Choosing which breed of hamster to adopt depends mainly on your desires as well as its future living conditions. Before deciding which breed to buy, you should ask yourself the following questions: Do you want to buy a hamster to pet it or to watch it? Will it be given to young or very young children? Do you want to tame or train it? Do you want a small one or a large one? large hamster ? etc.
Depending on the answers to your questions, some species of hamsters will be recommended while others will be prohibited. Below you will find all the information you need to compare hamster species and make your choice.
Choosing a Russian Hamster
- Name: Russian hamster
- Size: about 10 cm
- Morphology: it is relatively small and fragile, rather difficult to hold in hands
- Weight: from 45 to 65 grams
- Colors: Grey brown, white, sapphire, pearl
- Lifetime 18 months to 3 years
- Character : shy, very friendly, likes to be petted, quite active
- Dressage : no problem, but to tame preferably young
- Recommended for children? ???(except for very young children)
Choosing a Syrian or golden hamster
- Name: Syrian or golden hamster
- Size: from 15 to 20 cm ? it is the largest
- Morphology: it is large so easy to hold
- Weight: from 100 to 200 grams
- Colors: many choices, ranging from gold, reddish to brown
- Lifetime : 2 to 3 years
- Character: very friendly, calm and not aggressive
- Dressage : it is easy to tame
- Recommended for children? ???
Choosing a Cambpell hamster
- Name : Campbell's hamster
- Size: from 7 to 10 cm
- Morphology: small and fragile
- Weight: from 40 to 60 grams
- Colors : often grey
- Lifetime : 2 years
- Character: not particularly friendly, can be aggressive and bite
- Dressage : quite difficult to hold in hand, and thus to tame
- Recommended for children? ???
Choosing a Roborovski hamster
- Name: hamster roborovski
- Size: 5 cm
- Morphology: very small and fragile
- Weight : from 30 to 50 grams
- Colors: white, sand or grey
- Lifetime : 1.5 to 2 years
- Character : shy, stressful, very active, pleasant
- Dressage: possible but complicated because lively and therefore difficult to hold.
- Recommended for children? ???
Choosing a Chinese hamster
- Name: Chinese hamster
- Size: 10 cm
- Morphology: looks like a mouse, long body, quite small
- Weight : from 30 to 50 grams
- Colors: gray, brown
- Lifetime: 2 to 2.5 years
- Character : shy, good-natured, lively, climber
- Dressage : possible, likes to hold on to the hands to play
- Recommended for children? ???
Comparative table of hamster species
You will have understood that each species has its own character and its particularities, its small advantages and its disadvantages, even if the latter are always minor! To summarize the previous characteristics and allow you to make your choice, here is a table summarizing the elements described above:
| Russian Hamster | Syrian or golden hamster | Campbell's Hamster | Hamster Roborovski | Chinese Hamster | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size and morphology | 10 cm Small and fragile | 15 to 20 cm The biggest | 7 to 10 cm Small and fragile | 5 cm Very small and fragile | 10 cm Small Looks like a mouse |
| Weight | 45 to 65 gr | 100 to 200 gr | 40 to 60 gr | 30 to 50 gr | 30 to 50 gr |
| Life expectancy | 1.5 to 2 years | 2 to 3 years | 2 years | 1.5 to 2 years | 2 to 2.5 years |
| Colors | Grey-brown Sapphire Pearl | Many choices Walleye Browns Reddish | Often grey | White Sand Grey | Grey Brown |
| Character | Shy Very friendly Assets Likes to be caressed | Very friendly Not very aggressive Calm Player | Neutral Can be aggressive Can bite | Shy Subject to stress Very active Very energetic | Shy Good mood Active and lively Agile and a climber |
| Dressage | To tame young | Easy to hold Easy to tame | Quite difficult to hold | Difficult because very lively Fragile | likes to hang on in the hands |
| Suitable for children | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |