What exactly is a desert hamster?

[jdawg1602]

Hi guys... I have a question. I recently got a new addition to the family... a baby desert hamster. What exactly is a desert hamster? Does she need any special care? Is there anything I should know? Has anyone had any experience with them?





Thanks in advance!

[SnuggleHam]

I have never heard of a hamster being refered to as a "desert hamster" Does it look anything like these pictures?



Syrian





Campbells





Winter White





Roborovski





Chinese

[flogging_molly]

It sounds like it's probably going to be a Syrian, I could be wrong, but who calls any hamster a desert hamster, where did you get this hamster? They seem to have no clue about breeds and species, either that or they are trying to get the hamster sold for more money by giving it a strange name.

[SnuggleHam]

Pet stores are always doing stupid things like that, not that long ago I stopped by an awful pet store, they had what I belived to be Chinese hamsters with unique looking colors and had called then "blackberry hamsters"



Well if jdawg1602 has a look at the pictures I'm sure he can pick it out, as these are the only species of hamsters on the market.

[flogging_molly]

yeah I know what you mean, I just think it's terrible. I bet you his hamster is a sandy Golden coloured Syrian, and that's why the pet store have classed it a "desert hamster".



Some pet stores sell "teddy bear" hamsters for a stupid amount of money classing them as different from a normal Syrian. They are a normal Syrian - just longhaired.



I had a go at someone in a petstore for recommending a Habitrail playgroud as a good cage for a Syrian, I told them that it was too small and that you need at least 2 Habitrails together for a Syrian not one, he said he would talk to his manager about putting this on the sign.

[babyboos]

Desert Hamster is a term i have heard used in relation to Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters in various parts of the world - so I assume you may have one of these which is a shame as they are communal creatures whio really thrive with company of their own kind. In fact studies have shown that dwarf hamsters experience reduced lifespans with solo living. Where did you get your desert hamster from? Maybe check and see if they have any the same sex before he is on his own too long as the sooner you try to make introductions the better.

[Emma]

Desert hamsters a new one to me! I'd place my bet on it being a roborovski too - have a look at the photos and see if you can tell. There are only those five species of hamster in the pet trade.

[babyboos]

I visit a lot of Asian sites for information on Winter White Russian Dwarv Hamsters and Roborovski and these are the ones who generally refer to Roborovski as Desert Hamsters. If you Google "desert hamster" I am sure you will get a few pictures of Robos...

i think its a roborovski because the book on robs i own said that was a nother name for robs