Dwarf Hamster Breeds

Dwarf hamsters aren’t all the same and even though they may all look very similar (similar enough to even fool scientists back in the day) there are actually four different dwarf hamster breeds.  Each breed has its own unique qualities and quirks and it’s always good to learn about them to choose the one that’s best for you.  The four different breeds of dwarf hamster are the Campbell’s, Winter White, Roborvski, and Chinese dwarf hamsters.

Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
The Campbell’s dwarf hamster is the most common of all the dwarf hamsters.  And being the most commonly available and bred this guy be the easiest one to find in a pet store.  One unique thing about the Campbell’s dwarf hamster is the number of varieties there are.  You can find him in many different available colors and fur patterns ranging from black to white to brown to a slight blue tint (something you won’t find the other dwarf hamsters in…yet).  In terms of size, if you adopt one of these guys, you can expect him to grow to about four inches long.

Winter White Dwarf Hamster
The winter white hamster is very similar to the Campbell’s.  In fact, these two breeds were once thought to be the same hamster.  The difference, in fact, is their difference in coats.  The winter white dwarf hamster has a really cool trait in that its coat turns white during the winter in order to camouflage with the snow!  But you might be disappointed as you can’t really achieve this affect if you keep your hamster indoors and the hamster really needs to be in its natural environment for this color change.

Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
This breed of hamster is the smallest of them all.  Roborovski dwarf hamsters grow to about half the size of the others.  Along with their much smaller size, they are also much quicker and agile (as if the average dwarf hamster wasn’t agile enough!).  This does make it somewhat harder to play with them sometimes as you’ll have to be alert, otherwise they could scurry off in a split second.  You’ll also need to double check that your cage is secure enough because the cracks they’re able to squeeze themselves through will surprise you!  These guys also have the longest life span of all the dwarf hamsters at about three to three and a half years.

Chinese Dwarf Hamster
The Chinese dwarf hamster is the most unique of the bunch.  They have a very distinct look about them that separates them from the other dwarf hamsters, appearing more mouse like than the rest.  Actually, the truth of the matter is that they aren’t “scientifically” considered to be dwarf hamsters but because of their incredibly small size, they are considered by all non-scientists as part of the dwarf hamster family.  Along with their uniqueness, they are also the rarest of all the dwarf hamsters.  They aren’t available at all the pet shops and they are actually illegal in certain states (such as California) because they are considered an agricultural threat if they were to get lost.