Hamsters were first domesticated only about a century ago. But in just a century after being domesticated, they have quickly become one of the most famous pets around the world. If you have ever seen a hamster eat its food or run around in its wheel, you would know why people love these little creatures. Their cute face and their funny behavior are impossible to resist.
But when talking about hamsters, the image that pops up in most people’s minds (of course, if you don’t already own a hamster) would be that of a Syrian hamster. But there are 18 other species of hamsters. Among them, four species of hamsters, besides the Syrian hamster, are kept as pets.
This article is about one such hamster species – the Chinese hamster (Scientific name: Cricetulus Griseus – not to be confused with the Chinese striped hamster, even though some people consider the Chinese hamster and the Chinese striped hamster to be the same species).
In this article, you will find out everything about Chinese hamsters – How they look, What they do, Where they come from, What they need to stay healthy and happy, and What pet owners need to know to ensure their safety.
How does a Chinese hamster look?
Size
Just like the members of the genus Phodopus (Campbell, Winter White, and Roborovski), Chinese hamsters (genus – Cricetulus) are also called dwarf hamsters due to their small size. After all, Chinese hamsters, too, are smaller when compared to Syrian hamsters. A Chinese hamster can grow up to 3 to 5 inches in length and can weigh just 1 to 2 ounces.
But one obvious difference between the appearance of this species of hamster and the other hamster species is that Chinese hamsters have a long tail, while other hamsters don’t.
Colors
In the wild, Chinese hamsters are brown in color with a black stripe running along their spine. Only the fur under their stomachs is white in color. This appearance, in combination with their small bodies and long (not really long, but longer than many other hamsters) tails, make them look like rats. Therefore, they are also known as rat hamsters.
But Chinese hamsters are not the only hamsters that look like rats. Other members of the genus Cricetulus (to which Chinese hamsters also belong), like the Chinese striped hamster, Tibetan dwarf hamster, etc., also look like rats. That’s why the members of this genus are called ratlike hamsters.
Besides their natural color, Chinese hamsters are also available in two other colors in pet shops.
- Dominant Spot – Greyish white in color with a dark stripe on its back. Dominant Spot Chinese hamsters are also known as Spotted White Chinese hamsters.
- Black-eyed White – White in color with black eyes. This variation occurs randomly and rarely in Dominant Spot Chinese hamsters.
Features
The major difference between Chinese dwarf hamsters and other pet hamsters is that while other pet (dwarf) hamsters are small and appear ball-like, Chinese hamsters are small, long, and thin. They have tulip-shaped ears and large eyes. Male Chinese hamsters have a larger scrotum when compared with male hamsters of other pet hamster species.
How did Chinese hamsters become pets?
Many people think that the Syrian hamster was the hamster species to be domesticated first. But the Chinese hamster was domesticated even before that, in 1919. Initially, these hamsters were only used as lab animals. But they couldn’t be made to mate in captivity. So, every time the need for a Chinese hamster arose, someone had to catch one from the wild.
But that wasn’t a practical method to obtain a laboratory animal. So, Chinese hamsters were eventually replaced by other rodents which were easy to breed in captivity and keep in small cages, like the common mouse and rat.
But several years after Israel Aharoni managed to get Syrian hamsters (in the 1930s) to breed in captivity, people also got Chinese hamsters to breed in captivity. After that, Chinese hamsters became famous as pets across the world.
Even though Chinese hamsters are not extensively used as laboratory animals anymore, they are still used in the production of many biotech drugs. Such drugs are produced by injecting the gene for the protein into Chinese hamster ovary cells, which then synthesize the protein.
Behavior
Social behavior
Like the Syrian hamster, the Chinese hamster is also a solitary animal. It is also territorial. The females, especially, are more territorial than the males. So, they are highly unpredictable towards members of their own species. But despite their territorial nature, breeders have succeeded in keeping them in same-sex pairs and groups, breeding pairs, and even colonies. So, when it comes to Chinese hamsters, their social behavior can differ greatly based on the individual. Some Chinese hamsters may tolerate other animals in their cage, while others will want their own cage.
So, you can try to keep them in groups. However, if you notice squabbles, fights, or if you find cuts on one of the hamsters, you should separate them.
As in the case of other dwarf pet hamsters, Chinese hamsters can also become great pets once tamed. But they are not suitable for children and first-time pet owners due to their small size and timid nature, which make them difficult to handle.
Diet
Chinese hamsters originated in the deserts of China and Mongolia, where vegetables and fruits are not easy to come by. So, their digestive systems have adapted to a diet that contains almost no sugar. Therefore, it’s no wonder that they (just like Campbell hamsters) are also prone to diabetes (Source: National Hamster Council, UK). But Diabetes in Chinese hamsters is not as deadly as in a Campbell hamster. However, to be on the safe side, you should avoid giving Chinese hamsters foods that contain sugars and acids. Some of the fruits and vegetables that Syrian hamsters can eat must be avoided. This is something you have to consider if you plan on keeping a Chinese hamster as a pet.
