Information on Chocolate Russian Dwarf Hamsters

Chocolate Russian dwarf hamsters make ideal family pets and are easy to care for. The three different types of Russian dwarf hamsters are Campbell's Russian dwarf hamsters, winter white Russian dwarf hamsters and Roborovski Russian dwarf hamsters. All three breeds can be bred in a variety of colors including chocolate brown.

  1. Origin

    • Of the three varieties of chocolate Russian dwarf hamsters, both the Campbell's hamsters and the Roborovski hamsters originated in Mongolia, and the winter white hamsters originated in Siberia. They are used to living in colonies in a hot climate, and so living in a warm environment such as a family home is not a problem to these little creatures.

    Lifespan

    • Russian dwarf hamsters have a lifespan of roughly two years, although some have been known to live for three years. For this reason, it is important when selecting a hamster as a pet to make sure that it is young; about 8 weeks old is the ideal age. The benefit of selecting such a young animal is that it can be easily tamed with a few days and will quickly become friendly.

    Size

    • The Roborovski breed of Russian dwarf hamster is the smallest. Because of its small size and long legs, it can run extremely fast. When fully grown it is only 4 to 5 centimeters long. Campbell's Russian dwarf hamsters and winter white dwarf hamsters are longer at 8 to 10 centimeters long.

    Nutrition

    • Chocolate Russian dwarf hamsters should have a supply of fresh water every day, which they access via a pet water bottle. They should be fed once per day into a small dish, preferably in the evening since they are nocturnal. They eat dried hamster muesli, which is available from most pet store. For a treat, give them a small piece of fruit or vegetable, for instance, a grape, a tiny piece of cucumber or two raisins.

    Temperament

    • Of the different varieties of chocolate Russian dwarf hamsters, the breed with the best temperament is the winter white Russian dwarf hamster. They rarely bite, and this tends to be only when they are afraid. Most Russian dwarf hamsters are happy being handled and like a lot of attention.