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No federal permit to keep

Winter white dwarf hamster

Phodopus sungorus

Also known as Dzhungarian Hamster, Striped Hairy-footed Hamster

Mammals › Rodents (Rodentia) › Cricetidae (Hamsters, voles, American mice)

The winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), also known as the Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, Dzungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus.

Pet trade

Experience: Beginner

Winter white dwarf hamster — Photo: Philipp Salzgeber, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Philipp Salzgeber, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyHamsters, voles, American mice

Record lifespan3.9 years

Adult weight27.1 g

Kept byPet trade

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

Group 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.

Sources 127 43 292

Diet

Hamster pellets or mix plus vegetables; occasional protein.

Sources 127 43 292

Social life

House common pet hamsters individually; other voles and New World mice need their own species guidance.

Sources 127 43 292

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.

Sources 127 43 292

Understanding the animal

About this animal

Its body is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the golden hamster, so is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species. Features of the winter white hamster include a typically thick, dark grey dorsal stripe and furry feet.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Winter white dwarf hamster” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹²

Where it lives	Native to the steppes of southwestern Siberia and northeastern Kazakhstan. Shelters in underground burrows, including reused burrows of other mammals.
Ground it lives on	Steppe soil with underground tunnels and lined nest chambers.
Climate	Strong winter cooling: wild animals have been trapped at −40°F (−40°C). Burrows buffer temperature fluctuations and retain more humidity; a full wild temperature or humidity range is unavailable.
Active	Nocturnal and crepuscular, active year-round; can use daily torpor rather than prolonged hibernation.
Social life	Predominantly solitary; reliable wild territorial details were unavailable.
Wild diet	Mainly seeds of wild plants, especially grasses, with animal foods including insects.
Behavior to plan for	Transports food in cheek pouches to underground stores and insulates nests with seasonal lining material. Short winter days alter coat, body mass and physiology.

What this means for care

Provide deep tunnel-supporting bedding and nesting material.
Scatter seeds and hide food to support collecting and caching.
Preserve a regular light–dark cycle without forcing winter torpor.
Do not infer group-housing needs from Campbell's hamster.

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 78°F (up to 81°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about -6°F (down to -23°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	26–37°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	59–69% on average (driest month about 49%)
Rainfall	about 301 mm a year
Winters	Cool to cold winters (lows around -6°F) in much of its native range. Seasonal slowdown may be relevant, but species-specific biology determines whether brumation or hibernation occurs.

Measured at 13 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.

From the sources

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	The winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), also known as the Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, Dzungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. Its body is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the golden hamster, so is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species. Features of the winter white hamster include a typically thick, dark grey dorsal stripe and furry feet. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Reproduction	Winter white dwarf hamsters reproduce at a faster rate than golden hamsters. Research suggests biparental care in Campbell's hamsters (P. campbelli) but not in winter white hamsters (P. sungorus). Frequent fighting can occur between the pups and as soon as they are weaned from their mother, they are separated from her. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Appearance and size	The coat of the winter white dwarf hamster is less woolly than that of Campbell's dwarf hamster, and apart from the normal colouring, they can be coloured sapphire, sapphire pearl, or normal pearl. The head and body length of the winter white dwarf hamster is 70–90 mm, the length of the tail is 5–15, and the hind legs are 11–15. The body weight changes dramatically throughout the year. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

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

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported3.9years

AnAge 1623.9

Myhrvold et al. 1633.9

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources27.1g

AnAge 16223.4

Myhrvold et al. 16330.9

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Litter size

Average of sources5.3young

AnAge 1625.5

Myhrvold et al. 1635.2

Average per litter or clutch.

Gestation

Average of sources20days

AnAge 16220

Myhrvold et al. 16320

Female maturity

Average of sources3.9months

AnAge 1623.9

Myhrvold et al. 1633.9

Veterinary & husbandry research

Detection of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica in pet Djungarian hamsters in Japan Kameyama M et al., The Journal of veterinary medical science 2016
Adult wheel access interaction with activity and boldness personality in Siberian dwarf hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) Kanda LL et al., Behavioural processes 2017
[Investigation on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in pet hamsters] Lv CC et al., Zhongguo ji sheng chong xue yu ji sheng chong bing za zhi = Chinese journal of parasitology & parasitic diseases 2009
Molecular and immunological characterization of the first allergenic lipocalin in hamster: the major allergen from Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) Torres JA et al., The Journal of biological chemistry 2014

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. See all 13 on PubMed → 170

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

USDA Animal Welfare Act. Keeping a pet for yourself doesn't need a federal license. Dealers (including many breeders who sell wholesale or sight-unseen) and exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) generally need a USDA license and inspections; some small-scale breeders and retail sellers are exempt. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Guinea pigs and hamsters (Subpart B). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Hamsters may not be housed outdoors; guinea pigs only in an appropriate climate with prior USDA approval. §3.27
Solid-floored enclosures need clean bedding; wire or mesh floors must protect feet and legs from injury. §3.28
Minimum interior height: 7 in (17.8 cm) for guinea pigs, 6 in (15.2 cm) for hamsters. §3.28
Minimum floor space for guinea pigs: 60 sq in each from weaning to 350 g; 101 sq in each over 350 g and for nursing females with litters. Hamsters have their own table by size. §3.28
Food must be wholesome, palatable and free from contamination, fed every day. §3.29
Potable water must be provided daily unless their food supplies their normal water needs. §3.30

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
365 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
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.

Winter white dwarf hamster

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Care guide

Hamsters, voles and New World mice

Housing & setup

Diet

Social life

Health watch

Understanding the animal

About this animal

In the wild

What this means for care

Native climate (measured)

From the sources

Data and studies

Researched care notes

Dwarf Hamsters

Syrian And Dwarf Hamsters (Shared housing additions)

Syrian And Dwarf Hamsters (Shared feeding additions)

The numbers

Maximum recorded lifespan

Typical adult weight

Litter size

Gestation

Female maturity

Veterinary & husbandry research

Sources for this sheet

More hamsters, voles, american mice

Golden (Syrian) hamster

Campbell's dwarf hamster

Chinese hamster

Roborovski dwarf hamster