Djungarian dwarf hamster

Dzungarian dwarf hamster or dzhungarik (lat. Phodopus sungorus)- This is a type of pygmy rodent that can be bought at any pet store. They, like the rest of their species, belong to the genus of upland. The Dzungarian dwarf hamster also has its own characteristics - a dark thick stripe on the back, a small tail, which is practically invisible when the animal is sitting.

a photo: Djungarian dwarf hamster

There are characteristic white blotches on the coat of the Dzungarian, the fact is that the Dzungarian (or Dzungarian) hamster is a steppe animal, in natural conditions it often has to hide from predators, burrowing into the snow. The muzzle of the pet is simply charming: big eyes, alert ears, funny moving cheeks. The body is spherical, the natural color of hamsters is dark gray, with a light tummy, a dark diamond-shaped spot on the head and a stripe on the back. There are also individuals with blue and pearl coats.

Care and maintenance of Djungarian dwarf hamsters

Despite the fact that dwarf individuals are significantly inferior to their counterparts in size, this does not mean at all that they need a small dwelling. Dzungaria are very mobile, which means they need a lot of space. The cage should be with frequent and strong rods: its minimum dimensions are 70x30 cm. When choosing bedding, give preference to small sawdust and hay. Hamsters definitely need to put a bath with sand (“bathing”), but you should not bathe jungars in water.

photo: Djungarian dwarf hamster loves to "be" alone

In the cage you need to install a wheel with a flat surface, a house for shelter, various twigs and ladders on which he will climb. You also need an automatic drinker and feeder. Hamsters rarely drink, but water must be present. Hamsters have a fast metabolism, so they eat quite a lot. They do not eat as many fresh vegetables or fruits as usual, but they do consume a lot of grains. You can give your pet some meat or fish, crackers, dandelion and clover leaves, previously scalded with boiling water, pieces of carrots, apples, millet, sunflower seeds, and so on.

• The natural habitat of Djungarian hamsters is Siberia, as well as the steppes of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Manchuria;
• It is worth remembering that dzungars, like many dwarf individuals, are prone to diabetes, so their diet should not include food containing a lot of monosaccharides;
• At first, scientists believed that the dzhungariki was another kind of Campbell's hamster, but then it turned out that it was a separate species;
• The maintenance of Djungarian hamsters depends on their character: they are very territorial, so group keeping is not very suitable. You can put a couple in one cage only if you are convinced that they treat each other quite peacefully.