Campbell's Dwarf / Russian Hamster

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**Campbell's dwarf hamster** (*Phodopus campbelli*) is a species of hamster in the genus *Phodopus*. It was given its common name byOldfield Thomas in honour of W.C. Campbell, who collected the first specimen in Mongolia on July 1, 1902. It is distinguished from the closely related Djungarian hamster as it has smaller ears and no dark fur on its crown. Campbell's dwarf hamster typically has a narrowdorsal stripe compared to the Djungarian hamster and grey fur on the stomach.

In the wild, the breeding season for Campbell's dwarf hamster varies by location. For example, the breeding season begins towards the middle of April in Tuva and towards the end of April in Mongolia. However, in captivity, there is no fixed breeding season and they can breed frequently throughout the year. Females are usually sexually mature at two months of age and the gestation period is typically 20 days. Campbell's dwarf hamster is crepuscular, along with all species of *Phodopus* and is active throughout the year. Campbell's dwarf hamsters are omnivores, and so feed on both plant and insect material. Campbell's dwarf hamster inhabits burrows with four to six horizontal and vertical tunnels in the steppes and semi deserts of central Asia, the Altai mountains, autonomous areas of Tuva and the Hebei province in northeastern China.

This hamster is listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is native to China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russian Federation.

## Taxonomy and naming

The binomial name of Campbell's dwarf hamster is *Phodopus campbelli*. This species is the type species of *Phodopus*, and is named after W. C. Campbell, who first described it on July 1, 1902, in Inner Mongolia. The exact location was given as "Shaborte" (a Mongolian word for a dry lake) and so the exact co-ordinates are not clear due to being constantly changed by other scientists. Thomas described the type specimen in 1905 as *Cricetulus campbelli*.

Synonyms for this species are *Phodopus crepidatus* and *Phodopus tuvinicus*. Common names have been applied to Campbell's dwarf hamster, including the striped hairy-footed hamster, the Djungarian hamster, the Siberian hamster and Campbell's hamster. Campbell's dwarf hamster is commonly confused with the Djungarian hamster(*Phodopus sungorus*) due to some of the common names, such as the "Siberian hamster" also being used to describe the Djungarian hamster.

## Physical description

Campbell's dwarf hamster is distinguished from the similar looking Djungarian hamster by its smaller ears and no dark patch on the crown of its head, in certain colourations. The dorsal stripe of Campbell's dwarf hamster is narrower, shorter, and darker than that of the Djungarian hamster, and the fur on the stomach of Campbell's dwarf hamster is grey, but it is white on the Djungarian hamster. Campbell's dwarf hamster does not turn white in the winter and has a grey tint to its fur. It has a smaller interorbital breadth, but has a larger auditory bulla. Campbell's dwarf hamster is much less tolerant to lower temperatures than the Djungarian hamster. A laboratory experiment showed Campbell's dwarf hamster can resist temperatures as low as −31.8 °C (−25.2 °F), where the Djungarian hamster can withstand temperatures as low as −44.7 °C (−48.5 °F). Campbell's dwarf hamster reacts to lower temperatures by constantly exercising and tries to find a sheltered location, unlike the Djungarian hamster, which curls up and relies on its autonomic thermoregulation.The size of Campbell's dwarf hamster varies depending on its location. For example, eight wild specimens examined from Mongolia showed an average head and body length of 80 mm (3.1 in), an average hind foot length of 13.5 mm (0.53 in), and an average tail length of 5 mm (0.20 in).In captivity, they are proportionally larger, as commercial pet food and fruits provide more nutrition than food found commonly in the wild. The lips and cheeks have white fur and the rest of the fur around the face can be either grey or brown. A dark and narrow dorsal stripe runs along the center of the back from the nape of the neck to about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) above the tail. The surface of the hands and feet are white to ensure the animal stays warm in colder climates in countries such as Mongolia. In both the wild and captivity, Campbell's dwarf hamsters scent-mark around their territories using Harderian glands, skin glands located behind the ears. They use urine and feces for communication.

Campbell's dwarf hamster has cheek pouches, which are an extension of the mouth, extending from the mouth all the way to the rear legs. Food is transferred into these pouches through the diastema. The inside of the pouch contains a large number of folds of dermal papillae. When the pouch is full, it extends and becomes part of the structure of the skin.By 11 days of age, the cheek pouches are fully grown and can carry objects up to the size of a sunflower seed. When the cheek pouches become full, they extend back to the shoulder blades, which restrict movement.

Campbell's dwarf hamster is prone to genetic abnormalities in the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. They can develop tumours of the mammary glands, lungs, uterus, and ovaries. Tumours can also develop if the animal is exposed to chemical carcinogens.Due to having slow locomotion and an insignificant response to bright lights and humans, as well as having a low population density, field studies allow scientists to study entire populations in the wild.

### Lifespan

In a laboratory experiment, the average lifespan for a male Campbell's dwarf hamster in captivity was 278 days and for a female was 356 days. In a different experiment, hamsters kept in captivity born in the summer lived for an average of 2.0–2.5 years. Young hamsters provided widely varied diets early in life are less likely to suffer digestive problems as they mature, but this is not always possible in the wild due to lack of food; this causes the life expectancy of captive hamsters to be greater than that of wild hamsters.

## Diet

As omnivores, Campbell's dwarf hamsters eat a variety of different foods. A balanced diet for a hamster consists of 16-24% protein, 60-65% carbohydrates, and 5–7% fat, with constant access to fresh water.In their natural habitats, dwarf hamsters feed almost exclusively on plant materials In captivity, Campbell's dwarf hamsters can get the required nutrition from commercially available food designed specifically for hamsters, which typically contain a mix of dry grains, nuts, and seeds that may be fortified with vitamins and minerals. An excess of any one particular seed or nut can lead to digestive problems, obesity, and forms nutritional deficiency.

