are also important. For grooming, your dwarf hamsters need a sand bath, which is best filled with chinchilla sand. You should set up the sand bath as well as bowls and drinking troughs elevated. In addition, all accessories must be secured against tipping over. You can find more information about the perfect hamster cage here.
We cannot recommend running free in the room for the dwarf hamster, as it can get lost quickly. When he’s become tame, you can take him out of his cage and let him run in a limited space. Make sure to keep an eye on your hamster and make sure that it cannot fall off raised surfaces.
Djungarian Dwarf Hamster
Characteristics
Name: Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus)
Origin: Central Asia, Northern Russia, Northern China, Northern Kazakhstan
Genus: Short-tailed dwarf hamster
Size: approx. 9-11 cm
Weight: approx. 19-45 g
Color: gray to white, black eel line
Life expectancy: approx. Up to 2.5 years
Housing: Individual housing
About the Djungarian Dwarf Hamster
The Djungarian dwarf hamster is probably the best-known species of dwarf hamster. However, little research has been done on it so far. In nature, it is particularly widespread in Siberia and Kazakhstan, where it lives in barren steppe areas. It is usually gray in color and has a distinctive eel line on its back. In winter, however, he changes the color of his coat to white, which suggests that he does not hibernate. Although some Djungarian dwarf hamsters get along in groups for a short time, like most hamster species they tend to be loners. We would recommend keeping it alone, otherwise, the hamsters may fight.
Campbell Dwarf Hamster
Characteristics
Name: Campbell dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli)
Origin: Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, Northern China
Genus: Short-tailed dwarf hamster
Size: approx. 7-9 cm
Weight: approx. 20-50 g
Color: gray-brown, brown eel line
Life expectancy: approx. Up to 2.5 years
Housing: Individual housing
About the Campbell Dwarf Hamster
The Campbell dwarf hamster is a subspecies of the Djungarian dwarf hamster. In fact, it is so closely related to the Djungarian that it is often crossed with them, which is why many of the dwarf hamsters kept as pets are hybrids. In the wild, it lives in grasslands, semi-deserts, and in the desert. However, he likes firmer ground than Roborowski, for example. The Campbell reproduces from April to October and does not overwinter. Its diet consists mainly of seeds and occasionally insects. You can feed your hamster grain mixes and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
Characteristics
Name: Roborowski dwarf hamster (Phodopus roborovskii)
Origin: Mongolia and neighboring areas in Russia, Kazakhstan, Northern China
Genus: Short-tailed dwarf hamster
Size: approx. 4.5-7 cm
Weight: approx. 17-25 g
Color: sand-colored, white belly
Life expectancy: approx. 2 years
Housing: preferred individual housing
About the Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
Even if the Roborovski dwarf hamster is the smallest of the hamsters, it has a large distribution area in nature. This extends over much of the Gobi Desert, where he prefers sandy deserts and semi-deserts. He prefers to build his caves between sand dunes. The Roborovski does not hibernate and reproduces from March to September. The Roborovski dwarf is sand-colored with a white snout and white belly.
Chinese Striped Hamster
Characteristics
Name: Chinese hamster (Cricetulus barabensis / Cricetulus griseus)
Origin: China, Mongolia
Genus: Gray dwarf hamsters
Size: approx. 8-13 cm
Weight: approx. 30-45 g
Color: gray-brown, black eel line
Life expectancy: approx. 3 years
Housing: preferred individual housing
About the Chinese Striped Hamster
The Chinese striped hamster prefers to live in forest steppes and semi-deserts. In contrast to the other hamsters mentioned here, this small dwarf hamster has a longer tail of around 2-3cm, which is why it looks a little bit like a mouse. In nature, these hamsters live in groups of four or five in their underground burrows. They feed on grains and legumes. This dwarf hamster species hibernate and only becomes active again in February and March. The Chinese striped hamster is still quite rare as a pet.