Chinese Hamster

Provide the largest secure enclosure you can, with a minimum of 100 cm x 50 cm (about 5000 cm2) of continuous, unbroken floor space; older 'minimums' of 60 x 30 cm are now considered too small for good welfare. A glass tank, a deep-based plastic tank (Duna-style), or a bar cage with very narrow bar spacing (no wider than ~6 mm) is essential, because Chinese hamsters are slim, agile escape artists that can squeeze through gaps and bars that would hold a Syrian; juveniles especially can slip through wider bars. Furnish with a deep layer of substrate for burrowing (see below), at least one solid-floored (not wire) exercise wheel of 20 to 30 cm diameter so the back stays flat, multiple hides, cork tubes and wooden tunnels, a sand bath, chew toys, and a water bottle plus a heavy food dish. Favour a large horizontal footprint over tall open drops, as falls from height onto a hard floor cause injury.

Feed a good-quality hamster mix formulated for dwarf/low-sugar diets as the staple, aiming for roughly 15 to 20% crude protein and high fibre. Supplement with small amounts of animal protein a few times a week (dried mealworms, a little plain cooked egg, or plain boiled chicken). Safe fresh foods in small portions include broccoli, cucumber, courgette, bell pepper, leafy greens and dandelion leaves; because this species is a classic diabetes model, treat higher-sugar vegetables such as carrot as an occasional, tiny extra rather than a regular item. Strictly limit or avoid all sugary items: no fruit or keep it extremely minimal, no honey/yoghurt drops, no chocolate, no sweetened treats or cereals. AVOID entirely: chocolate (theobromine), onion, garlic, chives and leeks (haemolytic anaemia), raw/green potato (solanine), citrus fruit, bitter almonds and excessive nuts, apple seeds, rhubarb, and any salty or processed human food.

Keep ambient temperature at approximately 18 to 23 C with good ventilation and away from direct sun, heaters, and draughts. Below about 15 C they may enter torpor/permissive hibernation (a dangerous state, not healthy sleep), and near 4 C they can become torpid or hypothermic. Above roughly 26 to 27 C they are at real risk of fatal heatstroke, as they cannot sweat or pant effectively. Maintain moderate humidity around 40 to 60%; very high humidity encourages respiratory infection and mould. Provide a deep substrate of 15 to 20 cm minimum (deeper is better) of dust-free, unscented paper bedding, aspen, or a burrow-holding mix so they can tunnel. Avoid pine and cedar shavings and fine dusty sawdust, which cause respiratory irritation. No UVB or special lighting is required; a normal light/dark day cycle is sufficient.

House strictly solitary from maturity. Chinese hamsters are territorial and same-sex pairs or groups very commonly end in serious, sometimes fatal, fighting once they mature, so one hamster per enclosure is the safe standard. Sexing is by anogenital distance (longer in males, which also show visible testes when mature) and can be tricky in young animals given their small size; confirm sex and separate littermates by sex at around 4 to 5 weeks to prevent fighting and accidental litters. Bond with the animal, not with a cage-mate: tame gradually with calm, quiet, hands-off-then-hands-in sessions, plenty of hides, and no sudden grabs.

These are athletic, inquisitive diggers and climbers, so cater to natural behaviours. Provide a large solid-floored wheel, a deep burrowing substrate, tunnels and cork bark, forage/scatter feeding to make them work for food, a sand bath for grooming, and safe untreated wood or hay-based chews to wear down continuously growing incisors. Rotate hides and rearrange furniture periodically for novelty, and offer a secure, escape-proof enclosed play area for supervised out-of-cage exploration. Mental stimulation and daily activity also help hold off obesity, which compounds their diabetes risk.