Hamsters are adorable pets partly because of their chubbiness, which might make them look heavier than they are. Even though they tend to get rather round and fluffy, these popular pets don’t actually weigh that much. Indeed, their real weight might come as a surprise.
Hamsters weigh between 0.5 and 8 ounces (21 and 227 g) on average. Some specimens may grow up to 10.5 ounces (298 g), but such hamsters aren’t seen very often. Their weight depends on their breed, sex, and age. Females are larger, while it isn’t uncommon to find hamsters losing weight as they age.
Read on to learn more about the different factors that influence the weight of your hamster and why it’s important to keep track of its weight. We’ll also take a look at what you can do to keep off excess weight and the steps to take if your hamster is too skinny.
Hamster Weight by Breed
A hamster’s breed is the biggest predictor of its weight. Their weight can vary widely between different breeds, and it isn’t uncommon to see breeds that are much larger than others.
The most common hamster breeds in the USA, ranging from smallest to largest, are:
- Roborovski hamsters
- Campbell’s Russian dwarf hamsters
- Chinese hamsters
- Winter white dwarf hamsters
- Syrian hamsters
Roborovski Hamsters
These hamsters, affectionately nicknamed Robos, are the smallest and quickest hamsters you can find. Their average weight is between 0.75 and 1.5 ounces (21 and 43 g), and they’re usually between 1.8 and 2.0 inches (46 and 51 mm) long.
To add to their cuteness, they’re also the fastest hamster breed and can run up to 6 miles (10 km) at night as claimed by the ASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, based in New York.
Campbell’s Russian Dwarf Hamsters
These tiny rodents, named after explorer C. W. Campbell, are only slightly bigger than Robos. They normally weigh about 1.5 to 1.7 ounces (43 to 48 g). They’re known for their small ears and brown-gray fur with a dark stripe running down their back.
Chinese Hamsters
These hamsters are very similar in size to Campbell’s Russian dwarf hamsters, as they weigh 1.5 to 1.75 ounces (43 to 50 g) on average. Unlike most hamsters, they aren’t round and pudgy, but rather long, with elongated tails that account for much of their weight.
Chinese hamsters are also known to be very intelligent and easy to tame or train. As such, they’re ideal pets for someone looking for a smart, independent animal.
White Winter Dwarf Hamsters
This breed of hamster got its name because of the white fur the animals acquire during the cold winter months. They’re docile and sociable hence easy to manage as pets. Also, they’re slightly larger than the previous breeds, weighing 1.5 to 2.0 ounces (43 to 57 g) on average.
Syrian Hamsters
These hams