Chinese dwarf hamsters look different from dwarf Russian hamsters, and there’s a very good reason for that – technically, they’re not dwarf hamsters at all but part of the mouse-like hamster family. Chinese hamsters are commonly referred to as dwarf hamsters, simply because of their small size. The true species is evident in its appearance, more like a mouse than a hamster, with a longer, more slender body and a mouse-like tail. The Chinese hamster can average 9 to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length when fully grown, but because it is smaller than its cousin, the Syrian hamster, it is often included with dwarfs.<\/p>\n
Chinese dwarf hamsters originated in northern China’s Mongolia – literally a desert rat! They are considered as rare as pet hamsters for many reasons, the first of which is that they can be very difficult to breed in captivity. The second is that some states within the United States consider them pests and do not allow Chinese hamsters as pets without a special permit.<\/p>\n
The usual coloration of the Chinese hamster is grayish-brown on its back, white on its underside and a dark stripe down the spine. Only two other color mutations have evolved: the ‘black-eyed white’ (all white with big black eyes, just like the descriptive name!) and the ‘dominant spot’, which is a lighter color than the wild Chinese hamster with very dark markings along its spine.<\/p>\n
While true dwarf hamsters often get along well when housed together, Chinese hamsters are quite the opposite. Females, if littermates or brought together when very young, may have a good chance of bonding well – certainly better than a male and a female. The female dominates the male especially when she is pregnant, thus the male is at risk of serious injury or even death if left in a cage with a female for an extended period of time.<\/p>\n
Because of their temperament, if you decide to keep two Chinese hamsters in the same cage, it should have more space than is required for true dwarf hamster breeds. Ideally, this extra space should include hiding places so that the less dominant animal has a place to get away from the more dominant animal when necessary. A plastic aquarium or tank is the best choice for a home for these species, as wire cages may have wires spaced far enough for these graceful creatures to squeeze into. The exception to this is a cage made for pet rats, where the wires are close together.<\/p>\n
Chinese hamsters eat the same foods as other types of hamsters. They do well with a varied diet of small pieces of vegetables and fruit, as well as commercial hamster food such as seeds and pellets. Always have a daily supply of fresh water. Like dwarf hamsters, the smaller size of the Chinese hamster makes better water bottles than water bowls.<\/p>\n
Chinese hamsters can be difficult to train or even tame unless they are young when introduced to humans. Their mouse-like physical attributes include speed and agility, the ability to climb, jump from great heights, and, as previously mentioned, the ability to squeeze into (and through) very small spaces. These characteristics can make them more difficult to handle than dwarf hamsters, and so they are suitable for older children or adults.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chinese dwarf hamsters look different from dwarf Russian hamsters, and there’s a very good reason for that – technically, they’re not dwarf hamsters at all but part of the mouse-like hamster family. Chinese hamsters are commonly referred to as dwarf hamsters, simply because of their small size. The true species is evident in its appearance, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":88,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hamster-mouse"],"yoast_head":"\n