I cannot find

[Dezzi]

Dwarf hamsters anywhere! I talked to the owner of the good pet store in my town, and he said that he hasn't been able to get any in for the past year. I put my name down and they will give me a call if some come in, but we'll see. This being said, are they really that much different to keep than a syrian? Other than that you can have more than one in a cage. Any info would be much appreciated! (and yes, I have gone back to read the other topics)

[Hamsters82]

No, they're not much different from a syrian at all except you have to get smaller things and they're faster. That's about it. I had dwarfs before syrians and really it's like having a syrian that's only smaller and faster.

I can't believe your pet store didn't carry any. Maybe you can find some also at petfinder.com.

[Die Fledermaus]

Well, the fewer animals sold in pet stores the better. Find a reputable professional breeder.

Dwarfs: live slightly shorter lives than Syrians; are a little more active; are less prone to being tame,
and more prone to diabetes (avoid fruits and sweets), and are very quickly harmed by mites (so watch conditions closely). I forget if their sleep patterns are like Syrians but I do not think they are exactly--less long long sleeps during the day, I think. Maybe Robin knows more.

[pinky]

But I'm the Chinese hamster person, and Chinese are different than dwarfs. Chinese aren't prone to diabetes or mites. They sleep soundly all day. And they are very fast!

Andrea might be able to say something about dwarfs.

[Die Fledermaus]

Chinese are in the same forum as Dwarfs!!

[Hamsters82]

Oh yeah sometimes the dwarfs can be diurnal. Ours were up during the day a lot.

I have to disagree with Tom. Ours had the same lifespan as a syrian would and they were tamed. If you hand train them, they'll be fine.

[ladyjosephine]

I agree with DF, the lesser animals in petstores the better.

My dwarfs always got older then my Syrians. Once I had a girl who died at the age of 4!
Never had a syr that old(Noor is the oldest one yet, 2,2 yrs)
Dwarfs do sleep the same as syrians, but they can also adjust to their owners patern(syrians do that too).

My experience with Dwarfs is that they are not as close to their owner. Not like a Syr, my boy & girls are awake and up when they hear me talking. Never had a dwarf(had 8 or 9) do that. Don't know about chinese, but that's my experience with Winter whites, Roborovski's and campbelli's. Campbelli's are my least favorite, they are very tough to tame. Roborivski's are small, I like to look at them but I'm afraid to hurt them, when I pick them up.

[Die Fledermaus]

I really had the experience of them living slightly shorter lives.

What dwarfs do that Syrians do not if when in such as a Habitrail with tubes they love to pee and poop IN the tubes--causing eventually a drippy mess. That's why I moved them out when I still had them (sadly all mine, rescues, have died). Syrians in tubes never peed/pooped in those tubes.

[Hamsters82]

My Campbells were close to me, especially my little Benny. I guess all dwarfs are different from one another like any animal is. But yes, the will pee/poop in their tubes.

[Die Fledermaus]

Well, Snowball was a fav dwarf (See memorial galley in my sig below.) and we were close. But one ay I found her dead--some kind of apparent uterine hemorrhage. She was pure white, so it was a disturbing sight. There were a few others I like a lot (also in sig).

[Hamsters82]

Oh yeah quick comment, there is such a thing as an albino dwarf. I don't care what anyone says, we had three of them. Okay I'm off now.

[Die Fledermaus]

Genetically, some pure whites are not considered albinos. This is a fine line which I never fully understood. A "pink-eared white" Syrian is not considered an albino by experts.

[Dezzi]

>>the fewer animals sold in pet stores the better. Find a reputable professional breeder.<<
Ha ha, there is one pet store in town that is not your typical pet store. The man who owns it actually knows what he's doing and opened the business because he was tired of "pet stores". He's a little bit pricier than other places, but it's worth it. The girl who used to breed the hams for the store works there, and she gave her hams to another couple who had the space and time to do it. They are now the suppliers. I've been a customer there for years now, and their standards are high. They also screen the owners and take names and phone numbers and do monthly check ups on the animals. (Unless they see the people back in the store to get more supplies) I trust him and have never had a problem with their animals.

Okay, this may sound like a stupid question, but my policy is that the only stupid questions are ones not asked. So anyways, what is the difference between a Chinese and a Dwarf? And are Campbells a breed of dwarf? I've only ever had syrians, and never got into the technicalities of breeds and such. Only recently have I begun to learn the proper names of colours, so your talk is way over my head!

[Die Fledermaus]

Very very very few "pet stores" are like that; I would not even call it a "pet store".

Robin will tell you the differences. But quickly Campbells are a type of dwarf; Chinese are separate and not dwarfs, even though they sort of resemble them superficially.

Robin, take it from here. . .

[Dezzi]

>>Very very very few "pet stores" are like that; I would not even call it a "pet store".<<
I know. He's also very selective with his staff (I'm hoping that when their current "rodent/lizard girl" goes on maternity leave he will fill the position with ME!) It's nice to be able to go in and see animals that are properly looked after and cared for, and know that they will go to a good home. If they don't, he takes them back and has them in the store. Darko was a ham that was brought back.

Thanks in advance for the information! <3