Winter white hamster! We all agree that this type of hamster is pretty, right? But, how much do you know about the Winter white hamster? Let’s discuss it all together in this article!
Where did Winter white hamster come from?
If you are not familiar with Winter white or Winter white dwarf terms, you might know this type of hamster as Djungarian, Russian, or Siberian Hamster. The Winter White is one of the three different species of hamster in the genus of Phodopus genus. They are native of northwest China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan, and closely related to the Campbells dwarf hamster. Have you ever heard about the Campbells hamster? Winter white hamsters are also popular as a pet in North America and Europe because they are easy to tame.
How did Winter white hamster get the name?
Winter whites got their names from their special camouflage ability. In the wild, they can change their coat into snowy white during winter to blend in with the snow piles and hide from their predators. That is why they are called the ‘Winter white’ hamster. How cool is that? This distinct ability is also one of their differences with the Campbells dwarf hamster. The Campbells dwarf hamster, even though they almost look the same, cannot change their colors during winter.
The misconception around the Winter White Hamster
Because of the physical similarity between the Winter white and the Campbells dwarf, people often have mistaken these two with each other and name them wrong. But as we already know previously, Campbell’s dwarf should not be called ‘Winter white’ because it cannot change its color into white just like the Winter white dwarf.
This also happens in pet stores. They have often labeled the Hybrid hamsters from rodent farms as the Winter white. If you are looking for the right Winter white hamster, make sure it has a ‘pedigree’ name on it, along with its pedigree certificate.
How does the Winter white hamster look like?
Winter whites can grow until 2 to 3 inches in length and their body weight can dramatically change throughout the year, and they are usually at its lowest during the winter or cold months. They have a rounded body, with fur covered their feet and legs. The fur on the Winter white hamsters’ feet helps them to protect their feet from the cold climates in the wild.
They look like fluffy snow! Compared to the Campbells dwarfs, Winter whites are much softer and fluffier, with smoother and less wooly coat. The wild Winter whites usually have natural colorings like agouti or ruddy color, but the domestic ones can have more variety of colors. They usually come in the color of sapphire, sapphire pearl, and natural pearl. What pretty colors! They also have dorsal stripes on their body as well.
What are the Winter white’s habits and behaviors?
In the wild, Winter whites can change their coat into white during winter and change back to their summer coat during autumn. Besides this cool camouflage features, the wild Winter whites also like to dig tunnels to the ground burrows as a place to hide, sleep, and raise their young. Usually, the burrows have six entrances, but during summer when the weather is getting hotter, they close all entrances except one. The burrows usually are lined with moss, or animal fur or wool.
As a pet, the Winter white hamsters are one of the most tamable hamsters. They are very timid and like to be pet and stroked gently, even sit in human hand! It is surely hard to not love them!
Winter whites are also very sociable and able to live together and get along well with another sam-sex hamster in the same cage, on in a small even number groups of hamster. They can love with the Hybrids or the Campbells dwarf hamsters.
Unlike the other type of pet, the male ones tend to be less prone to have territorial and fighting behavior than females. They also like to squeak at each other when living together, which is quite noisy if you ask. So if you are looking for a quiet pet, you may don’t want to have a lot of them in one cage. You may also want to be concerned if the squeaks suddenly become louder and longer. It might be a sign that some of them are getting into a problem or fighting with each other. Fighting in hamster is never a good case since it may lead to death. So, be careful!
As long as you give them enough attention and spacious cage with food bowls, some toys, wheels, or decors that can entertain them and fulfill their needs, they will live happily and get along better!
What does the Winter white eat?
Pet Winter white hamsters are usually prone to diabetes, just like any other dwarf hamsters. Hence, you might want to take care of their food and their sugar intake. Better to avoid or cut down the portion of fruits or vegetables that high in sugar, like large amounts of corn, cherries, grapes, and bananas. Your Winter whites would love to be fed with dry food, combine healthy fruits and vegetables that are safe for them and balance out their sugar intake.
How long does the Winter white live for?
In their natural habitat, the Winter whites can live for around a year, but the domestic or captivated ones, with proper treatments, plenty of exercises, and a balanced nutritious diet, can live for around two years or even four years.
That is all about the Winter white hamsters. Now you know about the Winter white’s origin, the reason behind their names, their appearance, food, habit, behavior, and their lifespan. How is it? Does it make you love them even more?
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