That and several interesting facts about the largest species of hamsters in this articleHamsters are some of the most popular house pets because they are tiny and relatively easy to care for
But are all hamster species tiny or are there any breeds that grow larger?If we’d ask most hamster owners which is the largest breed of hamsters in the world, the majority would most likely give us a wrong answer
Believe it or not, there is actually a hamster that’s about double in size than any known species of domestic hamster
This is a wild species and as its name suggests, it is found in several regions of Europe and AsiaEuropean hamsters can reach some impressive sizes compared to domestic species
Thus, they can reach a weight between 78 and 162 oz (220-460g) and have a head-body length of 8-14 in (20 to 35 cm), plus a tail of 16 to 24 in (4-6 cm)
[1] It is comparable in size to guinea pigsEuropean hamster – Agnieszka Szeląg, CC BY-SA 30, via Wikimedia CommonsUnfortunately, this hamster breed has become critically endangered in recent years
They have also been heavily trapped for their fursBiggest Domestic Hamster BreedAlthough the European hamster is the largest hamster breed in the world, it is only a species that is very rarely kept in captivity as pets
So, I’m sure that many of you would also like to know which is the biggest breed of domestic hamstersI know many of you have already guessed
They are also known as golden hamsters and are among the most popular hamster breedsThese hamsters can also be found in the wild, but their number has drastically declined in recent years due to humans trapping them, as well as the massive loss of their habitatA Syrian hamster typically weighs between 35 to 53 oz (100-150 grams) but the specimens from some breeders can surpass that range and go up to 62 79 oz (175–225 grams)Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)In terms of body size, most adults do not grow bigger than 6 in (15 cm) long
[2]Final WordThe European hamster is the world’s biggest hamster breed, while the Syrian hamster is the largest species of domestic hamstersUnfortunately, both species are endangered in their natural habitat
Although the Syrian hamster is not so strongly threatened, being many specimens kept and multiplied in captivity, the European hamster is in much greater danger of extinction, the wild being often his only homeI hope you found this article interesting and the next time someone asks you which is the biggest hamster breed, you will know the correct answerResources:European hamsterGolden hamster
If you’re considering getting a hamster or purchased a young one that’s still growing, you may be wondering: “how big do hamsters get?” As you’ll soon see, all hamsters stay small enough to earn the title of being pocket pets, but there’s still a nice variety of sizes to choose from
Adult hamsters can grow to be anywhere from 2 to 14 inches (50 to 355 millimeters) in length, and from 09 to 162 ounces (25 to 459 grams) in weight
The maximum length and weight of a hamster depend greatly on the breed and a few other factors we’ll discuss in this post
Keep reading to find out more about how big the different breeds of hamsters can get, and to find out some things that determine the size of an individual hamster
Before we jump into the sizes of different breeds of hamster, let’s quickly look at the four factors that determine how big a hamster will get
Although genetics plays a smaller role in the size of a hamster than their overall breed, this is something that could determine where your hamster falls within the range of their species
This is by far the smallest determining factor in hamster size, but it can affect it
If a hamster has a small litter, those babies will typically be larger than the babies of a larger litter
Hamster Sizes by Breed
We’re going to take a quick look at all 18 species of hamsters found throughout the world and discuss their sizes
Despite this long list of hamster breeds, only five are typically kept as pets: Chinese hamsters, Campbell’s Russian hamsters, Winter White hamsters, Roborovski hamsters, and Syrian hamsters
The largest of the hamsters kept as pets, there are a wide variety of Syrian hamsters to choose from
Length of Syrian hamsters: 5 to 7 inches (130 to 180 millimeters)
The weight of Syrian hamsters: 51 to 6 ounces (145 to 171 grams)
Something interesting to note is that despite the larger size of this breed, they may also have the smallest adult hamster, named PeeWee Roborovski Hamster
The smallest breed of hamster in the world is the Roborovski hamster, these are also one of the five that are kept as pets
Length of Roborovski hamsters: 18 to 2 inches (450 to 500 millimeters)
The weight of Robovorski hamsters: 07 to 09 ounces (20 to 25 grams)
Dwarf Campbell’s Russian Hamster
Also referred to simply as Campbell’s or Russian hamsters, this is another species of hamster that are kept as pets, but they can also be found in the wild in Mongolia, China, Russia, and Kazakhstan
