Sarah Yee, Author at Dwarf Hamster Blog

Do Dwarf Hamsters Bite?

March 16, 2013 By Sarah Yee 59 Comments

Do dwarf hamsters bite? This is a common question by potential hamster owners or parents looking to get their kids a new pet hamster. The short answer is yes. However, it is not common and dwarf hamsters rarely bite without reason. Also, dwarf hamsters are more likely to nibble than to inflict a real bite that draws blood. Since neither nibbling nor biting is ideal, we’ll refer to them both as biting in this article. The following explains why dwarf hamsters bite and the ways you can stop a dwarf hamster from biting.

Why do dwarf hamsters bite?

The hamster is startled
A sleeping hamster or one that is unaware of your presence may react by biting if you try to pick it up suddenly.
The hamster sees you as a threat
Hamsters are territorial and may see you as an invader if you poke your finger into their cage. If you are reaching for your hamster from above, it may also regard you as a predator and bite in defense.
The hamster is frightened
Are you holding your hamster too tightly? It may frighten your hamster and cause it to bite.
Your hand or fingers smell of food
Hamsters have highly sensitive noses and if you’re handling your hamster right after touching food, it may mistaken your fingers for food and start nibbling on it.
It also depends on the hamster’s personality
Some hamsters are more prone to biting than others. My two robo dwarf hamsters, Ichigo and Blueberry, have vastly different personalities. Ichigo has never bitten me under any circumstances but Blueberry has a tendency to nibble on anything that’s put near his face.

Here’s Blueberry the robo dwarf hamster biting at my glove:

How to stop a dwarf hamster from biting

Wash your hands before handling the hamster
Alert a hamster to your presence by putting your hand slowly in front of it and letting the hamster sniff your hand before attempting to pick it up
If your hamster is territorial, try playing with it outside the cage in a neutral area
If your hamster looks scared or takes on a defensive stance, leave it alone for a while instead of trying to interact with it
If a hamster tends to nibble, put on gloves before interacting with it

Training your dwarf hamster not to bite

According to the book Hamsterlopaedia, “reprimanding” your hamster by giving it a light tap on the nose and saying “No!” can teach your hamster that biting is unacceptable and may stop this bad behavior.

But here’s a different tip left by a reader, “cms”:

You should never ever hit a hamster for biting you. Not even a little bop on the nose. They should never see your hands as something that gives punishment, only treats and love. The first time you bop a hamster, they won’t ever forget. Try lightly blowing on their face (not hard enough to scare them) it will let them know that they aren’t supposed to do it without making them afraid of that big looming hand. If you strike them for biting, you’re only reinforcing the fear that caused the bite in the first place.

Do You Need a Hamster Wheel for Your Dwarf Hamster?

March 14, 2013 By Sarah Yee 4 Comments

Do you need a hamster wheel for your dwarf hamster or even any other hamster? The short answer is yes! Hamsters are active little creatures that need plenty of exercise. A hamster wheel is not just an accessory for your cage, but a necessary item for the health and wellness of your pet hamster. Robo dwarf hamsters, for example, have been known to travel up to a distance of 4 human marathons every night. That is about 100 miles and plenty of running. In a cage or tank, your pet hamster can only get all that running if you provide it with a hamster wheel.

How to pick a good hamster wheel

A good hamster wheel should be a solid one without rungs. The gaps between the rungs are dangerous and may cause your dwarf hamster to break a limb if they fall though it while running at high speed.

The hamster wheel should also produce little or no sound. If your cage is in your bedroom, you don’t want to get a squeaky wheel because your hamster(s) will be running on it all night.

The wheel should be an appropriate size. Larger may not always be better and your dwarf hamster may struggle running in a wheel that’s too big for it. A 6.5″ wheel is a good size.

Do you need a standing wheel or one that’s attached to your cage? Be sure to get the right one. Some hamster wheels are attachable to cages but cannot stand on their own. If there isn’t a place for you to attach the wheel, make sure you get one with a stand.

The Super Pet Hamster Silent Spinner 6 1/2 Inch Exercise Wheel is a hamster wheel that meets the above requirements.

Here’s another video of my white face robo dwarf hamsters, Ichigo and Blueberry running on their wheels. Sorry about the video quality! This was my first ever attempt at a video.

Here’s a Vine video of Ichigo running on his wheel. You can check out the rest of our Vines here.

Types of Hamster Cages and Their Pros and Cons

March 12, 2013 By Sarah Yee 7 Comments

A good hamster cage is well-ventilated, easy to clean, is safe and comfortable for your dwarf hamster, and prevents it from escaping. Whether you are getting a hamster cage for the first time or looking to upgrade your existing one, learning about the types of hamster cages available and their pros and cons will help you make a better decision. This article explores the various hamster cages you can get and so you can make the best choice for your dwarf hamster.

