Originally found in the deserts of northern China and Mongolia, Chinese Dwarf hamsters are rare when it comes to pet hamsters. The reason that Chinese Dwarf hamsters are rare is because they can be hard to breed in captivity and they can be restricted to own in some countries.
Chinese hamsters can look more mouse-like then most hamsters. Although they are smaller than Syrian hamsters they are not actually dwarf hamsters. Chinese hamsters are part of the rat-like family of hamsters. They typically have a longer tail and a longer mouse-like body then other hamsters. They can grow to be about 10 to 12 centimetres in length when full grown. Normally Chinese hamsters are greyish brown with a black strip down its spine and a white underside. Even though they have been kept in captivity longer the Syrian hamsters there have only been two other colour mutations beyond the normal or wild type which is the dominant spot and the black eyed white.
It is thought that dwarf hamsters typically do very well in pairs but the Chinese hamster is the exception to the rule. Two females introduced at an early age have the possibility of getting along better then a male and a female. Females are the dominant sex with a Chinese hamster community so the male might end up seriously injured or dead. Housing two hamsters together requires twice as much room within the cage. More then one level and plenty of places to hide are also good things to have when housing a pair of Chinese hamsters together. The less dominant hamster has a chance to get away from the more dominant one with more places to go. These hamsters are normally kept in plastic or aquarium tanks due to the fact that they can squeeze through bars that are too wide on a wire cage. It is possible for them to escape completely or to become stuck in the cage bars resulting in a traumatic experience for both the owner and the hamster.
The feeding requirements for the Chinese dwarf hamsters are typical to other hamster species. They do well on a diet of seeds and pellets. They also enjoy fruits and vegetables. Owners can also offer wheat bread or Cheerios as a special treat in small amounts. Some owners also feed their Chinese hamsters crickets or mealworms as treats but never too many at one time. And, like other hamster species, Chinese hamsters need to have access to a fresh water supply. Water bottles do better in these circumstances because water bowls can get littered with substrate.
Although Chinese hamsters can live between two and three years, they are not always easily tameable or trainable. They are thought to be on the aggressive side, skittish and extremely agile. They can jump from very high heights, are very fast, and can escape from cages if they are not overly secured. They are also expert climbers. Because of these remarkable traits Chinese hamsters are not always good for children under the age of twelve and sometimes make better pets when they are not handled at all. They are also not recommended for beginners.