The 5 Hamster Species | Chinese Hamster

Chinese Hamsters

Black-eyed White
Picture from hamsteriyhdistys.fi

The Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) originates from the deserts of northern China and Mongolia. This hamster is often confused with being a dwarf hamster as pet shops sell them under this name due to their small size. However, Chinese hamsters are not classed as dwarfs as they are typically solitary and do not belong to the genus phodopus. 

Chinese hamsters have long flat bodies with large ears and a pointed face. They are also the only species with long tails, which can grow to 1-3 cm in length resulting in them commonly being mistaken for mice. 

Agouti
Picture from forum.lowyat.net

These hamsters can be many different colours. However the 3 most common are...

• Agouti- brown body with a grey dorsal stripe and white belly
• Dominant spot- white body with black eyes and grey spotting on it's back
• Black eyed white- white body with black eyes           

Dominant Spot
Picture from hamsteriyhdistys.fi

Average life span: 2-3 years

Average length: 8-12 cm, with males often being larger that females.

Average weight: 40-45g, however their weight can vary between 30-60g

Diseases they are prone to: Diabetes

Can they live in pairs/groups?: It is not recommended to keep Chinese Hamsters together as they can be solitary, with females pairs/groups starting to fight at around 3-4 months old and males rarely being able to live with other hamsters.

Also known as... Chinese Dwarf Hamsters

Picture of Chinese hamster from phongthuyphuongdong.vn

                                                                                  Gem :) x