The natural, wild colour of a Chinese hamster is black, with brown lines above and a black stripe down the spine. They would also have a white coloured belly.
Chinese hamsters have a long body, and a larger tail than most hamsters. The males have very prominent testicles, which unfortunately can lead to them being harder to home.
Chinese hamsters are quite small at around 7.5-9cm and length with an average weight of 25-43g. They live around 2-3 years given the correct care.
Like harvest mice, Chinese Hamsters can cling to a finger with all four paws. They can be quite nervous, but once tamed are quite calm and unlikely to bite. Females are more aggressive than males and will generally not accept a cagemate after a few months of age. Some keepers have had success with boys living together but spare cages must be on hand in case of a fallout.
Chinese hamsters benefit from a large cage since they would have a large territory in the wild. They need a deep layer of a good quality substrate. Tanks are often recommended due to their slender build. If their cage is wired, bar spacing must be 1cm or less to prevent escapees and should not be used for younger or smaller sized individuals. They should be provided with plenty of nests and hideouts, as well as a solid-based wheel.
They can be fed on a normal hamster mix that is low in sugar and dried fruits, supplemented with fresh vegetables. Good seeds and grains to include are pearl barley, porridge oats, red and green lentils, and millets. Mealworms can be offered as a treat. Scatter-feeding can be used to encourage their natural instinct to forage.
Colours and coat types
In captivity Chinese hamsters have three colour mutations a popular variant being the white-spotted Chinese hamster which is grayish white all over, with a dark stripe on its back. They also come in the normal/wild type and a much rarer Black Eyed White.
Breeding
Due to the over-abundance of hamsters in rescue centres breeding should be considered very carefully and only undertaken by experienced rodent keepers.
The following information is derived from my own research, and not personal experience and should not be considered as an definitive list. Please remember that your females should not be bred for the first time too young, or too old and it is important to give the female a resting period between litters. Back-to-back litters, with no resting period will take a huge toll on a female and will drastically shorten her lifespan.
It is also important to check whether the male can be left in with the litter or must be removed and to research the proper introduction methods for mating. The nest and pups should not be disturbed for the first 14 days due to the possibility that this could upset the mother and lead to her killing her young.
Please see when to breed rodents: ethics and care for more information.
Chinese hamsters are sexually mature at 8 weeks of age but should not be bred until 4 months of age. Females come into heat (estrus) every 4 days. Female Chinese hamsters can be aggressive towards the males so it is advised to separate immediately after mating.
The gestation period is 18-21 days. A typical litter size is between 4-6 pups.
Pups can be weaned at 21 days at which point they can be separated from their mother.