Wire-Top Hamster Cages

Wire-top hamster cages are made up of a plastic bottom tray and a wire-based top. Wire-top cages usually come in 0.5 inches (12 mm) or 0.3 inches (8 mm) gaps between the bars. For dwarf hamsters, a cage with 0.3 inches gaps such as the Prevue Hendryx Deluxe Hamster and Gerbil Cage is more suitable as the smaller gap prevents them from squeezing through the bars. When buying a wire-top hamster cage, you should inspect the cage for the appropriate gap size, any exposed wire that may injure your hamster, and whether it is securely attached to the bottom tray.

Pros of wire-top hamster cages

Easy access to your hamster
Good ventilation
Easy to clean
Usually comes with accessories like water bottle and wheel

Cons of wire-top hamster cages

Hamster tends to kick bedding out of cage
Opening or shutting cage doors may produce loud sounds
Your hamster may chew on the bars

Glass Tanks or Aquariums

Glass tanks come in a variety of sizes and with or without covers. Some have ventilation holes and others are simply aquariums that have been converted into a hamster tank.

Pros of glass tanks

Easy access to your dwarf hamster
No chance of hamster escaping through bars
Able to see your hamster clearly through the glass
You can have a thicker layer of bedding for your hamster to burrow
Chew-proof

Cons of glass tanks

May be too heavy to move around
May not be easy to clean due to weight

Plastic Hamster Cages

Plastic hamster cages such as the Super Pet CritterTrail Extreme Challenge Habitat usually come with tubes and attachments and can be easily expanded.

Pros of plastic hamster cages

Expandable
Usually comes with accessories such as wheel and bottle
Can usually have a thicker layer of bedding for your hamster to burrow

Cons of plastic hamster cages

Ventilation may not be as good as wire-top or glass tanks (with open tops)
Harder to clean with all the tubes and various attachments
Poor access to hamster if it hides in a tube
Hamster may chew and destroy plastic components

DIY Hamster Cages

DIY cages come in many shapes and sizes. There are the smaller ones made out of plastic bins and larger ones made from re-purposed bookshelves. The variety of DIY cages available is too large for me to make an accurate list of pros and cons. I may include a separate page in the future to do that but if you’re interested in such cages, take a look at an awesome one made from a coffee table below:

Russian Dwarf Hamster – Campbell’s, Winter White & Hybrids

March 6, 2013 By Sarah Yee 95 Comments

The term “Russian dwarf hamster” is a common term for two species of hamster – the Campbell’s dwarf hamster or the Winter White dwarf hamster. It can also refer to a hybrid of the two. Russian dwarf hamsters are also known as Siberian hamsters or Siberian dwarf hamsters. The ones that are colorful and attractive are also labeled fancy Russian dwarf hamsters in pet shops. However, this is simply a marketing term and there is nothing different about a ‘fancy’ apart from its color.

General information

Both Campbells’ and Winter Whites (and their hybrids) typically measure 3 to 4 inches in adulthood. Hybrids tend to be slightly bigger. Campbells’ and Winter Whites are frequently mistaken for each other due to their similarity. At one point, they were even confused for the same species by scientists. Their lifespan is between one to three years and most of them live for around 2 years.

Here’s a video of my winter white hamster, Oatmeal:

Russian dwarf hamster colors

Campbell’s dwarves and hybrids come in a wide variety of colors while winter whites have fewer colors. The table below lists each species and the colors they are available in. To see more colors, visit this page.

Campbell’s	Winter White	Hybrid
Normal	Normal	Orange/pudding
Black-eyed Argente	Sapphire	Brown
Opal	Pearl (pattern)	Mushroom
Dark Gray	Merle (pattern)	Mandarin
Argente	Imperial White (pattern)	Moscow
Lilac Fawn
Beige
Blue Beige
Black
Silvering
Albino
Umbrous
Chocolate
Blue
Dove
Black-eyed Lilac
Dark Beige
Red-eyed Lilac
Champagne
Black-eyed White
Red-eyed White
Platinum (pattern)
Mottled (pattern)
Mosaic (pattern)
Satin (coat-type)
Rex (coat-type)
Wavy (coat-type)
Hairless (coat-type)

Care and feeding

As with other dwarf hamsters, you’ll require the right supplies, the correct diet, and to keep their cages clean. All these and more are covered in our dwarf hamster care page.

Taming your hamster

This is a great video on taming winter whites, but can also be applied to Campbell’s and hybrids.

