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Dwarf/Russian Hamster Minisite |
Dwarf/Russian/Roborovski/Campbells Hamsters Despite being Syrian breeders
we often get emails from people asking about their dwarf hamsters. Many of these emails go along the lines of
“I just got a new dwarf hamster from the pet shop and now ‘he’ has had babies
– help!” Below is a page of information
about dwarf hamsters – we have spent a long time researching the information
given below but as this is not our main breed if you spot anything wrong then
please get in touch so we can put it right.
Dwarf Hamsters The dwarf hamsters represent a
group of small hamsters in the genus Phodopus.
Although they do not belong to this genus, Chinese Hamsters are often
considered as dwarf hamsters as well. Dwarf hamsters have a more
limited coat colour variety than Syrian hamsters but are an alternative to
pet owners who enjoy a smaller hamster that can be kept in groups. However,
they must be handled frequently and gently to stay friendly, unlike Syrians
who once tamed remain that way even if not handled. Dwarf hamsters are relatively new to the pet market in comparison
to the Syrian, they are very small and very fast so are not ideal for young
children, the Roborovskis are especially quick. Types
of Dwarf Hamster There are two basic types of dwarf hamsters currently available as
pets: the Russians and the Chinese. The Russians can be further divided into
the The Chinese Dwarf Hamsters are sometimes known as
"mouselike" hamsters. They have a slightly longer tail, a more
pointed and longer nose, and tend to be thinner in build than other dwarfs. The Campbells is brownish-grey in colour
with a white belly and a dorsal stripe running along the spine. The Siberian or Winter-White is grey in colour with a
dorsal stripe during the summer and turns almost entirely white in the
winter. This change is triggered by the length of days, not by temperature,
but may not be seen in pets due to us using electric lights when it gets dark
outside. The Roborovski is similar in appearance to
the Caring
For Your Dwarf Hamster Unlike Syrians dwarfs can be kept in pairs or small
groups, in fact if you buy just one dwarf hamster it will probably get very
lonely so we would advise you to buy at least two. Make sure the pair you buy
are from the same cage or litter and buy them at the same time so that the
hamsters already know each other. This will greatly reduce the risk of
fighting. Also, unless you want many
baby hamsters we suggest you keep the dwarfs in same sex couples or groups.
Occasionally you may see your hamsters engaging in small fights
this is usually a way of determining the dominant hamster in the group and is
not normally harmful, however if the fighting becomes very violent, frequent
and bloody you should separate the hamsters to different cages. Otherwise
peaceable females can become highly territorial while pregnant, which may
include attacking her mate and/or you. Dwarf hamsters, like Syrians, need a nice big cage with plenty
of room to exercise. You may wish to buy a cage with smaller spaces between
the bars, often called mouse cages, due to the small nature of the hamsters.
They should be fed a regular hamster mix with access to fresh vegetables and
fruit and their cage should be cleaned out once a week. A
note of warning for all those considering breeding dwarf hamsters Russian dwarfs are relatively easy to breed, Chinese somewhat
less so. Generally their litters are small commonly 2-6 babies. In Russian hamsters,
the female goes into heat and can become pregnant immediately after giving
birth. The male plays an active role in bringing up the young, but unless you
want another litter as soon as the first lot have been fully weaned, then we
would recommend removing the male. |
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Both the Campbell and the Winter White are similar species but
they are slightly different in their genetic makeup. The
Pet shops often have no idea how to tell the difference, so if
you are interested in getting into the breeding of “Russian” hamsters please
buy from a breeder so you can guarantee what subspecies you are getting and
so you can ensure the line is purebred. Breeding
your dwarf hamster If you wish to breed dwarf hamsters then we suggest that you
contact your local dwarf breeder for advice. Search for them here: This page has been visited times since 9th
July 2006 |
