Campbell Hamster: breed features, maintenance and care

Very often, as pets, owners of city apartments and houses prefer to choose small animals. One of these individuals are hamsters, represented in a wide variety of species. Campbell's hamster is a rather popular small rodent, which can often be found in urban dwellings as a funny little pet.

In the genus of bipedal rodents, there are several species of animals, one of which is the Campbell hamster, named after one British consul. However, domestic scientists nevertheless engaged in a more detailed study of the small animal, therefore there is also its second name - Russian dwarf hamster.

The breed in the natural environment actively inhabits most of the post-Soviet space, prefers to settle in the steppes and deserts, creating burrows and whole tunnels underground.

These are nocturnal rodents that can control body temperature by raising it to + 40 ° C while awake; for sleep, the rodent's body temperature drops to + 20 ° C. Such features make it possible to economically spend energy, even if the hamsters are quite active. Such characteristics of a small animal should be considered when choosing a place for placing their house in the home.

Adult individuals are quite modest in size: the rodent's body length is about 7 centimeters with a mass of 50-60 grams. The head of the animal is round, with a pointed muzzle and small ears. The paws are covered with fur, the pupils of Campbell's hamsters can be black or red, which increases their decorative appeal.

The tail is so small that it is almost invisible under the fur sticking out in different directions. The coat of a rodent can have several color options. Today the following types are most common:

• auti - animal with a dark stripe along the back, a light belly and a sand back;
• selfie - a rodent with a monophonic fur coat throughout the body, sometimes whitish spots can be found on the animal’s stomach.

Initially, this hamster was assigned to the subspecies of the Dzungarian, however, these small rodents are quite easy to distinguish from each other due to external characteristics.

• First of all, this applies to eye color. Only Russian dwarf hamsters can have a red pupil color.
• Campbell's hamster has hair on its extremities.
• Russian dwarf individuals do not change their coat color, focusing on the time of year.
• The differences also apply to the characteristic strip on the back. In Campbell rodents, it is thin and does not go to the muzzle.
• In addition, individuals have different body shapes. So, the Dzungarian hamster, when viewed from above, will have an egg-shaped shape, while a dwarf rodent, rather, will be visually similar to the number eight.

The disposition of small animals deserves special attention, since individuals stand out for their aggressive behavior not only in contact with other hamsters, but can also be hostile to their owners. This is expressed in bites that can be obtained from a rodent in contact with it. Therefore, you can often find recommendations regarding refusal to purchase such a pet for young children.

However, such reactions of hamsters are most often caused by a response to external stimuli. Therefore, breeders of dwarf animals identify a number of situations that should be avoided if Campbell's hamsters live in the house.

• When in contact with one individual or several hamsters, sharp movements should not be made. This applies to feeding, games and other joint activities.
• If there is a desire to take the animal in their arms, then they should not smell of food, otherwise the hamster can take the limbs for a potential source of food.
• It will be possible to reduce the aggression of pets if you place a stone in the house of animals, which they will use to grind their teeth.
• You should correctly take rodents in your arms - only from below or from one of the sides. An alternative would be to place a hand next to a rodent so that it can settle on it on its own.

The lifespan of animals will directly depend on the diet. In the wild, their life cycle averages about three to four years. The owner of dwarf hamsters should thoroughly approach the issue of feeding, so that the acquired pet lives in the house for as long as possible.

In addition to the main point that determines the life cycle of a rodent, in captivity animals can face potential danger in the home. This applies to other pets, for example, cats or the negligent attitude of breeders who can leave the hamster outside the cage unattended.

Sometimes for breeders, the issue of gender of acquired or born individuals is fundamentally important. In ordinary hamsters, it will be much easier to determine the sex, as for dwarf breeds, then sex must be guided by certain external distinguishing features.

• The animal must be lifted by the scruff of the stomach to itself. This position of the body will make the hamster move apart the lower limbs.
• The task of determining sex is reduced to establishing the distance between the genitals and the anus of an individual. Females in this area in most cases will lack fur. As for the sexually mature males, their stomach in this area will always be wet. This is due to the active work of the glands.
• In females, the distance will be minimal, the gland is practically not visualized. Two rows of nipples will pass from the chest. In males, the iron will be pronounced, one can note its external similarity to the navel. In addition, there will be a substantial distance between the anus and the genital organ.

