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Types of Hamsters - How to Choose the Best Hamster Type
When choosing a hamster to buy, it's important to know the types of hamsters so you choose the best one for you. Different types of hamsters have different needs and traits.
There are 5 types of hamsters...
- Syrian hamster
- Chinese hamster
- Dwarf Campbell Russian Hamster
- Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster
- Roborovski Hamster
Syrian Hamster The Syrian Hamster lives alone in the wild and it feels much happier when it’s alone in captivity too. Syrian Hamsters can be aggressive with each other and can seriously hurt each other.
Never keep Syrian Hamsters in a pair or a group. Syrian Hamsters are the most commonly found in pet stores.
The Syrian Hamster is sometimes referred to as the 'Golden Hamster' due to its original wild golden coloring although today there are many different color and coat mutations.
It is also sometimes referred to as the Standard or Fancy Hamster and Long Haired Syrian hamsters are sometimes referred to as 'Teddy Bear Hamsters'. Female Syrian Hamsters are larger than male Syrian Hamsters.
Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster
Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is also known as the Djungarian Dwarf Hamster. It originates from the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan and Siberia.
When kept outdoors it gets a white winter coat. This is a natural protective color during a period when its original habitat is covered in snow. Hamsters are most comfortable at temperatures between 65 ° F / 18° C and 80°F / 26°C and should always be housed indoors.
Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters can be housed in a group, preferably of the same gender. They can only be housed in groups if brought together from a young age.
Dwarf Campbell's Russian Hamster
Dwarf Campbell Russian Hamster Dwarf Campbell's Russian Hamsters are closely related to Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters. Because of its thicker coat, the Campbell’s appears somewhat larger than Dwarf Russian Hamsters, but in fact it’s not.
Campbell hamsters tend to become fatter in captivity than the Russian Hamsters. The Campbell’s coat is yellow-brownish with a thin, sharply lined dorsal stripe.
Its coat turns slightly grayer in winter. Dwarf Campbell's Russian Hamsters can live in groups of the same gender. Dwarf Campbell's Russian Hamsters are around 8-11cm long.
Roborovski Hamster
Roborovski Hamster The Roborovski Hamster is also a short-tailed dwarf hamster, but its yellow-brown coloring and striking whiskers lend it a totally different appearance to the other two short-tailed species of dwarf hamsters.
Roborovski Hamsters are much less well knows and they breed very few young. The Roborovski Hamster is the smallest dwarf hamster. Its body measures only 4-5.5cm in length and its tail is barely visible. Its back is a brownish-yellow with gray under coloring.
Sometimes the yellow on its back appears somewhat rusty in color. Roborovski Hamsters don’t have dorsal stripes. Roborovski Hamsters can live in groups of the same gender. Roborovski Hamsters may live up to 3 years.
Chinese Hamster
Chinese Hamster The Chinese Hamster is a long-tailed dwarf hamster and not closely related to the other dwarf hamsters. The Chinese Hamster’s coat is not as woolly as that of the other species.
Its fur lies close and dark-brown dorsal stripe on its back is not always clearly visible and its belly is light gray. The Chinese Hamster has dark ears, lightly edged. The male has a strikingly large scrotum.
Chinese hamsters have a quiet temperament and are easily handled even though at first they might be a bit aggressive, but with patience and time they get tamed too.
The average life span of a chinese hamster is from 1.5 to 2 years. On average the chinese hamster is 10-12cm long and the male is larger than the female.
So You Want a Hamster, But Which One Is the Best for You?
Hamsters are often treated as the obvious choice for parents as first pets for their children, but often the reality of the needs and care of the hamster are overlooked. If you want a pet that needs very little input from you, get a goldfish!
The beauty of hamsters, their friendly nature and playful antics, make them a popular choice for a lot of people. In recent years, different hamster breeds have become more and more widely available. So which one is right for you?
It all depends on who is going to own the hamster. If you are getting it for your kids, you may want to go with a smaller hamster type like the Syrian hamster.
But for adults, bigger types of hamster may be better and more fun.
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