If you are considering owning a Chinese dwarf hamster as a pet, it’s best to research as much as you can about them before! They do make interesting pets for children over 12 and adults that prefer to enjoy their pets by observing their behaviors as opposed to picking up and holding them. Not to say that an experienced dwarf hamster owner can’t pick up their pet, just that they are extremely fast and often hard to catch.

Here are some Benefits of owning:

* Their home housing space doesn’t take up alot of room as they don’t require alot of space.A ten gallon aquarium, with a breathable lid, can be an adequate space for one.
* lower maintenance for cleaning and attending to their home, weekly cleanings
* They tend not bite, but often when scared or frightened will urinate on you!
* They are very active and can be alot of fun to observe and watch
* They are more of a solitary hamster, so having one, instead of pairs can be suitable.
* Compared to a dog, they are Fairly inexpensive to maintain.

Some of the Cons of ownership:

* As the female is the territorial one, she could attack, hurt or even kill a male, best to have a backup cage!
* As they are extremely quick and did I say extremely fast, this can make it difficult to handle and they could easily jump or fall out of your hand. Adult supervision is a must..
* They are very agile, they can easily escape, especially from a cage with bars
* In some states owing a Chinese dwarf hamster is illegall, so be aware of your zoning bylaws before hand