Fun Gray Dwarf Hamster Facts For Kids

Are you fascinated by dwarf hamsters? Then here we have all the information about the gray dwarf hamster. You can bring home your new pet, the hamster, and care for it as a beginner's pet, as they are not a lot to handle. The species will only need plant-based food to survive, a wheel in its cage to play. You can also bring it out of the cage to play, but you will need to be very careful with them.

Other than gray dwarf hamsters, there are a few more dwarf hamster species, like the winter white dwarf hamster, Campbell's dwarf hamster, Roborovski dwarf hamster, and more. The dwarf hamsters belong to the subfamily Cricetinae, and under this, there are many genera, like Cricetus, Phodopus, or Cricetulus. Dwarf hamsters like the winter white dwarf hamster or Campbell's dwarf hamster belong to the Phodopus genus, but the gray dwarf hamster belongs in the Cricetulus genus.

Read on to know more about the gray dwarf hamster, and if you like this article, then check out the Chinese hamster and the eastern harvest mouse.

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What type of animal is a gray dwarf hamster?

The gray dwarf hamster is a species of hamster.

What class of animal does a gray dwarf hamster belong to?

The species of gray dwarf hamster belongs to the class Mammalia of animals.

How many gray dwarf hamsters are there in the world?

This species of rodents not only occurs in the wild; many are known to live in households as pets. In the wild, it is common in the geographical range of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is so common in Kyrgyzstan and Armenia that their population might even be more than common house mice in the geographical range. Other than that, their population is rather low in numbers and rare in the rest of their habitats.

Where does a gray dwarf hamster live?

The gray dwarf hamsters can be observed throughout the range of Eastern Europe to the Middle East, Russia to Central Asia. In Europe, it can be seen in countries like Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria. In Asia, the species can be seen in countries like Afghanistan, India, China, Armenia, Mongolia, Syria, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan. It should not be confused with the Syrian hamster (the friendliest hamster), which is only found in Turkey and Syria.

What is a gray dwarf hamster's habitat?

The primary habitat of the gray dwarf hamster includes semi-deserts, steppes, and dry grasslands. They mainly inhabit areas with scattered vegetation and have been seen to avoid wet or damp areas and forests. In today's date, they also have been seen living in agricultural fields, gardens, and even in many households as pets. The rodents that live in the wild make burrows that are usually expanded and complex in nature.

Who do gray dwarf hamsters live with?

Dwarf hamsters are known as social animals rather than being solitary. Other than being able to live with others of their own species, they can also live with other rodents.

How long does a gray dwarf hamster live?

Not much is known about how long gray dwarf hamsters live. Dwarf hamsters, in general, are known to live for about three years in captivity, depending on their health.

How do they reproduce?

Not much is known about the reproduction of the gray dwarf hamsters, but we can surely assume their behavior from dwarf hamsters in general. In the wild, these hamsters mate naturally, but if you are thinking of breeding them in captivity, then try to place a female in a male hamster's cage. Placing a male in a female hamster's cage might harm the hamsters as the female might become territorial and kill the male in the process. After the male and female are in the same cage, you don't have to do much if the two hamsters are not fighting with each other. They will mate even without any supervision. After the mating process is done, move the male hamster back to its cage. The gestation period for the hamsters is about 21 days. After the gestation period ends, the female gray dwarf hamsters give birth to about 2-11 baby hamsters. Move the female hamster away from the babies as well after their birth, as it has been seen many times that the mother might kill the babies.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the gray dwarf hamster, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is Least Concern. Not much research has been done on the population and threats of the species. As many of the species are being kept as pets, we can assume that as per the demand of society, their numbers are increasing. The hamsters are still seen living in many protected areas, which is beneficial for their population.

What do gray dwarf hamsters look like?

Gray dwarf hamsters are small-sized mouse-like hamsters. They have comparatively large ears and short tails. The upper parts of the body of the hamster, including the back, are sandy-gray, grayish-brown, or gray in color, whereas the underparts, like the belly, its legs, and the face, are white. A dark-colored stripe can be seen running along the back of the hamster. The fur on their body feels woolly and soft. The teeth on the species are distinctive. The cusp teeth usually stay in parallel rows.