Length of Campbell’s Russian hamsters: 2 to 4 inches (55 to 105 millimeters)
The weight of Campbell’s Russian hamsters: 15 to 2 ounces (or 40 to 60 grams)
Something interesting about this species is those wild hamsters are rarely longer than 3 inches (80 millimeters) because in captivity, they have better access to nutrition
Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster
Closely related to Campbell’s hamster is the Winter White Russian Hamster
Length of Winter White hamsters: 27 to 35 inches (70 to 90 millimeters)
The weight of Winter White hamsters: 07 to 16 ounces (19 to 45 grams)
Despite their name, only wild hamsters become white, and only in the winter
In captivity, they can be hard to distinguish from Campbell’s hamsters
The Chinese hamster is one of the most popular species of pet hamster available today, and they can also be found in some laboratory settings, plus are still well-established in the wild in China
Length of Chinese hamsters: 32 to 5 inches (82 to 127 millimeters)
The weight of Chinese hamsters: 11 to 16 ounces (30 to 45 grams)
As you may have guessed by their small size, these are considered a dwarf breed of hamster
What sets them apart from other hamsters is that their tail is long compared to other hamsters
More commonly known as the dwarf grey hamster or the migratory hamster, these guys can be found in the wild throughout parts of Europe and Asia
Length of Armenian hamsters: 33 to 47 inches (85 to 120 millimeters)
The weight of Armenian hamsters: 11 to 20 ounces (31 to 58 grams)
Their small size has earned the Armenian hamster a place among the dwarf hamsters, although they’re on the large size compared to other dwarf types
Despite the similarity in name, this is a completely different species as the Chinese hamster
Chinese Striped hamsters live exclusively in the wild and are not kept as pets
Length of Chinese Striped hamsters: 28 and 46 inches (72 and 116 millimeters)
The weight of Chinese Striped hamsters: 07 to 12 ounces (20 to 35 grams)
As you may have already guessed by their size, these guys are considered dwarf hamsters as well
They also have a longer tail than other types of hamster
Length of Ciscaucasian hamsters: 9 to 11 inches (228 to 280 millimeters)
The weight of Ciscaucasian hamsters: approximately 21 to 35 ounces (60 to 105 grams)
Because of their large size, these hamsters are sometimes hunted for their furs, but they reproduce so quickly they’re in no danger of over-hunting
The largest of all species of hamster, it should be no surprise that the European hamster is found primarily in Europe
It’s also known as the black-bellied hamster
Length of European hamsters: 8 to 14 inches (200 to 350 millimeters)
The weight of European hamsters: 78 to 162 ounces (220 to 460 grams)
Not much information is available about Eversmann’s hamster
Length of Eversmann’s hamsters: 5 to 6 inches (136 to 160 millimeters)
The weight of Eversmann’s hamsters: approximately 23 to 27 ounces (65 to 76 grams)
Despite being considered a pest by most of the people this hamster interacts with in the wild, it’s still considered of least concern to conservationists
Also known as the Tibetan hamsters, the Ladak hamster is native to Tibet, China, Nepal, and India
Length of Ladak hamsters: approximately 35 to 5 inches (89 to 127 millimeters)
The weight of Ladak hamsters: approximately 12 to 16 ounces (34 to 45 grams)
These hamsters are considered dwarfs despite being slightly larger than some of the other species of dwarf hamster
Lesser Long-tailed Hamster
Also known as the long-tailed dwarf hamster, these little guys have tails that are about a third of the length of their body, which is proportionally longer than most species of hamster
Length of Lesser Long-tailed hamsters: 34 to 53 inches (85 to 135 millimeters)
The weight of Lesser Long-tailed hamsters: 13 to 17 ounces (36 to 50 grams)
The lesser long-tailed hamster can be found in the wild in parts of Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan
Another species for which there is little information, the Mongolian hamster is a close relative of Eversmann’s hamster
Length of Mongolian hamsters: approximately 5 to 6 inches (136 to 160 millimeters)
The weight of Mongolian hamsters: approximately 23 to 27 ounces (65 to 76 grams)
These hamsters are alive and well throughout their territory and are in no danger of being wiped out any time soon, despite being a nuisance to farmers
Although it was reported that several Gansu hamsters were captured from the wild in the 20th century, they never made it to be pets today
Length of Gansu hamsters: approximately 5 to 6 inches (136 to 160 millimeters)
The weight of Gansu hamsters: approximately 23 to 27 ounces (65 to 76 grams)
Something that sets this species apart from other hamsters is the length of their tails
Their tails are nearly the full length of their bodies, far longer proportionally than any other hamster species
