The average lifespan of a teddy bear hamster is about 2-3 years in captivity, and less time in the wild. Individual hamster can live shorter or longer depending on their lifestyle, diet, and care. The oldest recorded teddy bear hamster lived for 8 years. As explained above, these are just averages. It is of course possible for a Roborovski hamster to only live for 1.5 years, or for a Chinese hamster to live for over 3.

Summary

Syrian hamsters can make fantastic companions. With their differing personalities and quirky ways, Syrian hamsters can be a wonderful choice of pet and are easy to care for once you know their needs.

Before deciding on taking home a Syrian hamster, it is important to know their needs and the commitment they are and to THINK TWICE – ensuring this is a pet that you dedicate time, space and finances to. In this Petopedia article we cover the basic welfare needs of Syrian hamsters and have some key information to help you get started in the world of hamster ownership.

Syrian hamsters must live on their own as they are territorial mammals and will start to fight with each other once they have reached maturity, which is between 8 and 12 weeks. Syrian hamsters should never be kept in pairs or groups once mature. Even smelling another adult hamster in the same house can cause some upset, so it’s always best to stick to just the one.

Syrian hamsters are nocturnal which means that they are most active at night and their life expectancy is between 1 and 2 years, but have been known to live much longer. Although when compared to a rabbit or cat, their life expectancy is lower – they are still a huge commitment for that time and will need twice daily attention and care from their owners. So be sure that your lifestyle can adapt to this before taking your little one home.

Their nocturnal nature means that they will be up and about during the night, burrowing, digging, playing and chewing! This is super important hamster fact to consider before owning a hamster as it may dictate where your enclosure is kept in the home – they have been known to make quite a noise when snuffling about and running in their wheels!

Syrian hamsters can make excellent pets. They can be very active with great individual personalities. If raised and handled properly they’ll be your friends for life. But handling hamsters can be tricky when they are young as they are still adjusting to the big wide world. Syrian hamsters are prey animals, this means loud noises, sharp movements and touch can make them a little jumpy to start with. Before owning a hamster, it is important to remember this and be prepared for it to take a little time before they are happy to be handled by you and your family. Handling hamsters is all about little and often and building up their confidence in being touched/picked up in the early days; this can take time.

Top Handling Tips:

• • A hamster will never bite unless there is a reason.
  Many people are nervous when handling hamsters due to the fear of being bitten. Yes, being nibbled can hurt (a lot) but with gentle handling to begin with and time hamsters can become fabulous little furries who will sit in your hand, enjoy a stroke and thrive in your company.
• • Wash your hands!
  Syrian hamsters have very poor eyesight and rely mostly on the sense of smell and touch. If your hands smell like food… you can bet he’s going to want to have a little nibble and taste what smells so yummy!
• • Let them wake up first.
  Being most active usually during the night, these little ones will likely not be up and awake when you want to handle (after school/work/during the day). As such it’s very important to wake them up by gently talking to them and perhaps shuffling some of the substrates before you try to pick them up. If they aren’t given a couple of minutes to wake up first, you might have a very grumpy hamster and that’s not the best start to a handling session with them!
• • Be gentle!
  Syrian hamsters are sensitive to touch and grabbing or poking can startle them and make them nervous to handle. Always scoop them with both hands gently when picking them up and stroke them very gently (avoiding the nose and whiskers). If your hamster is a little too jumpy to pick up safely, we recommend using a plastic cup to get you started. By scooping them into a cup you can move them safely from A to B without worrying about them jumping out of your hands until both you and your hamster are more confident with handling.
• • Little and often.
  Aim to handle your hamster for only 10-15 minutes at a time to begin with. Short and gentle sessions will teach your hamster that handing is nor a long or scary process and he will be back in the safety of this enclosure in no time. This can go a long way to building his confidence.
• • No fingers in faces!
  Going back to hamsters and their eyesight, Syrians don’t have the best eyesight to differentiate things up close, so when you approach them with a hand or a finger toward their nose it can be very scary. This can make them nervous, cause them to nip or run away.
• • They can be trained!
  Although little, these cute mammals with a little time and patience can be taught their name, pick up routines easily, litter train themselves and will even do some simple tricks if taught gradually. So the more handling you do with them the more fun you can have with them.

