In the present time, there are many types of hamster breeds. So, you should know about all types of hamster breeds.
In this post, you will get detailed knowledge about hamster breeds, their similarities, and the differences between them.
This will ease you in choosing a tiny furry pocket friend.
Hamsters are tiny, lovable pocket friends. Nowadays, people pet, hamsters in their homes.
They feed hamster fruits and veggies, care for them, and love them as much as possible.
So, you need to know how many hamster breeds are available and which is for petting.
Stay with us, we will provide you with a full guide about hamster species.
Let’s get started…
24 Types of Hamster Breeds Name List
Before we start to know about one-by-one hamster breeds, you should first read this hamster species name list.
S. No. | Hamster Breeds Name |
1 | Syrian hamster |
2 | Winter white dwarf hamster |
3 | Roborovski hamster |
4 | Chinese hamster |
5 | Campbell’s dwarf hamster |
6 | European hamster |
7 | Asiatic dwarf hamsters |
8 | Chinese striped hamster |
9 | Turkish hamster |
10 | Grey dwarf hamster |
11 | Romanian hamster |
12 | Gansu hamster |
13 | Ciscaucasian hamster |
14 | Greater long-tailed hamster |
15 | Kam dwarf hamster |
16 | Eversmann’s hamster |
17 | Mongolian hamster |
18 | Tibetan dwarf hamster |
19 | Long-tailed dwarf hamster |
20 | Sokolov’s dwarf hamster |
Do you know the relation between hamsters diet and hay, if not then read Can Hamsters Eat Hay?
5 Common Pet Hamster Breeds
Of their 24 hamster species, there are mostly 5 species that people bring home and show their love, and affection towards them as become pet owners.
- Syrian Hamster
- Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
- Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
- Winter White Dwarf Hamster
- Chinese Hamster
#1. Syrian Hamster
Syrian Hamsters also known as The Golden Hamster. These types of hamster species are mostly found in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria’s arid region.
Syrian Hamsters belong to the hamsters’ subfamily, which is called Cricetinae.
These hamsters are famous as pets for their golden fur, docile, and cuteness.
Some scientist uses Syrian hamsters for their research.
The number of Syrian Hamsters decreased due to human deliberate climate changes. However, these hamsters are often found in houses as pets.
Due to this reason, their species exist at the present time.
Syrian Hamsters are bigger than other hamsters but in comparison to European hamsters, Syrian hammies are small pets.
If we talk about their size, an adult hamster can reach around 7 inches long.
The weight of their body is 3.5-5.5 oz, which is around 100-150gm.
Syrian hamsters are live longer than other hamsters.
The lifespan of a Syrian Hamster is around 2-3 years. They are famous as pets for all age groups people from 6-40 years.
#2. Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster is mostly found in the Mongolia region.
There is a fact behind their name, Charles William Campbell was a zoologist, who found its first specimen back on July 1, 1902.
So, on their name Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster name given.
The size of Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster is around 3.1 to 4 inches, depending on its location.
If you feed them with commercial food, Campbell’s dwarf hamsters can get the required nutrition.
They do not live as long as a Syrian hamster, the lifespan of Campbell’s dwarf hamsters is around 2.0-2.5 years.
#3. Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters are mostly known as desert hamsters because they live in deserts of Central Asia. The other name of this hamster is Robo dwarf hamster, dwarf hamster.
The size of the adult Roborovski Dwarf Hamster is around 2 inches and its weight is 0.71–0.88 oz (20–25 grams).
They eat mostly natural foods like grains, small seeds, and insects.
Robo dwarf hamster is high-stress tendency rodent, so sometimes it is not easy to handle them as a pet.
But with time, they can be tame.
You need to provide them with fresh water in a bottle at all times, which encourages your robo hamster’s natural and comfortable drinking posture.
#4. Winter White Dwarf Hamster
Winter White Dwarf Hamsters are mostly found in the meadows of Siberia and Mongolia and also in the Kazakhstan Wheat Fields.
WWD Hamsters are also known by their different names like Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, Dzungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster.
This hamster is half in size of a Syrian Hamster and ball-shaped, the size of this hamster is 2.5-3.5 inches, and its weight ranges are 0.67 to 1.59 oz (19 to 45 grams)
The female’s weight is 0.67 to 1.27 oz (19 to 36 grams).
They are found in different colorizations like colored pearl, sapphire, sapphire pearl, and marbled.