Known for being a pest for thousands of years, the greater long-tailed hamster may also be referred to as the Korean hamster because it’s native to parts of Korea as well as China
Length of greater long-tailed hamsters: 4 to 6 inches (120 to 160 millimeters)
The weight of greater long-tailed hamsters: approximately 14 to 18 ounces (40 to 52 grams)
As you likely guessed by their name, this is another species of hamster that have longer tails compared to other species on this list
Length of Romanian hamsters: 6 to 7 inches (152 to 180 millimeters)
The weight of Romanian hamsters: 3 to 4 ounces (80 to 115 grams)
While these hamsters have similar color patterns as many of the dwarf breeds, they’re larger and therefore not among the dwarf breeds
Tibetan Hamster
These hamsters can only be found in parts of China and are also known as the Kam dwarf hamster
Length of Tibetan hamsters: 35 to 44 in (88 to 112 millimeters)
The weight of Tibetan hamsters: approximately 12 to 16 ounces (34 to 45 grams)
These dwarf hamsters are another species of hamster that have tails that are proportionally longer than most species
Length of Turkish hamsters: approximately 5 to 7 inches (130 to 180 millimeters)
The weight of Turkish hamsters: approximately 51 to 6 ounces (145 to 171 grams)
They have the most widespread territory of all wild hamsters, yet are the most at-risk because they’re considered pests by the farmers where they live
Learn More About Hamster Care
Hopefully, your question of “how big do hamsters get?” has been answered
As you can see, both wild and pet hamsters come in a wide variety of sizes so you can be sure to find one that’s perfect for you
Hamsters (Our Best Friends)
To learn more about how to take care of hamsters, be sure to check out the rest of our blog
If you’re keeping smaller hammies, make sure you read our suggestions for the best dwarf hamster cages around and of course, check out our 37 hamster care tips that will take you to the next level
Hamsters are some of the most popular pets today
If you’re looking to bring home a new pet hamster (preferably from a hamster breeder), you may want to know about the different types of hamsters that exist
Everybody wants to bring home a pet that’s best-suited for them, and a good insight into the different types of hamsters will help with that
So, in this post we will be highlighting all of the different kinds of hamsters that exist
This information will give you the knowledge to go find a hamster that’s perfect for your home!
Turkish HamsterWhat Type Of Hamster Makes The Best Pet?
How Many Types Of Hamsters Are There?
Of these hamsters, many are rarely kept as pets
The 5 most commonly-kept types of hamsters for pet owners are Syrian hamsters, Campell’s Dwarf hamsters, Roborovski Dwarf hamsters, Winter White Dwarf hamsters, and Chinese hamsters
5 Common Pet Hamster Species
14 Other Hamster Species
Long-Tailed Dwarf Hamster
19 Different Types Of Hamsters
There are 19 officially recognized types of hamsters that are a part of 7 different genera
The first 5 hamsters listed are hamsters that are commonly kept as pets
The following 14 types of hamsters listed are mostly found in the wild and are almost never kept as pets
1 Syrian Hamster
1 Syrian Hamster
1 Syrian Hamster
1 Syrian Hamster
Syrian hamsters are one of the most common types of hamsters that are kept as pets
These creatures can grow up to 6 inches in length, making them one of the largest species as well
In terms of personality, Syrian hamsters tend to be more solitary, meaning that they should be kept alone in their cage
2 Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
2 Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
2 Campbell’s Dwarf Hamster
One of two species of Russian dwarf hamsters, Campbell’s Dwarf hamster is very commonly found for sale in pet stores, often falsely identified as Siberian dwarfs
Campbell’s Dwarf hamsters are best kept in small groups, but they can still become territorial
This means that they’re best kept in very large hamster cages
3 Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
3 Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
3 Roborovski Dwarf Hamster
These tiny hamsters originally roamed throughout the deserts of central Asia, but they’ve become popular pets recently due to their fun temperament and tiny size
These hamsters reach an average length of 2 inches, and their fluffy fur that comes in a variety of different colors makes them look extremely cute
This is a very energetic and wild species, meaning that it isn’t great for children or people that want to handle their hamster frequently
Despite their small size, Roborovski hamsters require an extremely large hamster cage and a plethora of different toys
4 Winter White Dwarf Hamster
4 Winter White Dwarf Hamster
4 Winter White Dwarf Hamster
This hamster is very similar to Campbell’s Dwarf hamsters but has a different body shape and comes in different colors