Taming tips

Start by giving your hamster treats so it associates you with rewards.
When attempting to tame your hamster, have its wheel out too so it feels at home.
Your hamster will run on the wheel a lot if when it’s nervous.
Instead of grabbing your hamster, lift it up with both hands.
Feed your hamster treats once it’s on your hand.
Don’t be afraid if your hamster nibbles once in a while.
If you can get your hamster to sit in your hand without trying to run away, you’ve successfully tamed it!

If you have any questions, comments, or tips, be sure to leave a comment. Thank you for reading!

Robo Dwarf Hamster – All About Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters

March 4, 2013 By Sarah Yee 155 Comments

Robo dwarf hamsters, or Roborovski dwarf hamsters, are the fastest and smallest dwarf hamsters. In fact, a robo dwarf hamster can run over a hundred miles in a single night. If you’ve seen them in pet shops, you’ll also notice they’re almost always on the wheel. They definitely look much more active than other dwarf hamsters.

A robo dwarf hamster measures about 2 to 2.5 inches long. Due to their size and speed, they’re not as easy to handle or tame as campbell’s or winter white dwarf hamsters. Robo dwarf hamsters originate from Russia, Kazakhstan, and northern China. In the wild, they eat grains, fruits, vegetables and small quantities of insect and meat. When kept as pets, the average lifespan of a robo dwarf hamster is about 3 years and can even go up to 4.

Here’s a video cut of a documentary on robo dwarf hamsters:

As shown in the video, robo dwarf hamsters are able to live in groups. However, this is in the wild where they have plenty of space to roam.

Pet robo dwarf hamsters may be able to live together, but only if they were raised together in the same enclosure from young. Even then, they may still end up fighting or being aggressive towards each other when they’re older and more territorial. Many people who have multiple robos living in the same cage have had injuries or even deaths resulting from fights.

If you intend to put more than one robo dwarf hamster in a single cage, you’ll probably want to check on them daily to make sure they are not fighting. They should be separated immediately if there are any signs of fighting or injury.

You should absolutely not house a robo dwarf hamster with another species of hamster or any other animal for that matter.

Robo dwarf hamster colors

You can usually find robo dwarf hamsters in two colors in stores.

Agouti
This is the normal color for robos and is a very light brown/beige color with gray roots. Some would also describe this as sandy. Agouti robo dwarf hamsters have cute “white eyebrows” and no dorsal stripe.

White-face
The white-face robo dwarf hamster looks similar to the agouti one except its entire face is white. You’ll sometimes find a white-face robo hamster referred to as a “husky” ~~but they’re essentially talking about the same thing.~~

Other colors
Other colors may also be available but they are much rarer and usually can only be gotten from breeders. For example, a Platinum robo dwarf hamster looks like a white-face except it is lighter and can fade to pure white when they are older. Other colors include the (pure) white roborovski, red-eyed and mottled or pied.

Robo dwarf hamster care

Caring for your robo dwarf hamster is the same as any other dwarf hamster. You will need the right supplies (cage, bottle, wheel, bedding, food, etc), feed them the right diet, and keep their cages clean. All of these and more information on how to take care of a robo dwarf hamster are covered in our dwarf hamster care guide.

Taming your robo dwarf hamster

ErinsHamsters on YouTube has a great video on taming your robo dwarf hamster.

10 tips for taming your robo dwarf hamster

If your hamster is new, give it time to get used to its surroundings before trying to tame or handle it.
Only attempt to handle your hamster when it is awake. The best times are very early in the morning or in the evenings as your hamster will be awake and active at these times.
Initially, your hamster may run away after sniffing your hand or fingers. This is normal.
Let your hamster come to you instead of grabbing it. A robo dwarf hamster is usually too fast for a beginner to grab hold of properly. You can use a toilet roll or a cup and let your hamster crawl into it to move it around.
Tame your hamster in an empty box that’s low enough for you to put your hand in easily but high enough so they can’t run away.
Put your hand flat in the box and let your hamster come to you. Again, don’t try to grab it. Allow the hamster to get used to your scent.
Offer your hamster treats but don’t try to force it to eat anything.
Tame your hamster over multiple sessions a day rather than a single long session.
Be patient, if you keep trying over a period of time, your hamster will eventually learn that you’re not a threat.
Play with your robo dwarf hamster daily so that it remains tame.

If you have any questions about robo dwarf hamsters or other tips to share, be sure to leave a comment. Thank you for reading!

Dwarf Hamster Care – How to Take Care of a Dwarf Hamster

March 4, 2013 By Sarah Yee 144 Comments

This is primer to dwarf hamster care. We’ll be adding on to it from time to time as we learn new things about how to take care of dwarf hamsters. You may skip directly to any section or read the whole thing if you’re just getting started.

