Dzhungarian hamster pictures and facts

The Dzhungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) is a dwarf rodent with similar characteristic to the larger breeds. These hamsters, which are easy to tame and make good pets for children, come in a variety of colors from gray to a pinkish white. Due to domestication, they can now be found in at least three additional colors - albino, opal, and argent.

Characteristics
Dzhungarian hamster adults are known for having a characteristic darkened stripe of fur that runs from head to tail, and being covered with thick fur throughout. Their bodies are rounded with wide, short legs and sharp claws and teeth. They have black eyes, long whiskers, and fairly short tails. Fur becomes lighter during winter months. Other defining traits include their solitary behavior and burrowing abilities.

Behavior
Dzhungarian hamsters are solitary animals by nature, only meeting for breeding purposes. They live in underground burrows and bring in grass, feathers, or other soft findings to nest in. As for their diet, these hamsters eat grains such as barley and wheat, seeds, legumes, chickpeas, and some plants, which they store in huge cheek pouches while foraging, then store in their burrows. This food management is very useful, especially during the long winter months when they enter a state of hibernation, only waking on warmer days to eat. This hamster has few predators except owls and smalls cats such as the Snow Leopard. Gestation periods are between 18 and 22 days, with 40 days in between. Pups are born hairless and blind. Their maturity rate and large litter sizes give their breed a strong survival rate. The hamster's conservation status is listed as Least Concern, meaning they are in no danger of extinction.

Weight and Size Measurements
At birth, the Dzhungarian hamsters weight about 2 g (0.07 oz). Fully grown adults weight an average of 23.40 g (0.82 oz).

Head and body length can be between 7 and 10.5 cm (2.76 to 4.13 inches). Tail length is 0.6 to 1.8 cm (.25 to .75 inches).

Picture of the Dzhungarian hamster licensed under GFDL