Over time Syrian hamsters adapt wonderfully to being handled and can be desensitized. For some it may only be a week or so, others may be a little more sensitive and take a few weeks. But be patient, go slowly with them and they will get to a point where they are happy to be handled daily and may even be waiting in their enclosure for you ready to play.

Do's and Don'ts

Do allow your pet to settle in for 24 hours before handling it for the first time. Play with your hamster as often as possible, when handling it be gentle and stay close to the floor. Exercise is essential, let your hamster have a supervised run around indoors as often as possible. A play ball is just one way for them to explore your house safely (use for only 20 minutes at a time), a hamster safe open area with tubes and boxes they can climb in is another great way. How about constructing a maze for them to explore?

Do keep your pet indoors out of direct sunlight, in a room with a steady temperature and no draughts. A bedroom or lounge is ideal.

Do check your hamster’s food and water twice a day, making sure you clean any poo and woodchips out of its food bowl.

Do clean the cage thoroughly at least once a week with petsafe disinfectant. Make sure you clean everything your pet touches. Use a litter scoop to make this easier.

Do provide them with a suitable wheel or spinning disk so that they can run freely in their enclosure. They can travel up to 9 miles a night in the wind.

Don’t feed LETTUCE or AVOCADO as these can be harmful. You can give hamsters very small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, but no more than twice a week.

Don’t keep them near televisions or stereos as these can produce high frequency sounds that will irritate them.

Don’t ever use aerosol cans near them as they can produce toxic fumes.

Don’t overcrowd the cage with toys, although a few toys are a good idea. You want them to have as much space to exercise as possible

What They'll Need

Cage:Hamsters need a lot of room. Hamsters need a lot of space to run and play. Their enclosure should have at least one to two platforms/ladders/tubes included for extra space and interest for them. The bars should be no more than 12mm apart or they may get their heads stuck or escape.

Exercise wheel: Hamsters are full of energy and can run up to 9 miles in a day, so a wheel is essential to keep them happy. We recommend a minimum wheel size of 12” is a good place to start – if your hamster is curving their back when running in their wheel then it is too small and you should invest in a large one to avoid health issues. It is important that many complete cages on the market come with a wheel suitable only for a juvenile hamster – a larger wheel will be needed.

House: Syrian hamsters need a house in their cage so that they can hide away and sleep in peace. The darker the better for these, so look for ones that provide a nice little cave environment for them.

Substrate: A good substrate is very important to soak up urine and protect their feet. Good substrate examples are dust extracted rodent safe wood shavings or Carefresh. This should be at a depth of at least 1.5 inches so that they can burrow and dig happily.

Bedding: It is important that you only use animal safe bedding, which should be placed in their house. We do not recommend fluffy fibre bedding types as there is a risk of them getting their limbs tangled or ingesting the material, cloth or paper are great options. Giving them the choice of two bedding materials can help to stimulate their minds as they build their nest so is another great way to add enrichment to their enclosure.

Water bottle:Make sure your pets can reach the spout, and refill it daily to monitor their drinking. The spout water bottles can become blocked easily, so it’s very important to clean these regularly and check daily for any problems in water flow.

Food bowl:Syrian hamsters actually benefit most from being scatter fed, so a bowl is not always a necessity – simply sprinkle their daily food allowance around their enclosure and they will have great fun snuffling around and collecting it all. However, stainless steel or ceramic bowls are best if you wish to use one, as they are hygienic and can’t be chewed.

Food: Syrian hamsters are omnivores, so should be fed a complete Syrian hamster mix. It is vital that animals are weaned gradually onto any new food to avoid upsetting their sensitive tummies. They should be fed only a teaspoon of their food each day to prevent obesity.

Wood gnaws: Like all rodents, your pets’ teeth grow continuously as they have hypsodont teeth. Gnaws are essential to keep their teeth trimmed and in good condition. If your hamsters doesn’t appear to be using their wood gnaw, it is a good idea to try different types to find which ones they like best as they often have preferred flavors and textures. A good place to start here is to find the same chews he had before you bring him home so it’s familiar for him. Then as he settles you can have great fun in learning his likes and dislikes.

