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No federal permit to keepCampbell's dwarf hamster
Phodopus campbelli
Mammals › Rodents (Rodentia) › Cricetidae (Hamsters, voles, American mice)
Campbell's dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli) is a species of hamster in the genus Phodopus.
Care at a glance
Species-specific values
Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.
| Enclosure minimum | length: 100 cm; width: 50 cm; height: 50 cm Blue Cross pet-hamster recommendation | 292 |
| Substrate depth minimum | 20 cm | 292 |
| Social | Individual housing recommended. | 292 |
Care guide
Hamsters, voles and New World mice
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Steppe, grassland and fields. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For common pet hamsters, Blue Cross recommends 100×50×50 cm or larger, with at least 20 cm of burrowing bedding and a solid wheel.
Diet
- Hamster pellets or mix plus vegetables; occasional protein.
Social life
- House common pet hamsters individually; other voles and New World mice need their own species guidance.
Health watch
- For pet hamsters, Blue Cross recommends individual housing, including dwarf hamsters; companionship is not worth a fighting risk.
- Wet tail (diarrhea) in young hamsters is an emergency.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It was given its common name by Oldfield Thomas in honor of Charles William Campbell, who collected the first specimen in Mongolia on July 1, 1902. It is almost physically indistinguishable from the closely related P.sungorus, but can be distinguished by its use of biparental care.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Campbell's dwarf hamster” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Campbell's dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli) is a species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. It was given its common name by Oldfield Thomas in honor of Charles William Campbell, who collected the first specimen in Mongolia on July 1, 1902. It is almost physically indistinguishable from the closely related P.sungorus, but can be distinguished by its use of biparental care. Campbell's dwarf hamster typically has a narrow dorsal stripe compared to P.sungorus and brown or gray fur on the stomach. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Phodopus campbelli, like fellow members of the subfamily Cricetinae, creates and dwells within a system of subterranean tunnels. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Social life and communication | Of all the senses, Phodopus campbelli relies primarily on smell. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Wild diet | The diet of wild Phodopus campbelli is primarily composed of a wide variety of seeds, nuts and vegetation, including Stipa capillata, Iris ruthenia and Iris flavisima. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | These hamsters are promiscuous. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Lifespan | Minimal documentation exists regarding the lifespan of wild Phodopus campbelli. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | Phodopus campbelli is very small in size and the pelage is short and silky. — Animal Diversity Web |
| History and naming | The binomial name of Campbell's dwarf hamster is Phodopus campbelli. This species is the type species of Cricetiscus (named by Thomas in 1917, and now considered a synonym of Phodopus), and is named after C. W. Campbell, who first collected it on July 1, 1902, in Inner Mongolia. The type locality was the village Shaborte in Mongolia. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 77°F (up to 80°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about -16°F (down to -26°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 26–35°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 56–65% on average (driest month about 41%) |
| Rainfall | about 173 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
| Winters | Cool to cold winters (lows around -16°F) in much of its native range. Seasonal slowdown may be relevant, but species-specific biology determines whether brumation or hibernation occurs. |
Measured at 76 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
Profile
Profile
Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.
History
The binomial name of Campbell's dwarf hamster is Phodopus campbelli. This species is the type species of Cricetiscus (named by Thomas in 1917, and now considered a synonym of Phodopus), and is named after C. W. Campbell, who first collected it on July 1, 1902, in Inner Mongolia. The type locality was the village Shaborte in Mongolia.
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Dwarf Hamsters
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- Social-housing disagreement: RSPCA permits some established young Campbell's, winter-white and Roborovski groups, whereas Blue Cross advises solitary hamster housing; do not treat pairing as a requirement.1,2
- RSPCA warns that dwarf-hamster groups can become aggressive later; monitor compatibility and have separate housing available rather than assuming littermates remain compatible.1
Syrian And Dwarf Hamsters (Shared housing additions)
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- Provide a solid-floor enclosure with deep digging bedding and a dark nest box, rather than a wire-mesh floor.3
- Avoid cotton wool and other nesting materials that separate into fine strands, because they can entangle limbs or obstruct the gut.3
- Keep a predictable daily light-dark cycle and place the enclosure away from direct sunlight, damp and draughts.3
- During cage cleaning, retain some clean used nesting material to preserve familiar scent, and avoid disturbing a sleeping hamster.3
Syrian And Dwarf Hamsters (Shared feeding additions)
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- Use a nutritionally balanced hamster-formulated ration with appropriate variety; an arbitrary seed selection is not equivalent to a formulated complete diet.4
- Scatter or hide part of the normal ration to encourage foraging, while checking stored food for spoilage.4
- Check drinking-water delivery daily for leaks or blockage, including whether a young, elderly or ill hamster can operate its bottle.4
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Gestation
Female maturity
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Survey of Hymenolepis spp. in pet rodents in Italy d'Ovidio D et al., Parasitology research 2015
- Cryptosporidium spp. in wild, laboratory, and pet rodents in china: prevalence and molecular characterization Lv C et al., Applied and environmental microbiology 2009
- Comparison of ultrasonic isolation calls of pure-breeding and interspecies hybrid Phodopus dwarf hamster pups Piastolov SV et al., Behavioural processes 2023
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
- 9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Hamsters Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service: Hamster care Zoo, university or veterinaryVet-school exotics hospital factsheet, reviewed 2021–2024.
- Blue Cross: Choosing the Right Small Pet Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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