Winter White Dwarf hamsters get their name from the fact that their gray fur usually turns white in the winter in order to disguise themselves from predators
This species can cross-breed with Campbell’s hamsters, so it’s difficult to find a 100% Winter White Dwarf hamster
5 Chinese Hamster
5 Chinese Hamster
5 Chinese Hamster
5 Chinese Hamster
This very tiny dwarf hamster isn’t actually a true dwarf, but it does only grow to about 3 inches in length
Chinese hamsters are very energetic, so this trait combined with their small size means that they aren’t easy to handle
Several states such as New Jersey and California have labeled the Chinese hamster as a pest, so special permits are required for ownership, selling, and breeding
6 Chinese Striped Hamster
6 Chinese Striped Hamster
6 Chinese Striped Hamster
6 Chinese Striped Hamster
The Chinese Striped hamster is native to central and eastern Asia and makes a home in aris and semiarid grasslands and steppe
These hamsters live in long burrows that they emerge from in the early hours of the night to forage for seeds
7 Ciscaucasian Hamster
7 Ciscaucasian Hamster
This is a very large hamster with a body length of about 11 inches
While cute, this hamster is considered an agricultural pest as it feeds on grasses, herbs, seeds, and various crops
8 European Hamster
8 European Hamster
8 European Hamster
8 European Hamster
The European hamster is the only species in the genus Cricetus
This species of hamster is considered an agricultural pest as well, and it’s often hunted for its fur
European hamsters are crepuscular and eat seeds, legumes, grasses, vegetables, and insects
9 Eversmann’s Hamster
9 Eversmann’s Hamster
9 Eversmann’s Hamster
9 Eversmann’s Hamster
Endemic to Kazakhstan, Eversmann’s hamster was named after the Russian naturalist, zoologist, and explorer Eduard Friedrich Eversmann
Gansu Hamster
Gansu Hamster
Gansu Hamster
Gansu Hamster
The Gansu hamster is also a part of the family Cricetidae
Greater Long-Tailed Hamster
Greater Long-Tailed Hamster
Greater Long-Tailed Hamster
Greater Long-Tailed Hamster
Residing in Northern China, the Greater Long-Tailed hamster is the only member of the genus Tscherskia
Grey Dwarf Hamster
Grey Dwarf Hamster
Grey Dwarf Hamster
A common hamster species that Extends from Eastern Europe through the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia, Mongolia, and western China
They Grey Dwarf hamster has an average body length of 4 inches with a furry tail that’s about 1/3 of that length
Kam Dwarf Hamster
Kam Dwarf Hamster
Kam Dwarf Hamster
The Kam Dwarf hamster is only found in the mountains of western China, specifically in grasslands, shrubby marshes, and steppes
This species has an average body length of about 4 inches with a 2 inch tail
Long-Tailed Dwarf Hamster
Long-Tailed Dwarf Hamster
The Long-Tailed Dwarf Hamster is found in Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia
It has an average body length of about 43 inches with a tail that’s at least 1/3 of that length
Mongolian Hamster
Mongolian Hamster
Mongolian Hamster
Mongolian Hamster
The Mongolian hamster is one of two members of the genus Allocricetulus
Romanian Hamster
Romanian Hamster
Romanian Hamster
Romanian Hamster
A species of hamster that’s found in both Bulgaria and Romania
Sokolov’s Dwarf Hamster
Sokolov’s Dwarf Hamster
Sokolov’s Dwarf Hamster
Sokolov’s Dwarf hamster was originally listed as conspecific with the Chinese Stripes hamster, but it was differentiated in 1988
Tibetan Dwarf Hamster
Tibetan Dwarf Hamster
Tibetan Dwarf Hamster
Despite its name, this hamster species is found in India, Nepal, and China in addition to Tibet
The Tibetan Dwarf hamster has a body length of about 41 inches with a tail reaching up to 15 inches
Turkish Hamster
Turkish Hamster
Turkish Hamster
It’s very closely related to the Syrian hamster, but it’s more unknown and rarely kept as a pet
In the wild, the Turkish hamster population is said to be declining, but it’s often still used in laboratory testing
These extremely adaptable hamsters live in scrublands, sand dunes, farmlands, and desert steppes
These areas are very dry with little vegetation, so this hamster species burrows 6 feet under the ground for shelter
What Type Of Hamster Makes The Best Pet?
There are essentially only 5 types of hamsters are kept as pets
Those are the Syrian, Campbell’s Dwarf, Roborovski Dwarf, Winter White Dwarf, and Chinese hamsters
These are domesticated hamsters that are commonly found in pet stores and are suitable for pet ownership
All of the other hamsters that are listed have not been domesticated and are rarely kept as pets
Of the previously mentioned 5 types of hamsters, it’s really up to you regarding which is the best pet!
Syrian hamsters are incredibly popular and can be handled/interacted with frequently
If you’re looking for a pet hamster to be involved with, Syrian hamsters are great
However, if you’re looking for more of a display hamster that’s full of energy, Roborovski Dwarf hamsters are great