In the Wild

In the wild Chinese Hamsters live in burrows and sleep during the day, waking only for short periods. They are nocturnal and awake at dusk, being active at night. Their sight is poor but their sense of smell and hearing are very acute and they rely heavily on these senses to recognise each other and their environment. Chinese Hamsters are very good climbers and they use their tail for balance and grip - they can also jump quite high.

In Captivity

In captivity the Chinese Hamster is a sociable pet and will live with others of its own kind in the right environment in single sex or mixed sex pairs or groups if breeding is intended.

Due to their small size Chinese Hamsters are able to squeeze through the bars of many commercial hamster cages.

Chinese Hamsters are active, fast and agile and therefore require a large cage with plenty of space and toys to amuse them in order to prevent behavioural problems developing.

The Chinese Hamster is nocturnal but can be quite active for short periods during the day.