Dwarf Hamster Breeders

So you want to get a dwarf hamster but you’re not sure where to adopt from.  Of course, the pet store is always a convenient option.  They are easily found and you can simply swing on by and check out what hamsters they have.  You’ll also be able to find all the supplies you need at the pet store.  But the thing about pet stores is that sometimes they don’t the best selection of dwarf hamsters.  A less common, but still excellent, source of dwarf hamsters that you may want to explore is adopting from dwarf hamster breeders.

What is a dwarf hamster breeder?
Dwarf hamster breeders are people that raise and breed dwarf hamsters for a living.  They will most often have a great selection to choose from and if the breeder is a good one, the dwarf hammy you adopt is sure to not only be healthy and have good genes, but friendly and tame as well.

Knowing your hamster’s history
One of the advantages to getting a dwarf hamster from a breeder is that you may be able to get information on your dwarf hamster’s family history.  You can find out about his mom, his dad, his grandparents, etc.  Why would you want to know all this?   Well, this information becomes useful in knowing what kind of illnesses your hamster may get.  Knowing if your hamster’s relatives had any particular illnesses or problems gives you a glimpse of your hammy’s genetic history.  This will help you diagnose problems quicker as well as help you take precautions to avoid illnesses your hamster is prone to.  You’ll also be able to find and adopt a hamster that has a clean genetic history and has the best chance of having healthy genes.  Knowing a dwarf hamster’s history becomes especially important if you plan to breed hamsters.  This is because you’ll want to only breed healthy hamsters (hopefully the breeder you adopt from holds these same ideals as well).

Good dwarf hamster breeders can provide healthy and friendliness
Another advantage of getting your hamster from a breeder is that if you find a good dwarf hamster breeder, then you’ll have less to worry about in the long run.  They will know the ins and outs of dwarf hamsters so your hamster will most likely be not only healthy, but also friendly.  This is because a good breeder will have raised them properly and even possibly started the taming process so that the hamsters are comfortable with people.

Friendliness and tameness can also be reinforced on a genetic level as well.  If the dwarf hamster breeder is of quality, he or she will have an entire batch of hamsters that have only good genes.  That means they come from a long line of hamsters that are friendly.  I know when I was a breeder, if a dwarf hamster had a particularly nasty temper, I would avoid breeding him.

Not all breeders are created equal
Of course not all dwarf hamster breeders are created equal.  There are certainly dwarf hamster breeders out there that aren’t at the top of their game.  It certainly takes skill to breed good dwarf hamsters and some breeders take the easy route and only breed average hamsters.  To find a good breeder you should ask around.  Try to find people that have adopted from them before.  Try to find reviews so that you adopt from a reputable breeder.  Ask the breeder questions, does he or she know the history of the hamster?  Does he or she seem like the kind of person that puts care into the breeding process?  Also, don’t forget to inspect the hamsters yourself.  Look for all the signs that you would when adopting from a pet store.  If you do find a good breeder, you are likely to find better hamsters than you would in a pet store.

Where to find dwarf hamster breeders?
A great way to find dwarf hamster breeders is to check the local newspapers.  These guys need to get the word out somehow and many of them advertise in the paper.  If you know any real hamster enthusiasts you can ask around.  If you find the number of a hamster breeder, call them up and ask if they breed dwarf hamsters, if not, maybe they know of a breeder who does.  Another great place to look is online.  It can be as simple as doing a search or checking out online classifieds such as Craigslist.