Chinese hamster

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(February 2008) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

The Chinese Hamster is a species of hamster, scientific names Cricetulus griseus, which originates in the deserts of northern China and Mongolia. These animals grow to between 7.5 and 9 cm in length and as adults can weigh 50-75 grams. They live two to three years on average. The Chinese hamster is often kept as a pet or (in the past) as a laboratory animal.

A Chinese hamster's body proportions, compared with those of other hamsters, appear "long and thin" and they have (for a hamster) a relatively long tail. Chinese hamsters are not related to the social "dwarf" hamsters. The term "dwarf" is often used to refer solely to animals in the genus Phodopus, (the two types of Russian Dwarf Hamsters and Roborovskii Dwarf Hamsters).

The wild colour is greyish brown above with a black stripe down the spine and a whitish belly. This coloration, combined with their lithe build and longer tail, makes them look "mousy" to some eyes and, in fact, they are members of the group called ratlike hamsters. Besides the wild colour, a well-known variation is the white-spotted Chinese hamster, which often is greyish white all over, with only a dark stripe on its back.

They have quiet temperaments and are easily handled; one of their endearing traits is that of clinging to a finger with all four paws, rather like a harvest mouse on a corn stalk. Chinese hamsters can be quite nervous as youngsters but, once they are tame, display an endearing calmness and gentleness of character.

In the past, Chinese hamsters were commonly used laboratory animals, until they were replaced by the common mouse and rat, which are easier to keep and breed. However, quite a few biotech drugs are still being produced by putting the gene for the protein into Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cells), which then produce the protein.

Of note, some US states such as California regard the Chinese hamster as a pest, and as a result require a special permit to own, breed or sell [1]. Other states such as New Jersey call it an exotic animal, and require a similar permit, in order to prevent the proliferation of non-indigenous animals [2].

Latin name

There is quite some confusion over the Latin name of the Chinese hamster and the closely related Chinese striped hamster. Some people consider the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) and the Chinese striped hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) different species [3], whereas others classify them as identical [4], the Chinese striped hamster as a subspecies of the Chinese hamster (in which case the latin name of the Chinese striped hamster would be Cricetulus griseus barabensis) [5] or the other way round (in which case the latin name of the Chinese hamster would be Cricetulus barabensis griseus) [6].

Housing

Standard commercial cages intended for the larger Syrian or Golden Hamster are generally not suitable, as the bars are set too far apart and escape is only too likely. There should be a gap of no more than 8-10 mm between the wires. Mouse cages are, in theory, adequate for this species, but you will find your choice severely limited in both size and design. Such cages are unimaginative, being fairly standard in design, often too low and usually lacking a second level. One advantage of conventional cages is that many designs have horizontal bars, thus affording these dextrous animals opportunity to climb.

One advantage of Chinese Hamsters as pets is that they are sociable, so multiple hamsters of the same sex can be kept in a cage, unlike the more common Golden Hamsters which will fight if forced to live together.

Interconnecting Hamster Housing

These plastic cages, sold under a variety of trade names, usually consist of round compartments interconnected by a network of plastic tubes. According to the manufacturers, the cages are designed to simulate the hamster's natural burrow system. Chinese Hamsters may encounter some difficulty climbing up the vertical tubes and you may need to invest in a small metal ladder.

Litter & Bedding

Traditional wood flakes are still very popular, but can be dusty and there is evidence the sawdust irritates.

References

• The Chinese Hamster
• Chinese Hamster
• Hamster Heaven
• Taxonomy of hamsters
• Pet rodent classification
• Hamster species

See also

• Chinese Striped Hamster

fr:Hamster de Chine

hr:Kineski hrčak id:Hamster Tiongkok nl:Chinese dwerghamster ja:チャイニーズハムスター pl:Chomik chiński pt:Hamster chinês sh:Kineski hrčak