How many kinds of Russian Hamsters are there?

The term Russian dwarf hamster usually refers to several different species including:

• the Winter White Russian or also called Siberian
• the Campbell Russian or also called the Djungarian
• the Roborovskii Dwarf hamster also called the Desert hamster

The Winter White and the Campbell Russian are often mistaken for the same because of they are about the same size 8 to 10 centimeters and their coloring is also similar. The Roborovskii hamster is the smallest of the three adults growing to only be about 4 to 5 centimeters.

Winter White Russian dwarf hamster

The Winter White Russian dwarf hamster are more rare then the Campbell Russian dwarf hamster among pet stores. They are usually sold in pairs of the same sex and are friendly. What is so amazing about these little creatures is their ability to change color in the winter. In their native homelands, Winter Whites change from their normal dark gray coloring to white in order to camouflage themselves and escape from predators in the snow. It is a trait that has followed them even into captivity.

Why their color change is triggered by the amount of natural sunlight they receive on a daily basis. When the daylight hours get shorter, it triggers them to change to an almost all white color. When the main exposure is artificial light, they will most likely not change color.

Campbell Russian dwarf hamster

Campbell Russian Dwarf Hamster learning how to surf the internet

The Campbell Russian dwarf hamster are also known as Eastern dwarf hamster because they come from a region in Mongolia called Djungarian. This is the type of hamster that is most common in pet stores. As they become popular, creative breeding has increased their color combination and markings. Now besides their wild nature color, they can now be found with spots, mottled, or even colors like cinnamon, black or even shades or blue or lilac.

Roborovskii Russian dwarf hamster

Roborovskii Russian Dwarf Hamster chilling out having a nap

Roborovskii Russian dwarf hamsters originally lived in the desert dunes of Western and Eastern regions of Mongolia and parts of Northern China. They are smaller then their White Winter and Campbell dwarf hamster cousins, and also have slightly longer legs.

They naturally have a coat that is sandy brown in color with a slate gray undercoat. Because of their high actively level they can be sometimes hard to keep as pets and they are too small for most wire cages. Most of these small creatures can squeeze themselves through the bars. Roborovskii hamster is an extremely clean animal and enjoys grooming itself and they love a good sand bath. Chinchilla sand is a good choice in a ceramic bowl or plate, that they can easily access and roll around in.

Even though there are different kinds, they all require about the same amount of care.