There are many reasons why hamsters make such popular pets. These small, hairy rodents have been a must have pet over the last few decades in the United States. There are several types of hamsters sold in stores. The most popular breed was discovered in Syria. The Syrian hamster was the first to be used in a laboratory lab, and the first to be trained and kept as a pet. The Syrian hamster is known as the fancy hamster, golden hamster or "teddy bear" hamster. It is the largest of the pet hamster species, at an average fully grown length of 6 inches long. It is a solitary animal and should never be housed with another hamster. Syrian hamsters that live in the same cage will fight.
Dwarfs
After the original discovery of the Golden hamster, new types were found in other parts of the Far East and the Middle East.
Roborovsky's dwarf hamster, the Chinese Hamster and Campbell's dwarf hamster are all 'dwarf ' hamster species and are all popular pet hamsters. These species aren't technically 'dwarfs' but are known as such because of their smaller size relative to the Golden hamster. Campbell's tiny hamster has tiny ears and a thin dorsal stripe of dark fur down the back. The Roborovsky's dwarf hamster, or 'Robo' hamster, is the tiniest of the dwarfs. It has patches of white fur above both eyes and does not have the dorsal stripe of dark fur found on other tiny breeds. The Chinese hamster is extensive and thinner than the other types of hamsters and is more frequently compared to a mouse than a hamster. It also is the sole hamster species that have a long prehensile tail.
Other Breeds
Several kinds of Syrians also exist, e.g.. the Angora, which is famous for the males of the breed having a beautiful, rich looking coat. The black bear is similar to the Angora, differing in the sense that the coat color is black, and personality is more docile.
Hamster Breed DifferencesDifferences in breeds and species is basically the size, coat type and color. Biology and behaviour are the same between the different sorts of hamsters, with one or two exceptions. The main difference between the Syrian hamster and the dwarf is size. The Syrian reaches an average adult size of 6 inches in length. The dwarf breeds only grow to, on average, 2-3 inches, making them half the size of the Syrian. The other major difference between the Golden and the dwarf breeds is that, while the Golden is a strictly solitary and should not be housed with others, the dwarfs are more friendly and will like being housed with other dwarf hamsters. Nonetheless, all hamsters should be watched closely for aggressive behaviour when caged together, especially when originally introduced.
Dwarfs
After the original discovery of the Golden hamster, new types were found in other parts of the Far East and the Middle East.
Roborovsky's dwarf hamster, the Chinese Hamster and Campbell's dwarf hamster are all 'dwarf ' hamster species and are all popular pet hamsters. These species aren't technically 'dwarfs' but are known as such because of their smaller size relative to the Golden hamster. Campbell's tiny hamster has tiny ears and a thin dorsal stripe of dark fur down the back. The Roborovsky's dwarf hamster, or 'Robo' hamster, is the tiniest of the dwarfs. It has patches of white fur above both eyes and does not have the dorsal stripe of dark fur found on other tiny breeds. The Chinese hamster is extensive and thinner than the other types of hamsters and is more frequently compared to a mouse than a hamster. It also is the sole hamster species that have a long prehensile tail.
Other Breeds
Several kinds of Syrians also exist, e.g.. the Angora, which is famous for the males of the breed having a beautiful, rich looking coat. The black bear is similar to the Angora, differing in the sense that the coat color is black, and personality is more docile.
Hamster Breed DifferencesDifferences in breeds and species is basically the size, coat type and color. Biology and behaviour are the same between the different sorts of hamsters, with one or two exceptions. The main difference between the Syrian hamster and the dwarf is size. The Syrian reaches an average adult size of 6 inches in length. The dwarf breeds only grow to, on average, 2-3 inches, making them half the size of the Syrian. The other major difference between the Golden and the dwarf breeds is that, while the Golden is a strictly solitary and should not be housed with others, the dwarfs are more friendly and will like being housed with other dwarf hamsters. Nonetheless, all hamsters should be watched closely for aggressive behaviour when caged together, especially when originally introduced.
About the Author:
Cathy "cat" Doggins has edited multiple articles on small pets. When not caring for her pets, Cathy helps as a volunteer at local pet shelters and cares for her growing collection of dwarf and golden hamsters.
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