Mammals · Rodentia · Cricetidae

Desert Hamster

Phodopus roborovskii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The desert hamster is the smallest of the hamsters, at some five centimetres long and weighing a little over twenty grams. It lives in the sandy deserts of Central Asia, where it digs deep burrows to escape the daytime heat and the night-time cold. It is recognised by the white patches above its eyes, like eyebrows, and by the absence of the dorsal stripe other dwarf hamsters have. It is extremely fast and active, which makes it more fun to watch than to handle.

Weight

20 g – 25 g

Size

4.5 cm – 5.5 cm

Lifespan

3 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Desert Grassland Mammal

4countries9same family

Fun facts

GeneralThe smallest hamster kept as a pet: some 8 cm and 25 grams.
It is the smallest hamster in the world: an adult sits comfortably in the palm of a hand.
In a single night it can cover several kilometres on an exercise wheel, a distance consistent with how far it walks in the desert looking for seeds.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dunes and sandy semi-desert with scattered vegetation of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan
Sexual maturity: 8 months
Gestation / incubation: 21 days
Litter / clutch size: 6

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phodopus_roborovskii