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Winter White Dwarves

There are five recognized breeds of hamsters seen as pets. Of the five, four are dwarf hamsters. Each breed requires a different range of attention and care. Syrian hamsters are the only full-sized hamsters recognized as a breed and are the most common breed of hamster kept as pets.

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Breeding hamsters is not recommended, but if it is going to happen, crossing breeds should not occur. Crossing breeds is very dangerous for the offspring and the mating pair. The pair would not only never mate in the wild, they would fight if they crossed paths. Offspring of cross-breeding hamsters are susceptible to diseases, are obese, sterile, and may suffer from diabetes, kidney failure, glaucoma, cancer, and/or lack of limbs.

Winter White dwarf - Winston

Hamsters

Winter White dwarves are sometimes called Siberian, Furry Footed, White Russian, or Western hamsters. They grow to about four inches long and are grey with a dark stripe down their backs. Their grey coat is replaced by a white coat in the winter. Sometimes, Winter Whites are capable of living together, but it is not recommended. Winter White dwarves typically live 1.5 - 2 years.

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The Winter White is known to cause the most allergic reactions in humans than any other breed.

Campbell Dwarves

Campbell dwarves are the largest and most good natured dwarf breed of hamster, but they can get nippy when agitated and are one of the faster, more agile dwarf breeds. They are the most commonly found dwarf breed in pet stores as they were the first dwarf breed to be brought to pet stores. There are more than 40 color variations now available in the Campbell breed. They can grow up to 5 inches long.

Djungarian Campbell dwarf - Chip
Roborovski dwarf - Derbyshire
Campbell dwarf - Matilda

Caring For Your Hamster

Roborovski Dwarves

Chinese Dwarves

Chinese dwarves are the least common hamster breed and are the most difficult to find in pet stores. They are often seen as a dwarf hamster breed but are actually a rat-like species with the most mouse-like features. Some of these include short, stubby legs, a longer tail, and genitals the size of its head. These features make it the least desirable hamster breed. It is also very violent when pregnant and makes community living much more difficult. They grow up to 5 inches and are very good climbers. They are often active during both the day and night during the summer months.

Syrians are the most common hamster breed. They are the largest and easiest to care for. They are slower than dwarf hamsters and are much easier to handle. This makes them good starter hamsters, safe even for children. They are NOT community hamsters and should never be kept together.

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Syrian hamsters come in 3 recognized breeds: teddy bear, black bear, and golden. It is debated if the black bear is a true breed or if it is simply another color variation of the golden.

Long Haired Syrian - Sir Hamlet

Roborovski dwarves are the most difficult pet breed of hamster to care for. They are the smallest, fastest breed of hamster and are therefore difficult to handle. If they don't want to be handled, it's hard to get them to cooperate. Because of this, they are not recommended for beginners or children. They can grow up to 4 inches and live 3 - 3.5 years. Roborovski hamsters are known to sleep longer than other hamster breeds.

Necessities

  • Housing

    • Aquariums are not a good fit for hamsters as they are poorly ventilated and can cause your hamster to have difficulty breathing. Instead, aim for a partially wired cage. Fully wired cages can injure your hamsters feet and occasionally break or remove them. A mix of plastic and wire is the best option as it is well ventilated, hard to chew, and is otherwise safe for your hamster.

  • Dishes

    • Ceramic vs plastic

      • Ceramic pros

        • No chewing

        • Easy cleaning

        • Heavy; won't tip or spill

      • Ceramic cons
        • Unglazed portion is harder to clean
        • Expensive
        • Breakable
      • Plastic pros
        • Cheap
        • Won't break
        • Comes with most cages
      • Plastic cons
        • Chewable
        • Light; spillable
        • Harder to clean

  • Hideouts

    • Plastic vs wooden/natural

      • Plastic pros

        • See through

        • Easy to clean

        • Cheap

      • Plastic cons

        • Chewable; not healthy

      • Wooden/Natural pros

        • Chewable; healthy

        • More natural

      • Wooden/Natural cons

        • Opaque

        • Expensive

  • Bottles

    • Fresh water should be given to all small pets daily, even in bottles that seem to last for weeks. Always fill bottles completely to prevent bacteria and air bubbles.

  • Food

    • Avoid feeding your hamster sunflower seeds, as these are high in oil (fat). Small amounts of fresh food such as sweet apple or carrots should also be provided, but it is especially important not to leave them in the cage for more than a few hours as they can quickly become moldy.

  • Toys

    • Balls

      • The smallest ball will work for all dwarf hamster breeds. The second smallest will work for all Syrian hamsters. Do not put a Syrian hamster in an extra small ball as this can cause back issues.

    • Carts and Tracks

    • Playpens

    • Tubes

      • Tubes should never extend past a few feet. While hamsters love running through tubing, they also tend to sleep in extra long sections of tubing. They are often poorly ventilated and having tubes stretch too far can make it difficult for your hamster to breathe.

    • Chewables

      • Chewables are a fun and easy way to play with your hamster. Toilet paper tubes are a cheap and easy source of chewables for your hamster and they are perfectly safe. Some people use milk and water bottle caps as well.

      • Using chewables also prevents the chewing of bars. If your hamster will not stop chewing on the bars even with chewables in the cage, try adding different kinds or using a spray from the pet store on the bars. Some hamsters will chew on the bars regardless.

    • Wheels and Saucers

      • Exercise is a very important part of hamsters' lives! Some hamsters run miles a day in the wild, and they need to get a similar amount of exercise in captivity to remain healthy and happy.

  • Snacks

Dwarves

Syrians

Djungarian Campbell Dwarf - Aaleahyah

Teddy Bear

Teddy bear hamsters are also known as long haired, fancy, and Angora hamsters. The females have inch to 2 inch long hair all around their bodies. The males wear skirts of up to 4 inch long hair. Because it is an unnaturally bred trait, teddy bear hamsters may need help grooming.

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To groom a teddy bear hamster, it may be less stressful to trim tangled or knotted hair. Otherwise, it is best to brush out knots with a small cat flea comb or toothbrush, starting grooming at a young age and lengthening sessions over time.

Black Bear

Golden

Black bear hamsters used to be larger than Golden hamsters. Show quality black bear hamsters may have measured in at 5 - 6 inches long. Now, due to commercial breeding, they are roughly the same size as the Golden at 6-8 inches.

Black bear hamsters have varying coat length, but are generally all black or black with white underbellies. The version with white is sometimes called the Panda bear hamster, but it is just another color variation of the Black bear hamster.

Golden hamsters are seen as the traditional Syrian hamster breed. There are no special care instructions for Golden hamsters other than the fact that they need the largest cage you have space for to run, as do all other Syrian hamster breeds. They grow 6 - 8 inches long.

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