In addition to a commercially prepared seed mix, a balanced diet for a Campbell's dwarf hamster in captivity includes a regulated variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Dark greens such as kale are rich in vitamins and minerals. Wild vegetables such as yarrow, chickweed, and dandelion and raspberry leaves, are also good sources of protein that helps prevent obesity.

A hamster in captivity can occasionally eat mealworms or earthworms, which have high protein contents. Boiled egg whites and small pieces of clean, cooked chicken are also sources of extra protein.They can also eat wheat grain, sunflower seeds, and locusts. The teeth of Campbell's dwarf hamster never stop growing. Like all rodents, they must therefore gnaw regularly to keep their incisors from growing into the skin of the mouth and causing pain and irritation. Smooth, young wood from nontoxic trees, such as apple andwillow, is readily used by most species in the genus. Most pet stores sell nontoxic wooden chews designed for rodents in captivity.

Certain food items commonly consumed by humans are toxic to hamsters and should be avoided completely in captivity. After they are completely weaned at around 21 days of age, Campbell's dwarf hamsters are lactose intolerant and cannot digest milk. Onions and garlic are very dangerous and can cause severe haemolytic anemia. Leafy green vegetables such as cabbage and celery contain a large amount of water, so can have severe laxative effects on small animals.Grapes and raisins may contribute to acute renal failure, due to their high level of acidity. Chocolate and other sticky foods such peanut butter may solidify in a hamster's cheek pouches and lead to infections, which can lead to death.

In the wild, the diets of Campbell's dwarf hamsters vary across the population range. A total of 51 different species of plants were identified to be consumed by the Transbaikaliapopulation, the most common being *Stipa capillata* and species of *Allium*. However, in Tuva, only 10 species of plant were identified to be consumed by the population, the most common being *Potentilla*. Campbell's dwarf hamster is a natural predator of burrowing worms and grubs

## Breeding

In Tuva, the breeding season of Campbell's dwarf hamster begins in April, and in Mongolia, it begins in at the end of April or the beginning of May. However, in all distributionranges, it ends in late September or early October. In captivity, Campbell's dwarf hamsters breed throughout the year, with no fixed breeding season, but a large number are born in the summer months. In the wild, three to four litters are produced each year, with an average of eight offspring per litter. In captivity, females can have between one and 18 litters per year, with one to nine offspring per litter In captivity, the gestation period for Campbell's dwarf hamster is between 18 and 20 days, and the shortest gestation period recorded for a captive female was 13 days. The male hamster is likely to assist the female during birth. The male may pull the offspring from the birth canal, clean them, or collect food for the mother and offspring

When the offspring are born, they are hairless and have a body mass of approximately 1.5 g (0.053 oz). Incisors and claws are already formed, but the digits, eyes, and pinnae are closed and cannot be used. The rate at which the young develop differs depending on the distribution range. However, the differences are usually no longer than a day. In Tuva, the pinnae open on the first day of birth and are completely open after three days of development. However, in Mongolia, the same process occurs between two and four days of development. Fur first grows on the crown, back, and abdomen. The young are usually have a full coat of fur after seven days of development. Offspring born in captivity have a shorter development time than those born in the wild. Specifically, the growth and development of the head and body, tail, hind feet, and pinnae can be up to a day sooner than those found in the wild. After 28 days of development in captivity, the young are already around half the mass of their parents

In captivity, females become sexually mature at two months of age. The ovarian follicle forms about 16 days prior to the birth of the offspring. After mating, female hamsters typically have larger uteri, ovaries, and adrenal glands compared to females which live alone, with other females or those that have not mated. The females and males may fight each other when getting to know their partner Also, these females have a shorter gestation period, around four to five days

## Habitat

Campbell's dwarf hamsters may also live near areas of human civilization. In Mongolia, they may be found in yurts to keep warm during the winter, as they do not have thermoregulation like the Djungarian hamster. They have five main predators: the Eurasian eagle owl, the steppe eagle, the corsac fox, thecommon kestrel, and the saker falcon. All distribution areas have more females than males, because males are at higher risk from predators, as they cannot move as quickly.Campbell's dwarf hamsters inhabit burrows in the steppes and semideserts of central Asia, the Altai mountains, autonomous areas of Tuva, and the Hebeiprovince in northeastern China. A burrow can contain four to six horizontal and vertical tunnels. The tunnels leading to the nesting area can be as deep as 1 m (3 ft 3 in) below the ground, but are usually 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) deep. The burrows are lined with either dry grass or sheep's wool. They may sometimes share burrows with Daurian pikas, but only in the steppes and semideserts of northern Manchuria. In parts of Mongolia, the hamsters may also share burrows with species of *Meriones* to save them from digging their own. In Tuva, Campbell's dwarf hamsters have been found living with other hamsters, such as the Chinese striped hamster, the Roborovski hamster, and the long-tailed dwarf hamster. The diets of the three types of hamsters are different to avoid fighting over the same type of food, which is why they live together.

## Status and conservation

This hamster is listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population and distribution size are large, and no major or widespread threats to the species are known. However, the increasing number of livestock in the areas of distribution, such as the steppes of central Asia, some burrows are at a small risk of being destroyed. In arid areas of distribution, the reduction in the amount of water sources is also a minor concern. These hamsters are conserved in protected areas.

**PICTURE-**