Treats: Feed treats every now and then, but not too often – their complete Syrian hamster mix will give them their needed and vital nutrients.

Toys: To stop your pets getting bored while you’re away (or asleep) toys are vital to keeping them active and stimulated. There is a huge range available for Syrian hamsters from rope toys to ladders, but you can also have fun creating toys from cardboard for them to play with and chew. If making your own toys, always check the material is safe to use and if free from glues and inks of unknown origin.

Potential Health Problems

Overgrown teeth: Syrian hamsters can suffer from overgrown teeth that may have to be clipped by a veterinary surgeon. Always make sure there is plenty of gnawing material available.

Hibernation: If hamsters are kept where the temperature drops below 5 ̊C or 40 ̊F they can go into a false hibernation. They may appear to be asleep or even dead. The temperature must be raised gradually by placing the hamster on a covered heat pad or hot water bottle, no more than 32 ̊C or 90 ̊F and taken straight to the vets. Veterinary advice should be sought if ever you think your pet appears lethargic or ill in any way.

Weekly Health Check

This quiz is fun and my favourite ninja is Cole because he is cute and sweet also be is the leader of the group Lola I am with my group at school. I've taken the test three times, and unless you answer the way that the maker answered, it says that you do not compute and you are a poo ninja. Thanks for watching! Here are the lyrics: Ninja? You're a ninja? Get out of here, you're a ninja! Yes, I am a ninja. I read the rules before I broke 'em I broke the chains before they choked me.

You should health check your hamster each time you handled him so that you learn what is normal for your little one. This will help you identify any health concerns quicker and thus seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.

• • Is underneath the tail clean?
• • Do they have all their toes and nails? Are they clean and not overgrown?
• • Do the legs move freely with no staggering or stiffness?
• • Are the teeth present? Are they straight and not overgrown?
• • Is the nose clean with no discharge?
• • Are the eyes bright and clear?
• • Stroke the ears; are they smooth and clean?
• • Is the fur clean with no bald patches or parasites?
• • Blow in the fur; the skin should be healthy, not red, dry or flaky.
• • Feel the body. Is it fat enough? It should not feel bloated or bony.
• • Listen to the chest. Is the breathing almost silent with no wheezing?

If you answered no to any of the above your pet may require veterinary attention.

Please try to handle and play with your pet as often as possible, you will find that you will be rewarded with a much happier and friendlier pet. If you are not 100% sure that you or your children will be able to give your pet the attention that it needs then please think twice.

The Winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), also known as the Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genusPhodopus. It is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the Syrian hamster, so is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species. Features of the Winter white hamster include a typically thick, dark grey dorsal stripe and furry feet. As winter approaches and the days shorten, the Winter white dwarf hamster's dark fur is almost entirely replaced with white fur. In captivity, this does not usually happen as animals maintained as pets are generally housed indoors and exposed to artificial light that prevents the recognition of short winter daylengths. In the wild, they originate from the wheat fields of Kazakhstan, the meadows of Mongolia, Siberia, and the birch stands of Manchuria.

Winter white dwarf hamsters are common as pets in Europe and North America, and exhibit greater variance in their coats than those found in the wild. They reproduce often—more so than Syrian hamsters, and as they have no fixed breeding season, can continue to produce some numbers of offspring all year round. Young pups act aggressively to one another, while breeding females may show similar aggression to males. The winter white is known to be one of the most tameable types of hamsters.

