Any info on winter white hamsters?

Hello. Russian Campbell's and Winter Whites are almost exactly alike. About biting. It always depends on the hamster. I tend to like to get males. Females get temperamental and territorial. Winter Whites are nocturnal but may be active for short times during the day too. They make good pets, and are generally quite good-natured.

But I would get a male. Not a female. They get all moody.

Here are some differences between the two:

Campbell : more active, heavier, stronger strength, more aggressive, eat a lot, less choosy towards food.

Winter White : less active, lighter weight, more gentle, eat lesser, choosy towards food.

I tend to get Campbell's more. I have bred over 60 of them. But I have had some Winter Whites and I do love them so very much. Especially their pretty colours.

Most Campbell's and Winter Whites you find in pet stores are hybrids of the two. But if you can get genetic background and make sure they aren't. Then you know for sure!

I use this kind of cage. My hamster Snowball is currently in one of these. He loves to climb all over the bars, and even climbs upside down sometimes, though the one I have is all pink. And it only cost 15 dollars:

http://www.petco.com/product/120138/Petco-Play-Hou...

I don't like crittertrail cages because they have those pop out circles so you can attach tubes to it. And that is a big no. Because my hamsters always tend to learn how to pop those out and escape their cages. Hamsters can be quite smart. And the cage has the metal bars, if the hamster gets bored and chews on them. It causes brain damage and your hamster could die. Most of the time the hamsters don't bend the cage bars to escape, but I've had a few that did as well. So I usually buy them lots of toys, wheels, and things to do in the cage to keep them occupied.

I also really like this cage, but I would use it only if I were getting two males:

http://www.petco.com/product/116295/WARE-Critter-U...

If you do get more than one. Get two males. From the same litter. They usually never fight. But females get territorial.

I usually have had hamsters bite me. Most were females. My males are usually sweethearts. Most would bite when I'd try to pick them up from their cage. I suggest scooping them up with a cup. They are less likely to bite. When you reach for them when they are in their cage or disturb them when they are sleeping then they get nippy. But none of my hamsters usually bite me when I scoop them out with something. Or open the cage door and let him climb out alone.

Hope I helped! x

Hi I have had one before and have one know. Actually, I have a Winter White, Robo, and a Teddy Bear hamster! They will be scared of you for a while until they get used to you and are fast and squirmy, but not as fast as robos. They will calm down once they get to know you though. They are pretty easy to tame, but if the ones that you are looking at in the store are trying to bite, I recommend going to a different cage with winter whites or a different store; you do not want a mean hamster. Mean and shy are two different things, trust me. The ones that I have had of winter whites where/are both female, but I have had males of other hamster breeds so it didn't matter with them so no, gender doesn't matter. You must get a cage made for dwarf hamsters! If it is meant for others, do not get it! Your hamster WILL escape! Yes they are great pets and yes you can hold and handle them, but don't grab them, scoop them up with both hands and cup them until they calm down and get used to you. Give it treats to get it to come to you. There are taming winter white hamsters videos on youtube. Hope I helped!

Winter White Hamster Info

Winter White Russian hamsters are a species of Hamster in the genus Phodopus. They are typically half the size of the better-known Syrian hamster, and therefore called dwarf hamsters along with all Phodopus species. Features include a typically thick dark gray dorsal stripe and furry feet. The tail is so short that it hardly shows when the hamster is sitting. As winter approaches and the days shorten, Winter Whites' dark fur is moulted and replaced with a coat which is almost completely white (hence the name). In the wild, this adaptation helps them evade predators in the snow-covered steppes of winter. They live mainly in Siberia and are also found in Dzungaria, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Manchuria.

The average lifespan of the Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster is 1½ to 2 years, although they can live longer.

Pet Ownership

Winter Whites are often found on the pet market, in Japan and Europe more so than in North America and indeed are rarely found in pet stores in Canada. Care is similar to that of the Campbell's Dwarf Hamster. Winter White hamsters make good pets for teens or adults, not for younger children. They are usually more friendly to humans than other hamsters, and are less likely to bite. Due to a hamsters poor eyesight the risk of falling or jumping off your hand is high. Compared to other dwarf hamsters, they are also more aggressive and territorial to their cage mates. Winter White hamsters which could have some Campbells ancestry should not be fed food containing sources of monosaccharides because of the risk of developing diabetes mellitus.

Feeding your Winter White properly is very important. They need to have constant access to a properly formulated hamster food. Most major brands provide all the nutrition a little hammy needs, and they should live a very long life on those alone. That said, you can of course supplement with small amounts of healthy treats such as carrots, broccoli, washed dandelion leaves, and most other vegetables that are not over-ripe (but very very small amounts of iceberg lettuce). Occasional ham and chicken (very small amounts) is appreciated as well. Avoid sticky foods, apart from a very small amount of cooled thick porridge (which they love, and is very good for them as an occasional treat) especially in their old age. Uneaten fresh food should be removed daily. Beware that some flowers found in domestic houses and gardens are poisonous to hamsters.

Water is the most important of all, as fresh water is needed regularly. You must make sure to change the water in the bottle at least once a day. If travelling with a hamster, remove the bottle so it doesn't drip, but add a piece of fruit or veg with a high water-content (such as cucumber) to their cage for the journey, and replace their bottle as soon as you arrive.

Boys may fight a bit so it is best to put them together as soon as the cage is ready but not a couple of days after the other. Be careful to give them plenty to do, wooden playgrounds and a working wheel or they could result in playfighting through boredom.

Breeding

In general, dwarf hamsters typically have more of a family structure than the Syrian Hamster. However, this may be a result of a frequent confusion of the Winter Whites and the Campbell's hamsters. Current research suggests biparental care in Campbell's hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) but not in Winter Whites (Phodopus sungorus).Some report that same-sex pairs and larger groups do not always get along well and frequent fighting may occur and be a great distress for them, or even lead to death. Most winter white dwarf hamsters grow to 3 to 4" long. In the winter their fur turns almost completely white. They usually breed between April and September.

Phases

There are several phases (colorations) of Winter White hamsters: their normal (dark brownish-grey colouring) or sapphire (blue-grey colouring). A white pattern called pearl (white with coloured hairs) sometimes exists in either phase, producing the normal pearl or sapphire pearl forms. However, these colours may be difficult to find, and the range of colours is much narrower than in the case of the Campbell's.