In the wild, the Russian dwarf hamster lives together with its many relatives, however, in captivity, rodents are still advised to be kept separately. This is especially true for adult hamsters who regularly fight for territory.

The hamster will feel great in an aquarium or cage with very small rods located as close to each other as possible. The optimal size of the house is 40x60 centimeters. In the aquarium or cage, it is imperative to equip the house for the rodent, in the light of its natural instincts, the hamster needs a place in which he can take refuge, sleep and keep his supplies.

You should also choose the right litter, it can be wood shavings or sawdust. In specialized departments for animals, compositions are sold that can be used as a filler for an animal house. Wool, yarn and paper should be discarded.

You should choose a litter option that is convenient for cleaning, you need to clean up the house several times a week, otherwise the smell from rodent excrement will quickly fill the entire house, they should be cleaned daily.

A place for a house with animals should be chosen away from heating appliances, batteries, direct ultraviolet rays and drafts. The rodent's feeder should be heavy so that the animal does not overturn it. This also applies to drinking bowls, it would be more correct to purchase a product that can be attached to the bars of the house. As an additional necessary thing, a hamster in the house can put a bath for water procedures and even a toilet tray.

During the planned cleaning, it is impossible to remove the entire litter from the cage, since the pet is quite sensitive to a change in situation. All hygiene measures should be carried out without the use of household chemicals, as an alternative, the use of baking soda or tooth powder is allowed.

In addition to questions regarding the arrangement of the house and its hygiene, for the health of the animal living in the house, it is necessary to take care of its diet and leisure.

The rodent's menu should be balanced and varied, most often breeders prefer to use specialized specialized food for feeding dwarf hamsters. However, in addition to the mixture, fresh food should be included in the pet's diet. It can be zucchini, cucumber, corn, carrots. Of the sweet seasonal berries and fruits, rodents can offer bananas, apples, pears, grapes.

For the health of the body, the hamster will need to regularly replenish its protein reserve, therefore, no more than once every seven days he needs to enter boiled low-fat fish, cottage cheese on the menu. Rodents eat greens well.

In addition to food, the animals will need drinking water, which must constantly be in their home. The lack of fluid can cause dehydration of the animal, which is fraught with its death. Acetylsalicylic acid should be added to the water, it is recommended to change the fluid every other day. Many breeders recommend giving vitamins to pets every six months, which are sold in veterinary pharmacies and stores. To care for the teeth, the animal will need a chalk stone, thanks to which he will be able to grind his growing teeth.

Since animals are distinguished by high activity, it is important for them to organize good leisure time inside the home. As your favorite toys, you should highlight the maze, ball, wheel. The last game item in a house or aquarium will act as a prophylaxis for pet obesity, which will positively affect his life expectancy.

Individuals of dwarf hamsters become sexually mature: as a rule, a female at the age of three months is already able to reproduce offspring. However, upon reaching one year, it will be harder and harder for her to give birth to babies each time, this is due to the peculiarities of the skeleton. Over time, the bones of the females become too hard.

The breeding process begins in early spring and continues until the arrival of autumn. During this period, a young individual can bring up to four offspring. Campbell hamster breeders do not recommend crossing close relatives with each other, as this is fraught with various gene mutations.

Creating a pair of captive hamsters should be gradual, as individuals stand out by aggressive disposition. First, future parents are placed in one cage, but with a special partition, which will exclude fights between animals. After they get used to each other, you can move on to a closer contact. When mating occurs, the male should again be separated from the female. A pregnant female must be provided with materials for nest construction.

Pregnancy lasts only three weeks, at which time the rodent needs to introduce as much food as possible into the diet containing protein, and also regularly give the female dill and parsley. Young hamsters are born without hair, they have not yet developed the organs of hearing and vision, you can’t touch them, because the female can eat her offspring in the presence of foreign smells. Therefore, at first, a person should not be in contact with new pets.

See how Campbell’s hamster looks in the next video.