Naming[edit]

The hamster has no fully accepted common name, Winter white dwarf hamster and Russian dwarf hamster are among the most often used. Confusion arises because of their physical similarity to the Campbell's dwarf hamster, consequently the name Djungarian hamster and Russian dwarf can refer to both Winter white and Campbell's dwarf hamsters. The term 'Winter white' derives from the fact that in the wild the hamster changes its fur colour to white for the winter months, this camouflages the hamster and reduces predation when snow is on the ground. Campbell's dwarf hamsters do not change fur colour during the winter and can only be described as being 'winter white' erroneously.^[2]

The binomial name for the hamster is Phodopus sungorus. The hamster was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1773 as a mouse.^[3] The name sungorus derives from the geographic region Dzungaria.^[4] In 1778, Pallas renamed the hamster to Mouse songarus.^[5]In 1912 Ned Hollister ordered the 'Mouse songarus' to the genus Phodopus.^[6] A. I. Argiropulo, in 1933, changed the name to priority sungorus^[7] and determined the hamster as a subspecies of Campbell's dwarf hamster called Phodopus sungorus sungorus.^[8] Today Winter white dwarf hamsters and Campbell's dwarf hamsters are considered separate species with the Winter white officially known as Phodopus sungorus.

Physical description[edit]

The coat of the Winter white hamster is less woolly than that of Campbell's dwarf hamster,^[9] and apart from the normal colouring, they can be coloured sapphire, sapphire pearl, or normal pearl. The head length of the Winter white hamster is 70–90 mm, the length of the tail is 5–15 mm, and the hind legs are 11–15 mm.^[10][11] The body weight changes dramatically throughout the year. It is at its lowest during the winter.^[12] In males, the body weight ranges from 19 to 45 grams (0.67 to 1.59 oz), and in females, 19 to 36 grams (0.67 to 1.27 oz).^[11] In human care, they are slightly heavier. The average lifespan of the Winter white hamster is one to three years in captivity, though they can live longer. In the wild, they are known to live as little as one year.^[9]

In summer, the fur of the Winter white hamster on the back changes from ash-grey to dark brown, or sometimes pale brown with a tint.^[13] The face changes to grey or brown, while the mouth area, the whisker area, and the ears are slightly brighter.^[14] The outer ears and the eyes have black edges. The rest of the head is dark brown or black. From the head to the tail runs a black-brown dorsal stripe.^[15] The throat, belly, tail and limbs are white.^[14] The ears are grey with a pinkish tint^[13] with scattered black hairs. The hairs on the underside are completely white.^[16][17]The bright coat the bottom extends to the shoulders, flanks, and hips in three arches upward. It is distinguished from the darker fur on the top of the existing black-brown hair, three curved line.^[11]

Apart from the typical colouration, Winter white hamsters can also be coloured pearl, sapphire, sapphire pearl, and marbled. Other colorations are available, but these are strongly suspected to appear only in hybrid crossings with Campbell's dwarf hamsters. Some of these colorations are mandarin, blue, argente, yellow blue fawn, camel, brown, cream, merle, and umbrous.^[9]

In the winter, the fur is more dense.^[18]They sometimes have a grey tint on their heads.^[19]More than 10% of the hamsters kept in the first winter develop the summer coat. In the second winter, only a few change into the winter coat and winter colour is less pronounced. The moulting in the winter fur starts in October or November and is completed in December, while the summer coat begins in January or February and is completed in March or early April.^[14] The ears are grey with a pinkish tint.^[9]Moulting both run jobs on the head and the back of the spine to the sides, the legs and the underside.^[20] The hairs grow longer in the summer, to about ten millimetres long.^[13]

The pigmentation of hair is controlled by the hormone prolactin and colour genetics.^[21]Day length can be less than 14 hours to initiate the change to winter coat, though it is possible they may be able to sense a directional change in photoperiod length, such as in one experiment that demonstrated a transition from 16 hours of light to 14 hours initiates a change to the winter coat.^[22] The change to the winter coat can be triggered in the summer by the short day lengths. The change occurs back to the summer coat in the autumn, when the length of the days change again. At internal temperatures hamsters in captivity start later with the changes. The winter colour is less pronounced in them.^[14] The eyes of the Winter white hamster are black, unless it is albino in which case they are red.^[13]

In the wild[edit]

