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,