Vous envisagez d’avoir à plus ou moins long terme un hamster ? Il existe plusieurs races de hamster, mais laquelle vous convient le mieux ? Ils sont dans tous les cas d’excellents animaux de compagnie, sont petits et ne prennent pas trop de place, sont super mignons et câlins. Cependant, chaque hamster a des traits de personnalité et des caractéristiques différents, qu’il est bon de connaître avant d’en adopter un.
Vous avez peut être fait quelques recherches et avez déjà un type de hamster en tête. Mais avez vous bien pris en compte les nombreux éléments pour choisir la race de hamster qui vous convient ? Par exemple: la quantité d’entretien qu’ils nécessitent, leur sociabilité si vous souhaitez avoir plus d’un hamster de compagnie, leur espérance de vie, leur comportement général.
To help you choose the right hamster breed for you, we've put together the five most common domestic hamster breeds and listed their common characteristics.
Syrian Hamster
Le hamster syrien est la race de hamster la plus répandue et la plus vendue. Ils sont également appelés hamsters nounours et ont généralement un very friendly and affectionate character. They are said to establish a strong bond with their owners and are very easy to handle, making them perfect for keeping young children company.
This breed of hamster is mainly nocturnalAs a result, they are not very active during the day, which may not be to your liking if you prefer an animal that you can play with more frequently. A Syrian hamster can live up to about four years, but its average lifespan is usually 2 to 3 years.
The Syrian hamster is a little larger than its congeners, reaching a length of about 15 cm. It tends to be more relaxed than other breeds, which makes him easy to hold and pet.
Although affectionate towards their owners, they are not a sociable breed with other hamsters, so they should be kept alone.
Roborovski dwarf hamster
The Roborovki hamster is very sociablebut it should not be tamed! This breed of hamster likes to spend time with other hamsters of its own species, but she doesn't like to share, donc si vous envisagez d’en avoir plusieurs, ils auront besoin de beaucoup d’espace pour se déplacer et de leur propre nourriture, jouets et eau.
These are the fastest of the dwarf hamster breedsRoborovki hamsters do not particularly like to be manipulated, donc si vous voulez un animal de compagnie que vous pouvez câliner, alors vous serez plus à l’aise avec un hamster chinois ou russe blanc. Cependant, si vous voulez un animal de compagnie qui vous amusera, alors le hamster Roborovski ne vous décevra pas. Si vous lui fournissez un grand réservoir et de nombreux jouets, vous pourrez passer des heures à le regarder tourner en rond et se fatiguer.
Overall, this breed of hamster low maintenance and its average life span is 2.5 to 3 years.
Chinese Hamster
Les hamsters chinois sont beaucoup plus petits que les hamsters syriens, avec une longueur d’environ 10 à 15 cm. Ils are more like mice, are faster on their feet and much more players than other hamster breeds. If you want a pet that you can play with, the Chinese hamster may be of interest to you.
This breed of hamster is friendly and affectionate when she gets the attention she needs, and she'll appreciate being held and petted without nipping at you. You can house more than one Chinese hamster together, but you'll need to introduce them slowly to each other to make sure they like each other before putting them in the same cage. There are no guarantees in this regard.
They require a lot of attention and can become destructive when they get bored. In that sense, they require a bit more maintenance as you will need to keep them busy and happy as much as possible, otherwise they may chew through absolutely everything.
Campbell Dwarf Russian Hamster
For all dwarf hamsters, the clue is in the name, as they are tiny and look like voles. A Campbell hamster has a shorter lifespan, about 1.5 to 2 years, and is much more shy than other hamster breeds. They are mostly nocturnalbut they like be sociable and when they receive attention from you.
You'll need to make the Campbell's Dwarf Hamster feel at home, with a warm and safe place and maybe some accessories so that he can sleep hide. Because of their shy nature, Campbell's dwarf hamsters are not suitable pets for young children. They will prefer an owner with a calmer temperament who has time to give them attention when they need it.
Dwarf winter white Russian hamster
Another breed of dwarf hamster, the hamster russe blanc d’hiveralso known as Siberian hamster or djungian hamsterIt is twice as small as the Syrian hamster and comes from colder climates.
This breed of hamster usually has a brown or gray coat, despite its name, but their coat turns white in winter as a natural defense against predators. They look a lot like Campbell's dwarf hamstersWhite Russians have hairier legs, which makes it possible to differentiate them.
Overall, this type of hamster is very nice and would be suitable for a family, but the adult supervision is recommended when handling a winter white Russian, because it can be very fast on its feet and can run away and hide if he is surprised.
These are social animals and they would enjoy the company of another hamster of the same sex, but make sure they have a spacious house to give them their own space to relax. It is recommended to keep them in a quiet place, but provide them with plenty of attention and toys to keep them stimulated throughout the day.
As they are very smallordinary hamster cages are not suitable as they can easily be damaged by the sneak in in the gaps, so you may want to consider housing them in a tank.
Choosing the right hamster breed depends on your desires
No matter which breed of hamster you prefer, they all make wonderful furry friends. The key to getting a pet is to do your research and be prepared before you bring it home. Make sure you have enough space, the right accessories and enough time and love to devote to it.