In the wild, the hamster's fur changes colour in the winter. This adaptation helps them to evade predators in the snow-covered steppes.^[9] The hamster digs tunnels one metre deep leading to ground burrows where they can sleep, raise their young and hide from predators.^[13] The weasel is one of the hamster's main predators.^[11] Most of these burrows have six entrances. Mario kart dx arcade. In the summer, the burrows are lined with moss. To keep the burrow warm in the winter, the hamster closes all but one entrance and lines the burrows with animal fur or wool that it finds. The temperature inside the burrow is usually 16.7 °C (62.1 °F).^[9] The hamsters sometimes live in the semideserts in Central Asia.^[23] They also live in the dry steppes and wheat or alfalfa fields, as well as on small fields in the forests of the region around Minusinsk.^[24] The fur on the hamster's feet protect the feet from the cold ground in the cold climates in the wild.^[9] The population density is highly varied.^[23] In 1968, the first four examples of the hamster were caught in Western Siberia and brought to the Max Planck Institute in Germany.^[13]

Pet ownership[edit]

The hamsters are often found on the pet market in Europe, Japan, and North America.^[9] Care of the hamster is similar to all other species of Phodopus.^[25] The hamsters, along with most rodents, are prone to tumours. They can also receive injury in the cheek pouch by sharp objects damaging the fragile inner lining. Other health problems include bite wounds, broken teeth, constipation, dehydration, dental malocclusion, diarrhea, and ear problems.^[26] The hamster is easy to tame. In addition to natural colourings in the wild ('ruddy' or 'agouti'), the hamsters in captivity occur in a variety of different colors. They are prone to diabetes so when in captivity you should always watch their sugar intake. Avoid foods such as corn, cherries, bananas and grapes, in large amounts because they are high in sugar. The hamsters should be fed dry food and fruits and vegetables. When being fed fruits and vegetables make sure that for every fruit that there is a vegetable to balance out the sugar intake.

Breeding[edit]

Winter white hamsters reproduce at a faster rate than Syrian hamsters.^[26][27]Phodopus species are able to become pregnant again on the same day that they have given birth. This can all happen within a 36-day period. This is done as a survival strategy to produce large numbers of offspring in a short period of time. This places tremendous demands on the mother.^[26] Research suggests biparental care in Campbell's hamsters (P. campbelli) but not in winter white hamsters (P. sungorus).^[28] Frequent fighting can occur between the pups and as soon as they are weaned from their mother, they are separated from her. Most of the dwarf hamsters grow to 3 to 4' long. Hamsters maintained indoors that get artificial illumination during autumn and winter are likely to breed all year round, whereas in the wild and in animals maintained in captivity but under entirely natural light-dark cycles, breeding is restricted to the long days of spring and summer.^[13]

During the breeding time, the hamster may become aggressive. After mating, the female may want to attack the male to protect her babies. The male usually hides in holes or caves to escape the vicious bite of the female.^[29] The hamster's estrous cycle lasts four days; every four days, the female may accept the male back to breed again. This usually occurs when the darkness of the evening sets in. If male and female hamsters are not housed together from a young age, determining if the female is willing to breed with the male is difficult.^[9]

Hybrids[edit]

Of the five species kept commonly as pets, only Campbell's dwarf hamster and winter white hamsters are able to interbreed and produce live hybrid offspring. Although hybrids make suitable pets, the breeding of hybrids and cloning can cause health and reproduction problems. In addition, the widespread breeding and distribution of hybrids could threaten the existence of both pure species and subspecies of the ecosystem, resulting in only mongrels. Hybridizing causes each litter to become smaller and the young begin to form congenital problems.^[9]

Conservation status[edit]

This hamster is listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population and distribution size are large, and no major or widespread threats to the species are known. Population numbers in the wild are not recorded.^[30]

References[edit]

