The different Species of Hamsters

The different types of hamsters are often mistaken for breeds but they are, in fact, different species. Species is a scientific classification and defines a group of animals with similar genetics. While there have been 19 different species of hamsters discovered in the wild, only 5 of them have been domesticated.

Average Weight: Between 80 to 200 Grams, with ethically bred specimen being able to reach up to 250 Grams

Syrian Hamsters have been documented and captured for lab testing since 1930. Since then they have been bred and sold in pet stores worldwide. They are the largest domesticated species. They tend to be more docile and and come in a large variety of coat colors and patterns as well as textures and lengths. Syrian hamsters possess two scent glands on each side of their flanks which they use to mark their territory.

Over the years pet stores marketed Syrian hamsters under many different names, such as “Panda Hamster”, “Teddy Bear Hamster” or “Fancy Bear”. These are in fact not different breeds but simply coat variations of the same species.

One might also encounter Syrian hamsters with genetic abnormalities being sold, such as having curly hair, balding / very thin hair or no hair at all. These types of unethical breeding practices are not in the interest of the animals well-being but simply to appease buyers and make more sales. We strongly advise against purchasing a hamster that lacks hair or has curly hair and whiskers! These hamsters often suffer from poor genetics, skin issues, struggle with orientation and overall have a bad quality of life.

Wild Syrian hamsters have been observed to live solitary, only coming together for mating. Female Syrian hamster raise the young alone and start abandoning or chasing them away once the pups reach an age of about 6 to 8 weeks. Domesticated Syrian hamsters still express the same level of aggression towards other members of their species and should under no circumstance be kept with other hamsters at an age older than 6 weeks.

Female Syrian hamsters experience heat about every four days and are known for being quite a handful. They tend to require more space and enrichment to keep them satisfied, otherwise they might show symptoms of stress and boredom.

Despite this, male Syrian hamsters are a great recommendations for beginners. They are easier to handle due to their size and unlike their female counterparts, are relatively easy to please and entertain.

These of course are generalizations and no guarantee as each hamster has their own unique personality.

Average Weight: Between 25 and 45 Grams

Chinese Hamsters were initially discovered in 1867 and captured for lab testing in 1915, but have since been replaced by rats and mice. They are naturally solitary and express aggression when kept in small cages or with other members of their species.

Chinese hamsters have been bred and kept as pets since the 70s but are more of a rare find nowadays. Their long, slim body and circa 2 cm long tail reminds more of a mouse than other domesticated species of hamsters. Said tail helps them to better keep balance when climbing. Despite this they should not be mistaken to be great climbers, their abilities are nowhere near those of actual mice or rats who have a long tail and enjoy the act of climbing.

They possess two scent glands positioned on each side of their flanks. Unlike Syrian hamsters they do not come in a large variety of coat colors. Most coat colors are variations of agouti (natural / wild color) with patterns of white.

Average Weight: Between 25 to 65 Grams

Winter White Dwarf Hamsters are also known as Dsungarian / Djungarian / Dzungarian or Russian Dwarf Hamster have first been documented in 1770 and captured for animal testing in the 1960’s. In the wild they typically inhabit steppes and meadows in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia.

Their name derives from their ability to change their coats color to white during winter months to blend in with the snow. Adult Winter White Dwarf Hamster might do so in their first winter based on the amount of daylight hours, not due to temperature. Do not be disappointed or concerned if your hamster does not turn fully white. Artificial lights or being located on a lower latitude with longer daylight hours can interfere with the hormonal processes that cause the coat to change.

Wild Winter White Dwarf Hamsters live solitary, only coming together for mating. Males might partake in raising the pups by providing food and warmth, however the female is mainly responsible for raising her pups and will often chase away the father after successful mating. Male pups will be chased out of the nest at 28 days of age, while female pups might be tolerated up to an age of 6 to 8 weeks.

Winter White Dwarf Hamsters have a very round body shape. Their ears are small and round, their eyes further apart. Their agouti color features a dark brown to black back fur with a light gray to white belly. Side arches are clearly defined and separate the colors. They feature a dark dorsal stripe along their spine which ends in a diamond shape on their forehead. Their soles are hairy.

