Hamster Breeds
Gaining an understanding of the different hamster breeds can be a challenge, but in this article I will attempt to clarify the topic, and eliminate some of the confusion. although there are many different hamster breeds in the wild, only five have been commonly domesticated, and are therefore important for the average pet owner to know about.
Of the five, two are considered full size as opposed to dwarf. They are the common or Syrian hamster, and the Chinese hamster. The Chinese hamster, due to it’s diminutive size, is often mistakenly referred to as the Chinese dwarf hamster, but it is not a true dwarf.
The other three commonly domesticated hamsters are dwarfs. They are the Campbell dwarf hamster, the Roborovski dwarf, and the Winter White Russian dwarf hamster. Each of these is a true dwarf hamster.
Sputnik, A Winter White Russian Owned by Claire. Used by Permission.
The Syrian or common hamster is by far the largest domesticated breed, often reaching 7 inches long at maturity. They are also variously called golden hamsters or teddy bear hamsters, and are the most widely kept hamster pets in the world. Although they are good with people, and like to be handled, they are not good with each other and should be kept seperately, except when breeding. If caged together, they may even resort to killing one another.
Chinese hamsters, also called striped hamsters, are similar to their Syrian cousins in one important respect… they don’t particularly like being housed together, and will fight if given the opportunity. They are also good with people, making them a good choice for a pet, as long as you can handle their small size. They - like all hamsters - are nocturnal in nature, but do enjoy brief periods of daytime activity. They rarely reach lengths greater than 4 inches. Coloration comes in primarily two varieties - predominantly white fur with darker spots (”Dominant Spot”) and dark brown with a nearly black dorsal line and an ivory underbelly.
The dwarf hamster breeds, including the Russian dwarf hamster, are covered in quite a bit of detail in other articles on this site, so I won’t repeat that information here. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the different types, and put some real thought into it before you decide which would make the ideal pet for you and your family. Whatever else you do, make sure you are capable of taking the right kind of care wsith your pet hamster or dwarf hamster before you bring it home.
The above pictures have been submitted by members and gathered from various sources around the internet, many of which were submitted by their original photographers. If any of the aforementioned photographs are copyrighted and you are the owner of these pictures, do not hesitate to contact me! They will be swiftly removed if you so desire. All images are hosted server-side by dwarf-hamster.com.
