Campbells Dwarf Hamster

The Campbells dwarf hamster is the most common dwarf hamster species available.  If you’re looking to adopt a hamster, it’s a good bet you’ll find one of these guys at the pet store.  These guys are small, cute, and come in a lot of different varieties.  Out of all the different dwarf hamster species, the Campbells dwarf hamster has been bred the most, and therefore you can find the largest variety of colors and fur patterns with Campbells today.

The Campbells dwarf hamster is originally from areas in eastern and central Asia.  In fact, this hamster is also known as the Djungarian hamster because they are found in the Djungaria region of Mongolia.  Their natural habitat is in vast flat areas of land that are dry and covered in grass.  Like all dwarf hamsters, these guys live underground in the burrows they love to dig.  They’re nocturnal so they sleep in these burrows during the day and run out at night to find food.

So why is this hamster called the Campbells dwarf hamster?  No, it doesn’t have anything to do with the soup.  These guys are actually named after a man named W.C. Campbell who first discovered these guys in Mongolia in 1902.

The Campbells dwarf hamster has many differences and advantages over the more common Syrian hamster.  First of all, these guys are much smaller and therefore cuter.  They grow up to only four inches in length while the Syrian hamster grows to about twice that size.  The Campbells hamster is also much more social.  While the Syrian hamster must live alone in captivity because they can not get along with a roommate, Campbells hamsters are much more social and actually live better in pairs.

The Campbells dwarf hamster is sometimes confused with his cousin the Siberian dwarf hamster.  In fact, historically the Siberian hamster was thought to be the same species as the Campbells hamster for a while.  That is because both these species are extremely similar.  The difference as been discovered since, the primary one being their coats.  The Siberian dwarf hamster is slightly larger and has a thicker coat.  The Siberian dwarf hamster also has a survival mechanism where his coat turns white in the winter.  This was most likely developed because of the snowy environment it lived in.

The Campbells dwarf hamster comes in a lot of different colors.  You can find these guys with coats that are pattern-less, spotted, and striped.  Colors range from the standard what to brown to dark grey.  And after being bred for so long they are even available in slight blue tints as well as black.

Because these guys are the most common species of dwarf hamster, when mentioning how to care for dwarf hamsters, these guys are the rule and not the exception.  Therefore, when caring for these guys, simply follow care instructions for dwarf hamsters or Russian dwarf hamsters as these instructions are primarily regarding the Campbells dwarf hamster.

If you’re a dwarf hamster owner or are thinking about adopting one, sign up to my free mini course below for the tips, techniques and secrets of raising a happy and healthy dwarf hamster!