Hamsters are very common pets, but not everybody has a clear idea of their different breeds and kinds. The average hamster owner only knows the type of pet that lives in his house, but is not aware of the differences between the several breeds that are sold at the stores. Many of the hamster breeds look very similar, and that makes it difficult sometimes to separate them.
Before buy a hamster and have it as a family pet we should know about the different breeds, because the animal’s personality and needs change from one kind of hamster to another. We must have clear how much space we want to give to our new hamster; time to spend with it and who will be the person who will take care of it. These are the five most common kinds of hamsters:
Syrian hamster: this is the regular hamster that is keeping as a pet in million of houses around the word. It is a nice and gentle animal, which loves to be petted if is handled with care. It is the larger kind of hamster, and normally measures between four and seven inches. The Syrian hamster is nocturnal, so it will be sleeping most of the day. We can’t keep more than one Syrian hamster together, because they will fight to death. The Teddy Bear is a variety of Syrian hamster with a beautiful long hair.
Dwarf Russian hamster: In the last decades dwarf hamster became very popular, and the Russian is one of the favorites. It is a small hamster, measuring around four inches when grow as an adult. They can be very nice and easy to handle, but they may bit if they get nervous. They can be kept with other hamsters if they are from the same breed and grow together. We will need a smaller cage to keep them, but they are a little more nervous than the Syrian, so they are less adequate for children. They are active at night but also in short periods of the day.
Winter White Russian hamster: this beautiful hamster changes its color to white in the rigors of the winter. The dwarf kind will be the same size as the normal Russian, reaching only four inches. They normally don’t bite, and love people, but being so small can be challenging for children to handle.
Roborovski hamster: this is the smallest kind of hamster; they don’t get bigger than two inches. They are beautiful, with cute little faces and long whiskers. But this hamster is very active and nervous, and it always tries to run away and escape from our hands, so it is an animal more suitable to look at than to play with it. They can live with their members of their same breed, and it is a pleasure to see them play. They are basically nocturnal.
Chinese hamster: Though this hamster is small, reaching only four inches when they are grown, they are not dwarfs. They are not sociable with other hamsters, so they must be kept alone. They are nice animals, a little shy but they never bite, and they can be handled if we are careful. They play sometimes during the day, but they are normally nocturnal.
Having a hamster can be a pleasure, but we must know what kind are more suitable tour needs, so we can give it the best care we can.
