I agree, although a couple of years ago I would have said the opposite. Chinese hamsters were really taking off more in the specialised pet market, here, and in the USA. Roborovski Dwarves were a lot more expensive than Chinese hamsters back then and although in Pets at Home (largest UK pet superstore) for example they still are slightly, I have seen them increasingly in local petshops for the same price as all other hamsters. Indeed to see either species in a local pet shop at all was totally unheard of up until quite recently. One reason I can think of straight away therefore is supply - have you noticed how few Chinese hamsters there are actually for sale in pet stores just now
There has not been a Chinese hamster in any Pets at Home near me in a 75 mile radius for months now, but always at least one tank full of Roborovski Dwarves. Every time I have been in there has hardly even been a Syrian hamster, which does worry me as how many Roborovski Dwarves are being bought by totally unsuitable individuals just because they are all that is there
I have had countless contact from people who have bought two "same sex" Roborovski Dwarves and then had litter after litter of babies. I am the first to admit they are not the easiest to sex to an untrained eye, Chinese hamsters on the other hand are rather more obvious!!!
One other attraction people seem to mention is their average 3 - 3.5 year life span, being the longest lived of the dwarf species, although I know from experience some Chinese hamsters can live longer, this just isn't as widely advertised. Chinese hamsters seem to have gained a bit of a reputation as nippers which is very strange as I have never ever been bitten by one, but then the same is true for my Roborovski Dwarves. Previous discussions on this aspect seem to blame sustained inbreeding. This is something I am totally against in all my hamster species but I do appreciate there can be positive aspects when done in experienced hands. When just done to avoid investing in new unrelated breeding stock, by individuals just interested in producing babies it can really emphasis any negative qualities in all species.
But I think we should leave discussions on inbreeding for another day and keep this thread to discussing Chinese hamsters, and leave it that anyone interested in obtaining some Chinese hamsters tries as far as possible to ensure they are from unrelated parents
