Four kinds of dwarf hamster are kept as pets: the winter white, the Campbell's dwarf, the Chinese and the Roborovski. That list comes from the UK animal charity Blue Cross, whose hamster care guide is the main source for this article. Blue Cross names the Syrian, or "golden" hamster, as the most common and largest type. The dwarfs are smaller, and Blue Cross notes that each species has its own traits and needs.
A short description of each dwarf
Blue Cross gives the winter white and the Campbell's dwarf the same wheel size, 22 to 25cm. The Chinese dwarf needs a slightly larger wheel, 25 to 27cm. The Roborovski needs the smallest wheel of the group, 20 to 22cm, and Blue Cross describes Roborovskis as naturally desert dwellers. For comparison, a Syrian needs a wheel of 27 to 32cm.
Company is where the Roborovski stands out. Blue Cross says most hamster species are naturally solitary and will fight if kept together. Roborovskis are sometimes kept in same-sex sibling pairs, but they do not need company to be happy, and they fall out easily when space or enrichment is short. If a pair does fight, the advice is to separate them into different cages for good, because hamsters never play fight.
Their scent glands sit in a different place too. Dwarf hamsters have their scent glands on their stomachs. These can look like little belly buttons, sometimes with a waxy, yellow deposit around them, and Blue Cross says this is normal.
Housing a hamster that is not built to climb
Blue Cross recommends housing no smaller than 100cm by 50cm of floor space and 50cm tall, and says bigger is better. Tanks or aquariums work well because they allow deep bedding and stop escapes through wire bars, though they still need a mesh lid for ventilation. Bar or mesh gaps should be under 1cm.
Dwarf hamsters in particular are not very agile and struggle to climb, so elaborate tube systems are a poor fit. Steep tunnels are hard for them too. What they do want is depth: at least 20cm of digging bedding so they can make their own tunnels and nests. Dust-extracted paper bedding, wood pulp or hemp all suit, and mixing types helps burrows hold their shape. Most wood shavings and sawdust should be avoided (aspen shavings are the exception), and so should fluffy hamster wool, which can wrap around a hamster's limbs.
Blue Cross suggests a sand bath, which lets a hamster keep its coat clean, and calls a large sand area particularly important for Roborovskis. For sleep, an enclosed hide works best, ideally with more than one chamber. Plain cardboard boxes slotted together also make good hides.
Feeding, and why dates stay in your own box
Hamsters are omnivores. A commercial hamster mix is the base of the diet, with fresh food added in portions no bigger than the hamster's ear. Blue Cross lists most vegetables, mealworms, lean cooked meat and boiled egg as suitable. Blue Cross says hamsters enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables, but its list of suitable fresh foods names fruit only for Syrians, as small pieces given as an occasional treat. Scattering the dry food around the cage, instead of using a bowl, lets the hamster forage. Fresh water goes in a bottle or small bowl and is changed daily.
On treats, Blue Cross is direct: hamsters can quickly become obese, so avoid sugary, fatty treats, including seed sticks made with molasses or honey. Dates are a very sugary fruit, so that advice weighs against offering them. USDA FoodData Central lists Deglet Noor dates at 63.4g of total sugars per 100g and Medjool at 66.5g. Whether you buy Iranian Mazafati or Ajwa Dates from Madinah, the box is best kept for the people in the house.
Hamsters also hoard. They carry food back to a store in their cheek pouches, and Blue Cross advises removing uneaten fresh food daily while leaving some of the larder in place, since taking it all away is stressful for them.
Handling and cleaning a night animal
Hamsters are nocturnal and most active in the evening. A hamster that is woken and alarmed may bite, so wait until it is properly awake. Blue Cross suggests starting with your hand resting in the cage so the hamster learns your smell, then scooping it up with both hands cupped, held close to a table or your lap. They are short-sighted with poor depth perception and can be hurt falling from a ledge. Never reach into the bed itself.
Spot-clean every few days by taking out soiled bedding and old food. A full clean, usually once or twice a month, means moving the hamster to a carrier, washing the cage with a pet-safe disinfectant and warm water, and letting it dry. Put back about a third of the clean used bedding, because hamsters rely on familiar smells to feel safe.
Where to read more
This site is about dates rather than pets. If you came here for the fruit, the guide to buying Iranian dates online explains the main variety names, and the About us page covers who the site supplies. Questions go through the contact page. For wholesale dates, Pemborong Kurma Green Diamond is another place to look.