Winter white dwarf hamster

The winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), also known as the Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, Dzungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. Its body is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the golden hamster, so is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species. Features of the winter white hamster include a typically thick, dark grey dorsal stripe and furry feet. As winter approaches and the days shorten, the winter white dwarf hamster's dark fur is almost entirely replaced with white fur. In captivity, this does not usually happen as animals maintained as pets are generally housed indoors and exposed to artificial light that prevents the recognition of short winter daylengths. In the wild, they originate from the wheat fields of Kazakhstan, the meadows of Mongolia and Siberia, and the birch stands of Manchuria. Winter white dwarf hamsters are common pets in Europe and North America, and exhibit greater variance in their coats than those found in the wild. They reproduce often—more so than golden hamsters, and as they have no fixed breeding season, can continue to produce some numbers of offspring all year round. Breeding females may show aggression to males. The winter white is known to be one of the most tamable types of hamsters. One of the more complex questions is how keeping Siberian hamsters together affects their welfare. While hamsters of the same sex can be kept together under certain conditions, in other cases co-housing may cause stress and aggression between hamsters, and may even pose a risk to their lives. Specifically, hamsters from the same litter, or those that have been raised together from a young age, are more likely to get along. However, hamsters may begin fighting later in life, even if they initially got along well. Such fighting is not play and can endanger their lives. In addition, the risk of aggression also depends on housing conditions, particularly the size of the enclosure and the availability of sufficient resources: water and food bowls, an exercise wheel, enrichment items, and hiding places should be provided in quantities appropriate for the number of hamsters in order to reduce the risk of fighting. In the context of keeping a hamster alone in an enclosure, various sources also emphasize the importance of the quality of enrichment for hamster welfare and health, particularly a large enclosure, a large exercise wheel, and deep bedding made of a suitable material. They also raise concerns that standard enclosures and exercise wheels may not meet these requirements.

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