Evolution/Domestication

Common genetic variations: There are many different variations within the hamster breeds, different fur color, size, and physical attributes.

Chinese Hamsters have longer tails that help them climb rocky terrains, steppes, and desert fringes from their native land of Northern China and Mongolia. Compared to other species they make very shallow burrows as it is difficult to dig in the rocky terrain. While other species like Syrian hamsters make very deep burrows to protect themselves from the heat.

Chinese hamsters were first used in scientific laboratories before they became pets. They were used in 1919 to study pneumonia, influenza, diphtheria, and rabies. For a long time these hamsters would not reproduce in captivity and caused scientists to look for a different species. Hamsters started to become pets around the 1930s and 1940s as people saw how easy they were to breed and keep and started a trend.

Chinese hamsters were first documented in 1773 and given the name Crictetulus Barabensis by Pallas but was then named Barabensis Griseus In 1867 by Milne-Edwards. It was then in 1957 at Harvard University was breeding Chinese Hamsters successful as before researches didn't know how to prevent the females from being aggressive to other Chinese hamsters or to provide short and long day cycles.