View source for Chinese hamster

{{Short description|Species of mammal}}
{{speciesbox
| name               = Chinese hamster
| image              = Chinesedsaffa.jpg
| image_caption      = A wild-type Chinese hamster
| genus              = Cricetulus
| species            = griseus
| authority = Milne-Edwards, 1867
}}
The '''Chinese hamster''' (''Cricetulus griseus'' or ''Cricetulus barabensis griseus'') is a rodent in the genus ''[[Cricetulus]]'' of the subfamily [[Cricetidae]] that originated in the deserts of northern [[China]] and [[Mongolia]]. They are distinguished by an uncommonly long tail in comparison to other hamsters, most of whose tails are stubby. Chinese hamsters are primarily [[nocturnal]], however they will stay awake for brief periods, in between naps, throughout the day.

==Description==
Chinese hamsters grow to between 82 and 127&nbsp;mm in body length (tail length 20–33&nbsp;mm) and weigh 1.7&nbsp;grams at birth, then as they get older can weigh 30–45&nbsp;grams. Males have a fairly large [[scrotum]] relative to their body size. Their body proportions, compared to other [[hamster|hamster species]] – most of which tend to be compact – appear "long and thin" and they have (for a [[hamster]]) a relatively long tail. They live two to three years on average.

The wild color is brown with a black stripe down the spine, black and grey ticks and a whitish belly. This coloration, combined with their lithe build and longer tail, makes them look "mousy" to some eyes and, in fact, they are members of the group called [[ratlike hamster]]s.

Chinese hamsters and [[Chinese Striped Hamster|Chinese striped hamster]]s are solitary, like most hamsters other than the three ''[[Phodopus]]'' species.{{efn|Confusingly, the name ''dwarf hamsters'' includes several other species in the same genus ''[[Cricetulus]]'' ([[Tibetan dwarf hamster]], [[Kam dwarf hamster]], [[Lama dwarf hamster]], [[long-tailed dwarf hamster]], [[grey dwarf hamster]], [[Sokolov's dwarf hamster]]) as well as hamsters in the genus ''[[Phodopus]]'', ([[Russian dwarf hamster]], [[Campbell's dwarf hamster]], [[Roborovski hamster|Roborovski dwarf hamster]]). Often ''dwarf hamster'' is used to refer only to ''[[Phodopus]]''. All of these hamsters are in the subfamily ''[[Cricetinae]]''.}}

==Taxonomy==
The taxonomic names of the Chinese hamster and the closely related [[Chinese striped hamster]] are unsettled. Some authorities consider the Chinese hamster (''Cricetulus griseus'') and the Chinese striped hamster (''Cricetulus barabensis'') different species,<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = Cricetulus
 |work        = The NCBI taxonomy database
 |url         = https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Undef&id=10028
 |access-date =
}}</ref> whereas others classify them as [[subspecies]],<ref name="columbia-srs">{{cite web
 |collaboration = [[EMBnet|European Molecular Biology network]]
 |title         = SRS db query re 'Chinese hamster'
 |publisher     = [[Columbia University]]
 |access-date   = 2009-08-16 |df=dmy-all
 |url           = http://walnut.bioc.columbia.edu/srs7bin/cgi-bin/wgetz?-id+4mKAd1Sl9c0+%5Btaxonomy-ID:10029%5D+-
 |url-status=
}}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref>
in which case the Latin name of the Chinese hamster becomes ''Cricetulus barabensis griseus'', and the [[Chinese Striped Hamster|Chinese striped hamster]] becomes ''Cricetulus barabensis barabensis''.<ref>{{cite web
 |first=Russell |last=Tofts
 |title=The Chinese hamster (''Cricetulus barabensis'')
 |website=napak.com |url=http://www.napak.com/chinese_hamster.html
 |url-status=dead |access-date= 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720203458/http://www.napak.com/chinese_hamster.html
 |archive-date=2006-07-20 |df=dmy-all
}}</ref>

==Domestication==
Chinese hamsters were first domesticated as [[experimental animal|lab animals]], but have mostly fallen out of use. They were subsequently kept as pets (although not the [[Golden hamster|pet hamster species]] commonly kept in North America).

===Lab animals===
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2023}}<!-- pretty sure CH was a mouse replacement too, not the other way round! -->
In the past, before scientists started using other rodents, Chinese hamsters were commonly used [[Experimental animal|lab animals]]. They were replaced by the common mouse and rat, which are more convenient to breed and to keep in small cages; however, several biotech drugs are still being produced by putting the gene for the protein into [[Chinese hamster ovary cell]]s, which then produce the protein.