Getting the right supplies
Feeding your dwarf hamster
Keeping your dwarf hamster clean
Playing with your dwarf hamster

Getting the right supplies

Getting the right equipment for your dwarf hamster is an important first step if you want to care for your dwarf hamster properly. I’ve described in detail the items that the new dwarf hamster owner needs to get on the front page of this site. This is a brief recap of the items you’ll need:

The proper cage
Water bottle
Running wheel / Exercise wheel
Safe and comfortable bedding
Hamster food / mix
A hamster “house” or hiding place
Chew toys (optional)
Hamster ball (optional)
Bathing sand and bath house (optional)
Food dish (optional)
Hamster treats (optional)

Feeding your Dwarf Hamster

Giving your pet the right food is an important part of dwarf hamster care. It’s a good idea to give your dwarf hamster a hamster mix that has a wide variety of food in it or specially formulated food for hamsters such as the Oxbow Healthy Handfuls Hamster and Gerbils Complete Stabilized Food. Don’t use food mixes made for other animals as the nutrients in them are different from what your dwarf hamster requires.

A tablespoon of food should be sufficient per dwarf hamster per day. Your hamster should also always have access to fresh water in a water bottle.

Besides hamster mix, you can also supplement your dwarf hamster’s diet with fresh food. These should be given in moderation (once or twice a week) and variety. There are many fresh foods that you can give to your hamster but you should always give new food in small amounts to see if your hamster is able to accept it.

Also, as dwarf hamsters originate from a desert environment, too much fresh food that’s high in water content can cause diarrhea. You also do not want to give your dwarf hamster food that’s high in sugar (most fruit). This is especially so for Russian dwarf hamsters (i.e. Campbell’s, Winter White and their hybrids) as they are prone to diabetes.

Some fresh food that are safe for dwarf hamsters:

Asparagus, acorn, alfalfa sprouts, basil, bean sprouts, buckwheat, bran, chestnuts, chickweed, chicory, clover, dandelion flowers and leaves, dill, endive, flaxseed, green beans, kale, oatmeal, pumpkin seed, parsnips, sesame seed, squash seed, sunflower seed, spinach, turnip.

One way to give fresh food without worrying about the water content is to dehydrate/dry them first.

You can also feed your pet insects such as crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers from pet shops.

Food that you should not feed your dwarf hamster:

Anything with pesticides/insecticides on it
Anything sticky (will get stuck in their cheek pouches)
Anything sharp (will pierce their cheek pouches)
Processed food (canned food, candy, chocolate, snacks, etc)
Salted seeds and nuts
Citrus fruit (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc)
Onion and garlic
Kidney beans
Bitter Almond
Avocado
Potato
Tomato
Eggplant
Fruit seeds
Watermelon

When in doubt, just play safe and don’t give anything you are unsure of to your hamster. A more complete and super well-organized food chart can be found here. We also have a list of food that we give our hamsters on a regular basis.

Keeping your dwarf hamster clean

Your dwarf hamster should never be bathed in water. However, you will need to keep its cage clean. The frequency of cage cleaning and bedding changes will depend on how large the cage is and how many hamsters are in it. It is advisable to clean a small cage at least once a week. Larger cages can get away with fewer cleanings in between.

Tips for keeping a cage clean and odor-free:

Use a highly absorbent bedding such as Carefresh Ultra Pet Bedding
Spot-clean every day by picking out soiled bedding
Remove any uneaten food (especially fresh food) daily and replace with new ones
Hang charcoal near your hamster’s cage to absorb the smell. Keep out of hamster’s reach.
Once a week, change the bedding and clean the cage with hot water
Use vinegar to remove any bad smell and rinse well
Be sure to clean the accessories too (wheel, potty, hamster house, etc)

I’ve found that most of the smell comes from the accessories especially if your hamster likes to pee on them. In that case, I clean the accessories more frequently and make fewer bedding changes. Check your accessories to see if they’re the culprit before throwing out your bedding — I made the mistake of cleaning the cage every three days when I first had my hamsters because I didn’t realize all the smell was from the wheel!

You can also buy special sand and a hamster bath house (or make one) for your pet. Most hamsters will happily roll around in sand to get their coats clean.

Playing with your dwarf hamster

Try to play with your dwarf hamster (especially robos) daily so that it remains tame. Hamsters are nocturnal and most active in the early morning and during evenings. When possible, play with your hamster when it’s awake and active.

Tips for playing with your dwarf hamster:

Alert your hamster to your presence by allowing it to sniff your hand/finger
Don’t startle your hamster by grabbing it from behind
Use a toilet roll or cup to hold your hamster if you’re not sure how to pick it up
Hamsters have sensitive ears. Avoid making loud noises
Set up a play area with “walls” so your hamster won’t escape
Don’t hold your hamster at a height. It may jump off your hand and injure itself.

That’s all about it for dwarf hamster care. Check out the rest of our site for more tips and tricks on how to take care of your hamster!