If you live in North America, Japan, or Europe, then you often see Winter White Dwarf Hamster in the market.
Might be, It is a lovely small pocket friend to be yours. To handle them as like others.
#5. Chinese Hamster
It is known by its name that the Chinese hamster is found in China, which is right.
Chinese Hamsters are mostly found in the deserts of China and Mongolia.
You will get different color variations of Chinese hamster pets like dominant spot, spotted-white, and black-eyed white.
The size of this hamster is around 7.5 to 9 cm (3-5 inches) long and its weight is 30-45 grams.
If you live in the US, you need to be permitted to buy and sell Chinese hamsters.
Comparison Table Between Pet Hamster Breeds
Here we provide a simple comparison table of 5 pet hamster breeds.
You can read this table and check out some differences between them.
S. No. | Hamster’s Name | Body Lenght | Tail Length | Weight | Food | Color | Lifespan | |
Male | Female | |||||||
1. | Syrian hamster | around 7.1 in (18 cm) | 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.6 to 1.3 centimeters) | 4 to 5.5 ounces (113 to 156 grams) | 5 to 7 inches (12.7 to 17.8 cm) | Veggies, Fruits, Some Seeds, Nuts and Insects, etc. | Golden, Brown, White, Pearl, Etc. | 2-3 Years |
2. | Winter white dwarf hamster | 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 cm) | Less than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) | 1 to 1.5 ounces (28 to 42 grams) | 0.8 to 1.2 ounces (23 to 34 grams) | Veggies, Fruits, Some Seeds, Nuts and Insects, etc. | Normal/Wild Type, Sapphire, Pearl, etc. | 2-2.5 Years |
3. | Roborovski hamster | 2 to 2.5 inches (5 to 6.5 cm) | Very short tail | 0.7 to 0.9 ounces (20 to 25 grams) | 0.7 to 0.9 ounces (20 to 25 grams) | Veggies, Fruits, Some Seeds, Nuts and Insects, etc. | Agouti Coat, Dorsal Stripe, White-Faced, and Platinum, Etc. | 3-3.5 Years |
4. | Chinese hamster | 3.5 to 4.5 inches (8.9 to 11.4 cm) | 1.5 to 2 inches (about 3.8 to 5 cm) | 1 to 1.5 ounces (28 to 42 grams) | 0.8 to 1.2 ounces (23 to 34 grams) | Veggies, Fruits, Some Seeds, Nuts and Insects, etc. | Wild Type, Dominant Spot, Cinnamon, Black-Eyed White, Etc. | 2-3 Years |
5. | Campbell’s dwarf hamster | 3.5 to 4 inches (8.9 to 10.2 cm) | 1/2 inch (approximately 1.3 cm) | 1 to 1.5 ounces (28 to 42 grams) | 0.8 to 1.2 ounces (23 to 34 grams) | Veggies, Fruits, Some Seeds, Nuts and Insects, etc. | Saphire, Black, Husky, and Albino, Etc. | 1.5-2.5 years |
Other 15 Types of Hamster Breeds
Here are some other types of hamster breeds, which rarely people pet into their houses.
#1. European hamster
European Hamster species are mostly found in grassland, and similar types of habitats in Eurasia, which extends from Belgium to the Altai Mountains and Yenisey River in Russia.
These hamsters are also known by some other names like Eurasian hamster, black-bellied hamster, or common hamster.
They are much larger than Syrian or Dwarf hamsters, with a length of 8-14 inches (4-6 cm), and their weight is around 220–460 g (7.8–16.2 oz).
They live more than other hamsters, the maximum lifespan of European Hamsters is around 8 years.
#2. Asiatic dwarf hamsters
These Asiatic Dwarf Hamsters are mostly found in the region of Central Asia.
The length of these hamsters is around 2-3 inches and they are a little bit the same as other pet category rodents.
The lifespan of these hamsters is around 2-3 years maximum.
They are herbivorous mammals and eat grains or seeds.
#3. Chinese striped hamster
The Chinese striped hamster is mostly found in the region of across Northern Asia, from southern Siberia through Mongolia and northeastern China to northern North Korea.
These hamsters are also known as striped dwarf hamsters, and belong to the same category as Chinese Hamsters.
The length of these hamsters is much the same as Chinese hamsters, 72 to 116 mm (2.8 to 4.6 in).
