What Exactly is a Dwarf Hamster?

More than likely you are asking yourself and wanting to know exactly what a dwarf hamster is and what the differences are between them and "normal" hamsters. Specifically put, a dwarf hamster is one that only measures anywhere between 8 and 12 centimeters (3 to 4.5 inches) long and typically live between one and a half and three and a half years.

There are many different reasons that you might choose to get a dwarf hamster instead of a traditional-sized hamster. Are you one of those people who simply do not think that a traditional hamster will be the "right" size for you and your family? You might be surprised that there is not that much difference between a dwarf hamster and a normal sized hamster... except for the smaller size of the dwarf hamster. Most hamsters live the same amount of time in terms of years, so that really is not that much of a difference. The main reason that some people choose to get a dwarf hamster is that they really like the fact that dwarf hamsters are just the perfect size for themselves or for their children as a first pet or just as a family pet that everyone in the family can really enjoy.

There are a couple of different colors that these adorable little dwarf hamsters can be found in. The Roborovski (desert) Dwarf Hamster is usually a light sandy/tan color and has tiny white spots above its eyes (it has no eyebrows) and also does not have a "dorsal" stripe down its back that is a common characteristic in the other dwarf hamster species.

The Campbell's Dwarf Hamster has four types of coat when they are born and each is very different from the next; these are satin, normal, rex and wavy. There are also six different main color combinations that their coats: agouti, argente, black-eyed argente, albino (all white that has red eyes), opal (blue-grey, white belly, red eyes) and black. There are also three different types of markings that set this breed of dwarf hamster apart.

The Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster is the last of the dwarf hamsters on the list. This little dwarf hamster's coat is usually a very dark grey that gets even greyer until it is actually completely white to blend in with the snow around it, which gives this little dwarf hamster its name.

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