Dwarf Hamster is further classified into two: Chinese hamsters and Russian hamsters. There is but a hair- like difference between the two. Russian hamsters are known with their small ears and big or stout heads. They can grow three to four inches long. They also have furry feet with dark gray linings. For variation, there also breeds that go in different colours; opal, platinum, albino and argente. They can live in a span of a year or two but there are instances where they can live beyond the given duration. It’s a bonus if that’s the case. Obviously, they come from Russia. Russian hamsters and Russian Dwarf hamsters are one in the same kind.

Pet lovers pick Russian hamsters for a pet because they aren’t hard to look after since they are always compounded inside a boxed apartment. The only ultimate task is to provide them a cage they would call “home”–somewhere that they could play and enjoy comfortable life. Then, that’s it, nothing more. The feeding and cleaning tasks come just secondary.

Characteristics of Russian hamsters

Like most of the dwarves, they should be housed with narrowed reels or bars so they can’t find an easy exit. The use of toys and tubes inside their apartment is somewhat advisable to divert their intention to escape. They are naturally quick and they normally run to and fro without getting tired and exhausted. Besides, watching them play using those toys brings extreme entertainment. In terms of food, they can also be given special treats by giving them scraps of biscuit, fruits, veggies, etc. Make sure that you clean the cage in a day-to-day basis because the left- over food might produce a not-so-healthy smell and environment for the pet animal. It should be properly cleaned with a mild detergent soap to get rid of the food-like smells. Wet bedding should also be taken out of the cage frequently to save the Russian pet hamster from getting sick. Speaking of sickness, they can be prone to diarrhea, skin swelling or infections (of any kind) and even the dreadful diabetes that’s why it is also not advisable to give them chocolates or sweets of any kind.

Russian hamsters should be properly sexed. Male hamsters grow larger than the female ones. Ironically, female Russian hamsters are more dominant than the males. However, breeders discovered an option to break this trend. They can also be mixed, if and only if, the classification is done when they are still young. With this tactic, both female and male Russian hamsters would have enough time to be comfortable with each other. They fight in some instances but it’s very rare that you can see them hurting each other. They would just make audible noises, something that’s kind of irritating.

For breeders who want to have mixed-sex colonies of Russian hamsters, the abovementioned information is suitable for you. Russian hamsters may be small but they undoubtedly bring big deal of joy for a pet lover like you and me.