Chinese Hamsters...

This page is designed to give you some basic information on Chinese Hamsters, it is not designed to be a thorough guide on how to keep them. If you require more information on this species why not try the links page, other keepers and breeders of this species or a good vet.

The Latin name of the Chinese Hamster is Cricetulus griseus, why do I feel you should know this?...well if you are searching for more information on them especially on the internet you want to be sure that the information you find is definitely about the Chinese hamster and by having the Latin name you can.

The Chinese hamster resembles the other dwarf hamsters available, being small (around 10 cm at the most in length) however it does not actually belong to the same family as them. The Chinese belongs to the "rat-like" hamster family and when you take a closer look at their build you can see that when compared to the true dwarfs they are more streamlined and almost mouse/rat like in appearance.

The Chinese hamster has been in captivity for around 50 years but hasn't really been as popular as the other species available, although saying this they seem to be much more available now then when I first got mine.  The rise in popularity of this species is just, as they make lovely pets in my opinion. Once tame they rarely bite and have a rather endearing trait of clinging onto your hands while you hold them. The young however can be very lively and I was surprised at the difference between them and the adults when I tried to handle some once. Bare this in mind when you acquire your new Chinese hamster but don't let it put you off!

There are currently two colour variations of Chinese hamster that I am aware of  the Wild colour type/ Agouti or Normal colour, which is basically brown on top, an off white belly and a black stripe down the back (like Hannibal - See gallery), the other colour variety is the Dominant spot (see photo below).

Dominant Spot Chinese Hamster

(Photo courtesy of Marianne Brett- Lucinda Hamstery).

The Dominant spot can vary with the amount of white on the body but is basically white underneath again, with grey/brown on the back and all or part of the black stripe. I have also heard of a black eyed white variety however this is very rare and may simple be a very white dominant spot individual.            

Chinese hamsters are very easy to sex, the males have extremely large obvious testicles. However if you come across some very young animals the easiest way to tell the difference is that the distance between the vagina/urethra or penis/urethra and the anus is greater in males then in females. There is some debate as to how many Chinese hamster should be kept together, if indeed they should be housed together at all. I have read that females especially can inflict nasty wounds on their cage mates and Hannibal before I acquired him was subject to the attack of his brother. However I have also seen pairs live together relatively happily. I personally would either opt for a single hamster or two males. If you decide to keep more then one hamster you must be prepared to separate them if need be and be constantly alert to wounds and fighting.

Chinese hamsters can be housed in converted aquariums with secure lids to prevent escape, cages with narrow bars or plastic tank type houses (not those with lots of little compartments and tubes). It is always important to provide as much room as you can afford for any animal but this is especially true if you plan to keep more then one Chinese hamster together, as space will allow the low ranking animal chance to escape attack if they occurs. Position the cage out of drafts, direct sunlight and away from heat sources e.g. radiators

Be careful when choosing the substrate for your cage, there are many now available however the traditional wood shavings are all too often used and these have been associated with respiratory problems as they are dusty and can release natural oils. Why not try hemp straw, a mixture of peat, sand and straw (which will allow your hamster to fulfill its natural behavior of digging ), care fresh or hay. Hay can also be used as bedding, as can strips of tissue paper but avoid the fluffy cotton wool type bedding as this can be ingested and cause complications.

You can furnish your cage with any of the wide range of toys available for hamsters, but why not also try toilet roll tubes, small boxes, fruit tree branches (that haven't been treated with fertilizer/pesticides) and rocks (beware of sharp edges).

Feed your hamster a good quality hamster mix and supplement this diet with fruit and vegetables but remember Chinese hamsters are only small so excess wet matter will cause diarrhea which could prove dangerous for such a small animal.