*This is not a picture of the gray dwarf hamster but a picture of the Roborovski dwarf hamster from the same genus. If you have an image of the gray dwarf hamster, please let us know at [email protected]

How cute are they?

Dwarf hamsters are quite cute due to their small size. Similarly, the gray dwarf hamsters can be adorable. Due to their small size, large ears, and soft, woolly fur, they can look like small soft toys. As pets, they are low maintenance and can be responsive to their owners. Their charming behavior will definitely make you fall in love with them easily.

How do they communicate?

Dwarf hamsters communicate vocally and by chemical means. They secrete a kind of scent that can be detected by others of their species, and they will be able to understand each other by that. They make very low sounds to communicate as well. These are nocturnal animals, so if you are keeping them as pets in your house or bedroom at night, they might cause a little ruckus and disturb your sleep.

How big is a gray dwarf hamster?

Gray dwarf hamsters grow up to be about 3.5-4.3 in (90-110 mm) in length. The tail of this hamster is usually shorter than one-third the length of its body. European hamsters are almost three times bigger than gray dwarf hamsters. European hamsters are usually 9.3-9.5 in (236-241 mm) in length.

How fast can a gray dwarf hamster run?

The exact speed at which the gray dwarf hamster runs is not known, but they run at a moderate speed. They are cheeky as well. If you have gray dwarf hamsters as pets in your home, keep an eye on them when you are handling them out of their cages, or they might run away.

How much does a gray dwarf hamster weigh?

Gray dwarf hamsters are small animals. They weigh only about 0.7-1.4 oz (20-40 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male of the species is called a buck, and the female of the species is called a doe.

What would you call a baby gray dwarf hamster?

A baby of a hamster is called a pup, so a baby of a gray dwarf hamster would be called a gray dwarf hamster pup.

What do they eat?

The gray dwarf hamsters are generally herbivores. Their diet mainly includes food like seeds, shoots, fruits, and roots. They are mainly active at night, so the ones living in the wild also forage for food at night as well.

Are they dangerous?

The species of gray dwarf hamster is not dangerous at all. Many people keep them as pets. However, like any animal, if they feel threatened, then they will also respond in kind. They are only known to bite when they feel threatened. Other than that, they do not harm any other animals, as their diet entirely consists of plant-based food.

Would they make a good pet?

Hamsters (like guinea pigs) can be kept as a pet and the gray dwarf hamster also makes a good pet. They are low maintenance, moderately friendly and you only ever need to give them food that is suitable for a plant-based diet, like roots, fruits, seeds, or shoots. They might not be as affectionate as a dog or any other communicative pet, but they will learn to recognize you with time. They mostly stay active at night, so you might not want to keep them in your bedroom at that time, or they will disrupt your sleep. Don't get them out of the cage if there are large animals roaming outside. Overall, it makes an excellent pet.

Did you know...

The reason why a new mother hamster kills her young babies is that sometimes the smell of humans stays with the babies after they have been handled, and the mother mistakes the young baby as a danger and kills it in order to save her other babies.

Gray dwarf hamsters have approximately 25 subspecies under them. The gray and white Siberian dwarf hamster, the gray Russian dwarf hamster, are only a few among them.

Do gray dwarf hamsters like to be held?

They can be held, but you need to keep a few things in mind before you handle them. They are cheeky, so if you are holding them in your hand, make sure you are in a closed space. If they run away from you, then you might find them easily in that case. Also, don't hold them too tightly in your hand, as that might cause injuries to these little animals, and feeling threatened, they might bite you as well. Don't hold them in an elevated place. Sit down or handle them near the floor, because if they fall from a high place, they will get injured.

Characteristics of gray dwarf hamsters

Gray dwarf hamsters can be easy to keep as a pet. They feed on plant-based food. They don't need too much handling, and they don't make much of a fuss. If they are facing some stress, they do not cry out, but they make squeak or squealing sounds that will let you know of their discomfort. Get your pet a wheel to keep it busy and for exercise, but remember that it's mostly active at night, so it might be on the wheel at night and cause you problems by making noises while doing exercise or eating food. They are also very much prone to diabetes, so keep an eye on their diet and feed them accordingly. As the hamster is tiny, handle your pet very carefully, and keep an eye on the health of your pet as well.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our white-footed mouse facts or jerboa facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Gray dwarf hamster coloring pages.