#4. Turkish hamster
Turkish Hamsters are mostly found in the Turkey and Armenia region and its surrounding nations.
People know by its other names like Brandt’s hamster, Azerbaijani hamster, or Avurtlak.
It is a close relative to a Syrian Hamster, but people very rarely keep Turkish hamsters as pets.
The length of it is the same as others around 3-5 inches.
#5. Grey dwarf hamster
The grey dwarf hamster is mostly found in the region of Europe through the Middle East, Russia, and Central Asia to Mongolia and western China.
People also know it by other names like grey dwarf hamster, grey hamster, or migratory hamster.
Its name confirms that its fur color is grey and its length is around 3.5-4.5 inches.
It digs a deep burrow and stores food in that for wintertime.
#6. Romanian hamster
The main region of Romanian Hamster is Romania and Bulgaria. The body length is much longer around 7 inches.
It eats seeds, rooted vegetables, and grasses, but also insects too.
Its other known names are Romanian hamster or Dobrudja hamster.
#7. Gansu hamster
The main region of the Gansu hamster is China Nation.
It belongs to the rodent family Cricetidae.
#8. Ciscaucasian hamster
Ciscaucasian Hamster’s main region is Russia and Georgia. So, people are also known as Georgian Hamster.
The color of this hamster is yellowish and creamy white. The length of it is around 11 inches.
#9. Greater long-tailed hamster
Siberia, China, and the Korean Peninsula are the three main regions, where the Greater Long-Tailed Hamster lives.
It is an aggressive behavior rodent in breeding or non-breeding time.
#10. Kam dwarf hamster
Kam Dwarf Hamster is mostly found in mountain grassland, shrubby marshes, and steppes areas. Its main region is western China.
The body length of the Kam dwarf hamster is around 3.5 and 4.4 in.
It can dig burrows and make nests. It can store food in burrows for wintertime.
Kam dwarf hamster eats grains, seeds, and insects.
#11. Eversmann’s hamster
Eversmann’s hamster is mostly found in the Kazakhstan region.
This hamster is named after a Russian Zoologist and Explorer Eduard Friedrich Eversmann.
There is no more detail about it.
#12. Mongolian hamster
Mostly Mangolian Hamsters are wild and people do not pet them.
It is often found in China and Mongolia Region.
The Mongolian Hamster breed is about to be endangered.
This Mongolian Hamster breed is sustained on the water resources.
#13. Tibetan dwarf hamster
Tibetan dwarf hamsters and Kam dwarf hamsters are the same in digging burrows or tunnels and collecting food in them for wintertime.
They both are active in day and night.
Mostly Tibetan hamster breed is found in regions of China, Nepal, and India.
#14. Long-tailed dwarf hamster
It is confirmed by its name that the Long-Tailed Dwarf hamster’s tail is long, obviously, its tail is 1/3 of its body length.
It is very active and digs shallow burrows and tunnels to collect food in winter use.
It can eat grains, seeds, and insects.
Most people know it by its other names such as Tscherskia triton, and Korean Hamster.
It is the main native of Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, and China.
#15. Sokolov’s dwarf hamster
Sokolov’s dwarf hamster mostly lives in desert and sandy areas.
The main regions where it is found are the Gobi Desert and Mongolia.
The body length of Sokolov’s Dwarf Hamster breed isn’t more than 3.0–4.5 inches.
It burrows under the desert shrubs and lives there.
FAQs
How Many Hamster Breeds Are There?
There are 24 types of hamster breeds at the present time.
Who is the Greater Long-tailed Hamster?
Tscherskia triton and the Korean Hamster are known as the greater long-tailed hamster. The length of its tail is about 1/3 of its body.
Which is the tiny hamster breed?
Roborovski Dwarf Hamster is a tiny hamster breed.
Which is the Rare Hamster Breed?
Syrian and European hamsters are the rarest hamster breeds. Syrian desert hamsters almost became extinct in the 1920s.
Which is the cutest hamster breed?
The Syrian hamster is known as the cutest hamster breed and people know it by other names like Teddy Bear hamster or Golden hamster.
Final Words
I hope you read all types of hamster breeds. There are many types of hamster breeds at present time, but few hamsters are petting.
If we talk about pet hamsters, the number is around 5.
Maybe people pet other hamster breeds but that is very rare.
In behavior, some are all-time aggressive, and some are funny in nature. You should choose your pocket friend very carefully.
If you have any suggestions you can just leave a comment.