1. ^Tsytsulina, K. (2008). 'Phodopus sungorus'. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)old-form url Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
2. ^http://dwarfhamsterhome.com/russian-dwarf-hamster/
3. ^Sungorus Pallas 1773 (p. 703) . Quoted in:. Ross 1998 (p. 1, synonymy of the species)
4. ^Steinlechner 1998, DJUNGARIAN HAMSTER AND/OR SIBERIAN HAMSTER:WHO IS WHO?, European Pineal Society NEWS (p. 8).
5. ^Peter Simon Pallas 1778 quadrupedum species novae e ordine glirium p. 269 Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 1, synonymy of the species)
6. ^Ned Hollister 1912 New mammals from the highlands of Siberia Quoted in:. Ross 1998 (p. 1, synonymy of the species)
7. ^Argiropulo 1933rd Quoted in:. Ross 1998 (p. 1, synonymy of the species)
8. ^Argiropulo 1933 (p. 136). Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 6, 'Remarks ').
9. ^ ^abcdefghijThe Dwarf Hamster: A Guide to Selection, Housing, Care, Nutrition, Behaviour, Health, Breeding, Species and Colours (About Pets) ISBN978-1-85279-210-7
10. ^Winogradow und Argiropulo 1941. Zitiert in: Ross 1998 (S. 1, „General Characters“)
11. ^ ^abcdKrylzow und Schubin 1964. Zitiert in: Ross 1998 (S. 1, „General Characters“).
12. ^Bartness & Wade, 1985. Photoperiodic control of seasonal body weight cycles in hamsters (Abstract)
13. ^ ^abcdefgHow to Care for Your Dwarf Hamster (Your first..series) ISBN1-85279-150-0
14. ^ ^abcdFigala und Mitarbeiter 1973 (Abstract). Die Angaben beziehen sich auf unter natürlichen Bedingungen gehaltene Hamster.
15. ^Ross, Patricia (1992). On activity and behavior of three taxa of dwarf hamsters of the genus' Phodopus Miller, 1910. Plant Journal of Mammalogy. pp. 65–76.Dissertation Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 1, Diagnosis, General Characters '
16. ^Hamann, U. (1987). The Red Book of Varieties and Schemes. Lecture notes in mathematics 1358. Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 1, 'Context and Content' of the genre, 'Diagnosis '
17. ^Logsdail, Chris (2005). Hamsterlopaedia. A Complete Guide to Hamster Care. Ringpress Books. p. 174. ISBN1-86054-246-8.
18. ^Honey, Sandra (2005). Dwarf hamsters. Biology. Attitude. Breeding. 2nd. Nature-and animal-Verlag. pp. 9, 56–58.
19. ^Pallas 1773rd Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 1, General Characters ').
20. ^Zdenek, Veselovský (1964). Contribution to knowledge of Dzungars-Hamsters, Phodopus sungorus (Pallas, 1773). Journal of Mammalogy. pp. 305–311. Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 1-2, ' form ')
21. ^Duncan, Marilyn (1984). Hormonal regulation of the annual pelage color cycle in the Djungarian hamster, Phodopus sungorus. I. Role of the gonads and the pituitary. Anthology The Journal of Experimental Zoology. pp. 89–95.
22. ^Niklowitz P., Lerchi A., Nieschlag, E. 1994. Photoperiodic responses in Djungarian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus): Importance of Light History for Pineal and Serum Melatonin Profiles. Biology of Reproduction. 51: 714-724.
23. ^ ^abBoris Stepanovich Yudin, Lijana Ivanova Galkina, Antonina Fedorovna Potapkina 1979 Quoted in Ross 1998 (p. 5, 'Ecology ').
24. ^M. N. Meier 1967 Peculiarities of the reproduction and development of‘‘Phodopus’’ sungorus Pallasof different geographic populations] Volume 46 Russian Cited In: Ross 1998 (p. 5, 'Ecology'). The figures refer to the area of Minusinsk.
25. ^'Siberian Hamster'. Siberian Hamster. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
26. ^ ^abcDwarf Hamsters: Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, and Behavior (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals) ISBN0-7641-4096-5
27. ^'Breeding hamsters - how to breed hamsters'. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
28. ^Research by Dr. Katherine Wynne-Edwards at Queen's University, Ontario, Canada
29. ^Sandra Honey: Dwarf hamsters. Biology. Attitude. Breeding. 2nd Edition. Nature and animal-Verlag, Münster 2005, ISBN3-931587-96-7
30. ^https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/17037/115139908

External links[edit]

• Data related to Phodopus sungorus at Wikispecies