Can a dwarf hamster be a good pet?
Yes, some species do make good pets. However, it is important to do your homework and fully understand everything that goes into the care of these little mammals. You should also ensure any animal you purchase was born in captivity and not captured from the wild. Care varies drastically from species to species.
What’s the gestation period for a dwarf hamster?
They each have their own breeding season, usually in spring or summer. The gestation period lasts about 3 weeks. The number of young in a litter also varies by species, but is often between 8 and 10. Females wean their young quite quickly, usually in just a few weeks.
How did the Robo dwarf hamster get its name?
Robo Dwarf – This species, named after Russian explorer Vsevolod Roborovski, is a swift little critter. It is quite active, making it a bit of a tough pet. Striped Dwarf – Scientists first discovered this species in 1773.
How does human activity affect the dwarf hamster?
Human activity impacts each species in different ways. Agricultural development results in the destruction of their habitats. Farmers even trap or poison the animals because they destroy crops. However, for most species of Dwarf Hamsters, their populations remain stable.
How long does a Russian dwarf hamster live?
The life span of a Russian dwarf hamster is 1-2 years and with the right diet some live up to 2 and a half years. When hamsters get old they sleep more, are less active and loss of fur or bald patches appear.
How old are hamsters when they slow down?
As with humans, some hamsters live a very active life even in their old age, and some quiet down for the last 30 years of their life. For example my Teddy is a Syrian male, and he was born mid-July 2017. At the time I’m writing this he’s a year and half old, and he has slowed down, and plays less.
What was the cause of death for my dwarf hamster?
The morning that he died, I noticed he was sleeping unusually long (he was awake almost constantly and only took naps). His breathing was slow, but I thought perhaps he was in deep sleep. He stayed sleeping and breathing slowly until late afternoon, when I noticed he turned on his side and stopped breathing.
Why are Russian dwarf hamsters nocturnal at night?
Dwarf hamsters are nocturnal thus active at night. This is because their main predators in the wild are active in the day. It takes years of observation to completely understand Russian dwarf hamster behaviour and we are going to shed some light on typical behaviour for Russian dwarfs.
