# Dwarf hamsters



## AllAnimalsLover (Feb 14, 2016)

Wondering if there are any dwarf hamster owners out there. I am a new owner of a russian dwarf hamster named Hope (female).

Any good ideas for toys/stimulation for her. She is in a cage with a wheel but no tubes. I was going to get a habit trail with tubes but online i read that they can't climp vertically to well and the cage was more expensive so i decided against it. ALL night long she runs on her wheel. I don't mind, i am glad, but i am wondering if she needs more varity. She never climbs her cage and the bars would allow her too easily. She doesn't like climbing too much unless its on fabric. I take her out at night for some running time in a small homemade pen, but i don't know what to give her for toys for stimulus. I could get small tubes and put them on an angle of somesort for her to climb but i don't know if she would like that. In her cage she has a wooden chew toy and a plastic hut. It doesn't look like she bites either to be honest. I give her hanster food and give her fresh veggies and fruit and other foods when she is out to try and prevent too much hording of fresh foods. Is there anything you think i could add to her cage or her play time/pen? 

She is very adorable and quite social and active. It was a last minute decision to get her due to her personality. The store let me hold her and she was running all over me it was so cute.


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## Asteria (Jul 6, 2016)

I live in Australia where they are illegal so they're like mythical creatures to me. She looks so sweet, how are their temperaments?


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## AllAnimalsLover (Feb 14, 2016)

Asteria said:


> I live in Australia where they are illegal so they're like mythical creatures to me. She looks so sweet, how are their temperaments?


She is pretty timid during the day but active at night. She butes only when she is communicating a dislike for being held. In the day (or if the lights are on and it's bright) she usually is hiding/sleeping and if you take her out she will cuddle into you and sleep <3. At night or if the lights are off and its dark she immediatley runs on her wheel. If you take her out she will run everywhere and clomb all over you. She dislikes being held at night so if we hold her for to long she will nibble. She isn't personable as hamsters don't tend to be. She doesn't run up to the cage to see you or anything. But she is a lot more sociable than any hamsters i have met. Most dwarfs freeze up in your hand when picked up but not her. They are definitely fun to watch. And with patients and daily training/handling (starting at a young age of course) you can train hamsters to handle and even LIKE being geld and pet. And her personality is just hilarious. And its hard to resist that face and her small size. I am sorry they are illegal there


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## JellOh (Jan 3, 2014)

Yes! Another dwarf hamster owner! I have a grey male named Ravioli and he has become the most spoiled pet in the house. I've found the best enrichment is a large cage and deep bedding. Rav's cage is 5ft x 2ft and has about 8-10 inches of aspen bedding. They need at least 450 square inches of continuous space and 3" of bedding. Toilet tubes are also really cheap toys they can run though. You can use pretty much any of the same toys you'd use with a rat, just scaled down. Hamster Hideout is a really great place to get ideas, even if the main userbase is kinda young.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

It you could get some white pipes at Lowes and cut them in different length, you get get pieces to attach at corners so your tubes go around a corner...you can put those tunnels under some of the bedding too...you'll need a cheap saw to cut those pipes or ask Lowes to do it for you. They are very cheap, I use them for my rats and yours would be much cheaper...Ravioli is so cute


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## thepumpkinrat (Oct 30, 2016)

Asteria said:


> I live in Australia where they are illegal so they're like mythical creatures to me. She looks so sweet, how are their temperaments?


I can't imagine these guys being illegal, that's such a strange idea to me.  I used to work with them, and they're the best hamsters out there. So cute and sweet. I used to be able to pick up handfuls of them at a time because they're so docile and just love being pet.


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## Yummy (Jan 18, 2015)

She almost looks like a Chinese Hamster to me, in the picture you posted. She's cute! I love hamsters - hope you have lots of fun with her. <3


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## thepumpkinrat (Oct 30, 2016)

she also 100% looks like a chinese dwarf hamster to me.
edit: I just googled Russian Dwarf hamsters and they have super similar coat patterns. Their body shape is different but I can't tell from the picture that was posted. Chinese dwarves also have tiny tails, which I can't tell if OP's hamster does.


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