In the wild, the diet of Chinese hamsters includes grass, shoots, seeds, and small insects. So, in captivity, too, you should try to provide them a diet that imitates their natural diet. Therefore, a high-quality hamster mix, combined with fresh vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, etc., which are low in sugar), and animal protein like cooked chicken, crickets, and/or mealworms can keep your hamster healthy.
Sleeping habits
Like other dwarf hamsters, Chinese hamsters are also mostly nocturnal. But they won’t sleep throughout the day. They will mostly stay awake during the day between naps for brief periods (Source: Wikipedia).
Keeping a Chinese hamster as a pet
Chinese hamsters are one of the hamster species that have the longest life span. They can live for 2.5 to 3 years (sometimes even up to 4 years) if you take care of them properly. The right temperature for a Chinese hamster is 18°C to 26°C (Source: Animals.mom).
The living space (cage size) needed for a Chinese hamster is similar to that of a dwarf hamster. So, the bare minimum required floor space needed is 288 sq. inches, i.e., 24″ x 12″. But if your hamster starts getting bored or stressed and starts biting the bars of the cage, you should buy a bigger cage, something that has a floor space greater than 434 sq. inches. The height of the cage should be at least 12″. Keep hamster toys like a hamster wheel, ball, and chew toys in the cage. The hamster wheel should have a diameter of more than 5″.
A Chinese hamster’s life cycle
A female Chinese hamster comes into heat once every 4 days. During this period, if she mates with a male, she would get pregnant. Once a female hamster gets pregnant, she can become aggressive towards the male. So, if you plan to keep them together in the same cage, you should provide enough hiding places for the male to hide when the female becomes aggressive.
If the female gets pregnant, 2 to 7 pups will be born in 18 to 21 days. A female hamster can go into heat in just a few hours after childbirth. So, if you don’t want unwanted litter, you should separate the male from the female and her litter immediately after childbirth.
The pups are born blind, without any fur. But they grow fast. In just five days, their coat starts to grow. When they are two weeks old, they look like miniature versions of their parents. When they are five weeks old, they attain sexual maturity. But the male pups should be separated from their mothers and sisters even before that, probably when they are 3.5 to 4 weeks of age. If not, inbreeding might occur.
Diseases and medical conditions
Like most other hamster species, Chinese hamsters are also prone to the following health issues:
- Diarrhea: Many pet hamster species are prone to diarrhea. In hamsters, diarrhea might be caused by eating food items that contain too much water content and/or too much fiber content. Diarrhea can complicate and lead to another condition called the Wet Tail. The Wet Tail is a dangerous medical condition that can cause death. Stress can also cause Wet Tail. If your hamster has Wet Tail, its stool will be watery, and pieces of feces can be seen sticking to its tail and bottom region. Other symptoms include dehydration and loss of appetite.
- Mite infections: Mite infestation is another problem that many hamsters are prone to. Mites make a hamster’s skin itchy. So, your hamster will start to scratch his body. As a result, bald patches might appear on his fur. Besides mites, wrong type of bedding could also affect your hamster’s skin by causing allergies and infections.
- Abscess: Hamsters are also prone to Abscess, an infection in which a layer of pus forms under the skin. This could be a result of cuts your hamster gets on its skin. Hamsters get abscesses mostly on their cheek pouches and necks. So, you should avoid giving food items with sharp edges to your hamster. If your hamster’s cheek pouch appears to be filled with food all the time, it is a sign of a cheek pouch abscess.
- Scent gland tumor: Hamsters have scent glands on their bodies, where tumors could form. Scent glands normally appear discolored or greasy. If they suddenly become swollen, or if their color changes, it could be a sign of a tumor.
- Teeth problems: Hamsters’ teeth keep growing until they die. So, as you can imagine, if their teeth don’t wear out continuously, they can grow into their nasal cavities or even their skulls. It might also cause difficulty in eating and cause malnutrition, and a loss of weight. But the good news is that several toys available in pet stores can help a hamster wear his teeth out and thus prevent these problems.
- Diabetes: Besides these common hamster problems, Chinese hamsters are also prone to diabetes. But they aren’t as susceptible to diabetes as Campbell hamsters. Moreover, while a diabetic Campbell hamster would most probably die early, a diabetic Chinese hamster can still live a normal life span if you give him a diet low in sugars. The only downside is that he would drink a lot of water. So, you should keep enough fresh water for him to drink daily and make sure his diet is low-sugar and protein-rich.
If you notice your hamster showing symptoms of any of these medical conditions, take him to a veterinary doctor. But even if he doesn’t show the symptoms of any of these medical conditions, you should still take him to a vet for regular medical check-ups.