Winter White Dwarf Hamsters have a very limited variety of coat colors, all colors are agouti based with some variation of markings. Hamsters in the color Pearl (white) might not have a clearly visible dorsal stripe and will often undergo a silvering process which continues until the animal is completely white at an age of around 1 to 1.5 years.

Phodopus species feature a scent glands on their belly which they use to mark their territory. Male Winter White Dwarf Hamsters are often calmer and docile, while females are more active and might require more enrichment, albeit not to the same degree as female Syrian hamsters.

Average Weight: Between 30 and 65 Grams

Campbell Dwarf Hamsters were first discovered and documented in 1902. Up until the 1990s it was attributed to be a sub-species of the phodopus sungorus. This assumption has since been proven wrong by genetic studies as well as through behavior and physical differences between the species. Wild Campbell hamsters inhabit steppes and semi-deserts of Mongolia, China and Russia.

In Europe Campbell hamsters have been bred since 1969. They come in a large variety of colors but have a bad reputation of being aggressive and biting. This seems to be a product of improper care and unethical breeding practices, as ethically bred specimens can be quite tame and docile.

Campbell Dwarf Hamsters might look similar to Whiter Whites at first, but have a more pointy nose and triangular ears. The body is more eight-shaped with an indicated waist. Their soles are hairless. Their agouti coloring features a dark brown back with light beige belly. The three arc line separating the colors appears washed out and might have a yellow mid tone between the darker back and lighter belly color. The dorsal stripe does not widen on their forehead but has a consistent thickness all throughout.

Wild Campbell Dwarf Hamsters have been observed to have an intricate social system living in family structures. Fathers and older siblings from previous litters will partake in raising pups by providing warmth and bringing food to the den. Once the pups come of age they might continue living with their family or leave to live alone until finding a mate of their own.

Campbell Dwarf Hamsters are particularly prone to diabetes and obesity. Therefore owners should pay attention to their diet and avoid feeding too many treats and high calorie food.

There are no significant differences in behavior between male and female Campbell Dwarf Hamsters.

Average Weight: Between 30 to 60 Grams

Due to the similar genetic make up of the Winter White and Campbell Dwarf Hamsters interbreeding them to produce Hybrid off-springs has been possible. This is traced back to the now refuted assumption of phodopus campbelli to be a sub-species of phodopus sungorus.

In breeding practices it quickly got discovered that Campbell Dwarf Hamsters produce a large variety of coat colors. Winter White Dwarf Hamsters on the other hand have been in human care for longer and developed a more docile and friendly disposition towards humans. Breeders attempted to combine these traits to produce a calm and colorful Dwarf Hamster.

Due to the hybridization purebred Campbell and Winter White Dwarf hamsters have become quite rare. Especially pet stores cannot ensure lineage but might still sell Dwarf hamsters as “Winter White”, “Russian Dwarf” or “Campbell Dwarf” hamsters. With no record or documentation proofing a Dwarf hamster’s pedigree one must assume it to be a Hybrid.

Depending on the genetic makeup Hybrid Dwarf hamsters may look like Campbell Dwarf Hamsters, Winter White Dwarf hamster or a mix of both.

Nowadays ethical breeders will not breed for Hybrid Dwarf hamsters anymore. Hybrid Dwarf hamsters are prone to diabetes, obesity and generally are predisposed to health problems and behavioral issues such as cage aggression and nipping.

Average Weight: Between 20 and 30 Grams

Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters primarily inhabit desert regions in Northern China and South Mongolia, but have also been found in southern Tuvan, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It has first been documented in 1903. The Roborowski Dwarf Hamster is the smallest known hamster species.

Their agouti color is sand-colored to light brown-beige with a white belly. They famously have two white dots above their eyes which look like eyebrows. They do not have a dorsal stripe.

Wild Roborowski Dwarf Hamster have been observed to mainly inhabit areas with large amounts of sand and rather sparse plant growth. They seem to prefer sand areas above all else, which is why offering a large sand bath is key to your Roborowski Dwarf Hamster’s happiness.

As Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters mainly inhabit arid areas without a reliable source of water, they rely on obtaining most of their water intake from their food and might not actively seek out water itself. A study suggests live insects to be a substantial source of hydration. Owners should monitor their pet Roborowski Dwarf Hamster for signs of dehydration as their main diet consists of dried food. Offering fresh vegetables and live insects can help circumvent dehydration when they don’t seek out their water bottle or bowl in their enclosure.

The natural habitat has hardly been researched. In the wild they inhabit self-dug burrows which they construct in the loose sand or dens from other animals. Some documentation suggests wild Roborowski Dwarf Hamster to live in pairs or loose family structures. This seems to be the case mostly for survival reasons, such as over winter or to raise pups.

Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters tend to have a more timid nature which, alongside their size and speed, makes handling more challenging for less experienced owners. They are often described as being comparatively difficult to tame and shy to touch. It is therefore recommended to offer plenty of hides and clutter to make them feel more safe in their environment.

If using a barred cage, consider lining the bars with hardware cloth or rodent-proof steel mesh, as their smaller size may make it easier for them to escape through widely spaced bars. When considering purchasing a new enclosure we recommend something without accessible bars, such as an aquarium or terrarium.

There is a common belief that hamsters can be kept in pairs or groups. Pet stores use the argument that the hamsters come already living with their siblings as reason to sell more hamsters, while individuals might anthropomorphize their animals and think, surely they must be lonely alone. Another argument might be the social behavior observed by Campbell and Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters in the wild.

Syrian Hamsters, Chinese Hamsters and Winter White Dwarf Hamsters should never be housed with other members of their species above an age of 6 weeks. These species of hamsters are strictly solitary and will express violent behavior when in contact with other hamsters.

While Campbell and Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters live in family structures in the wild, they have also been found living solitary outside of mating seasons. Male Campbell Dwarf Hamsters will be chased out of the nest once they reach sexual maturity and females will only be tolerated to help raise younger siblings. Roborowski Dwarf Hamsters are even less inclined to share a space with relatives, only tolerating one another for survival reasons, for example to stay warm during winter, and parting ways once the weather cleared up again.

Another issue is that the mentioned species primarily live in true pairs consisting of a male and female for reproduction reasons. Same sex pairs or groups are not found in the wild, which might be in part reason for the arising tension in home care scenarios. Wild Dwarf Hamsters living in colonies or pairs are also often subject to frequent dominance fights and can separate when their mate is found to be incompatible.

In captivity we are not able to accommodate the complex social structures and environmental circumstances to ethically house hamsters in pairs or groups. Fights are very likely to happen and while in the wild they’ll be able to run away and keep distance, this is not possible in a finite space such a cage. A fight can happen at any moment and the consequences can be heavy injury or even death – all before the owner might be able to notice and intervene. Even if your hamsters are currently not fighting they may suffer issues such as food imbalances.

Hamsters in pet stores arrive and get put on display at a rather young age, often below 6 weeks of age, which is within a time frame pups are able to share a habitat with their siblings. Most hamster species reach sexual maturity around 6 weeks of age, which is where fights can start to happen.

Additionally, Dwarf Hamsters labeled as “Russian Dwarf” or “Campbell” (as well as “Winter White”) are very likely to be Hybrids. Suppliers do not provide documentation of pedigree or genetic testing. Hybrids are not able to be housed socially, even if they might physically look like Campbell Dwarf Hamsters.

And even if they were purebred Campbell Dwarf Hamster or Roborowski Dwarf Hamster, pet stores and rodent mills who supply them focus on providing a large quantity of animals in preferably a large variety of coat colors. They are not bred with social genes in mind.

We do not recommend housing any species of hamster in groups or pairs. Cohabitation causes a lot of stress to all involved hamsters. Unlike true social creatures such as mice and guinea pigs, hamsters do not suffer in solitary. They are actually more likely to thrive and bond with their owner without the stress of sharing a home with another hamster.