===Pets===
Female Chinese hamsters were generally kept as pets, and males used solely for breeding. Being naturally solitary, they tend to be aggressive if kept in enclosures which are too small, or are inhabited by other hamsters. They can be nippy, but quickly become tame. Once successfully tamed, they are easily handled. Chinese hamsters can be quite nervous as youngsters but, once they are tamed, can display an endearing calm and gentle character. One of their endearing habits is clinging to a handler's finger with all four paws – rather like a [[harvest mouse (disambiguation)|harvest mouse]] on a corn stalk.

===Prohibitions===
Some [[United States|U.S. states]], such as [[California]] and [[New Jersey]], regard the Chinese hamster as a [[Pest (organism)|pest]] or an [[Exotic pet|exotic animal]], and require a special permit to own, breed or sell them.<ref name=McLeod2018>{{cite web
 |last=Lianne
 |first=McLeod
 |title=Chinese striped hamsters as pets
 |website=The Spruce Pets
 |date=15 August 2018
 |url=http://www.thesprucepets.com/chinese-hamsters-1238946
 |access-date=
 |postscript=;
 }} or {{cite web
 |last=Lianne
 |first=McLeod
 |title=Chinese hamsters
 |website=About.com
 |url=http://exoticpets.about.com/od/hamsters/p/chinesehams.htm
 |access-date=
 |archive-date=2016-08-13
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813002523/http://exoticpets.about.com/od/hamsters/p/chinesehams.htm
 |url-status=dead
 }}</ref>

===Colour varieties===
Besides the wild colour, a well-known variation in domesticated breeds is the "spotted white" or "dominant spot" Chinese hamster, which often is grayish-white all over, with only a dark stripe on its back.

As yet, there are only three colour varieties among domesticated Chinese hamsters:<ref name=McLeod2018/>
* normal / wild type
* dominant spot or spotted white
* black-eyed white
<gallery>
File:Normalchinese.JPG |{{center|normal / wild-type (note the large scrotum, left)}}
File:domspotchinese.JPG |{{center|dominant spot or spotted white (note the tail lengths)}}
File:BEWchinese.JPG |{{center|black-eyed white}}
</gallery>
Normal and dominant spot are readily available in the pet trade throughout the [[United Kingdom]], whereas the black-eyed white is extremely rare; only a few are owned by hobbyist breeders in the [[United Kingdom|U.K.]]

==In media==
The Chinese dwarf hamster is the animal of choice featured in the [[speculative evolution]] project ''Hamster's Paradise''.

==See also==
* [[Chinese hamster ovary cell]]
* [[Chinese Striped Hamster]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist|1}}

==References==
{{reflist|25em}}

{{Wikispecies|Cricetulus griseus}}

==External links==
* {{cite web
 |title=Detailed information on Chinese hamsters
 |website=foreverhamsters.webs.com
 |url=http://www.foreverhamsters.webs.com/
 |url-status=dead  |access-date=  
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105002418/http://www.foreverhamsters.webs.com/
 |archive-date=2010-01-05  |df=dmy-all
}}
* {{cite web
 |title=The Chinese hamster
 |website=napak.com
 |url=http://www.napak.com/chinese_hamster.html
 |url-status=dead  |access-date=  
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720203458/http://www.napak.com/chinese_hamster.html
 |archive-date=2006-07-20  |df=dmy-all
}}
* {{cite web
 |title=Taxonomy of hamsters
 |website=nic.funet.fi
 |url=http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/mammalia/rodentia/cricetidae/cricetulus/index.html
 |access-date=  
}}
* {{cite web
 |title=Pet rodent classification
 |website=RatBehavior.org
 |access-date=  
 |url=http://www.ratbehavior.org/pet_rodent_classification.htm
}}
* {{cite web
 |title=Hamster species |series=Hamster pages
 |website=Mike-Duquette.org
 |url=http://www.mike-duquette.org/Hamster_Pages/species.htm
 |url-status=dead  |access-date=  
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060603134839/http://www.mike-duquette.org/Hamster_Pages/species.htm
 |archive-date=2006-06-03  |df=dmy-all
}}
* {{cite web
 |title=Chinese hamsters
 |website=Pet Web Site (formerly The Complete Hamster Site)
 |url=http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/chinese_hamsters.htm
 |access-date=
 |archive-date=2016-12-25
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225144435/http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/chinese_hamsters.htm
 |url-status=dead
 }}
* {{cite web
 |title=Chinese hamster genome
 |website=pre.ensembl.org
 |url=http://pre.ensembl.org/Cricetulus_griseus/Info/Index
 |url-status=dead  |access-date=  
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111070033/http://pre.ensembl.org/Cricetulus_griseus/Info/Index
 |archive-date=2014-11-11  |df=dmy-all
 |postscript=,
}} in [[Ensembl]]
* {{UCSC genomes|criGri1}}
* GBIF ID: 2438773 {{endash}} {{GBIF|id=2438773|taxon=''Cricetulus barabensis''}}

{{Hamster}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2539773}}

[[Category:Cricetulus]]
[[Category:Mammals of Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1867]]