Types of Fancy Hamsters

A docile rodent, the hamster often makes an ideal first pet for children. Hamsters appear in various coat colors and lengths. They also vary in size, depending on the type. Predominately nocturnal, most of the day the hamster spends napping. The hamster began to rise in popularity as a pet in the 1930s. The small animal enjoys being held and interacting with humans. The hamster usually lives less than three years.

  1. Winter White Hamster

    • The winter white hamster, also known as the Siberian, entered the pet trade in the 1970s. The hamster sports a distinctive coat coloration of white, silver and black tipping. The pattern fades out to white to give the hamster an ideal camouflage during the winter months in its native habitat in Northern Kazakhstan and Siberia. The winter white can also sport a mutated white coat, known as the winter white pearl hamster; each white hair has a black tip. Another mutation produces the sapphire hamster which displays a white coat with gray tipped hairs which gives it an overall bluish-gray appearance. Usually considered a dwarf hamster because of the animal's small size, it thrives on the companionship of its own kind.

    Roborovski Hamster

    • The Roborovski hamster has a gold-brown coat with snow-white belly hair. Its exceptionally long whiskers stand out in dramatic contrast to its small body size. A dwarf hamster, it usually measures slightly under 2 inches in length. A speedy hamster, it can quickly get away from its owner. The Roborovski lives best in a social group where they enjoy lavishing affection on each other. It lives in arid regions of Mongolia, Northern China and Manchuria within burrows that often reach 6 feet beneath the Earth's surface.

    Chinese Hamster

    • The sleek Chinese hamster has a long tail and a dark brown dorsal stripe down its brown coat. The hamster's underbelly has a tan overcast to the gray fur. The hamster has an aggressive nature but will usually become tame over time. The Chinese hamster only lives one to two years. It does not get along with its own kind and should only be kept in a cage by itself to avoid fighting and aggression. Females may attack and kill males during the breeding season.

    Care

    • All hamster varieties require a cage with ample enough size to allow the hamster to play. A glass or plastic cage will keep the dwarf varieties safely enclosed. The dwarf hamster's small size often allows it to squeeze between the bars of a traditional cage. Most hamsters enjoy running on an exercise wheel or chewing small sticks of wood. A rodent, the hamsters front teeth constantly grows, so it enjoys indulging in chewing to wear its incisors down. The hamster thrives in a temperature from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Most hamsters enjoy scampering through tubes or laying inside a small structure during the day.