Phodopus campbelli
Campbell's hamster

Originally identified by O. Thomas in 1905, Phodopus campbelli, commonly known as Campbell’s hamsters or Djungarian hamsters, is a native inhabitant of the steppes and deserts of inner Mongolia and northeastern China.

Heavily inhabited areas of Mongolia include, but are not limited to; the Altai Mountains, Transbaikalia, Nei Mongol, and Tuvinskaya (Tuva) Autonomous Region. Bordering territories in northern China, the Heilungkiang and Hebei provinces more specifically, also maintain dense populations of Phodopus campbelli. (Thomas, 1905)

Phodopus campbelli, like fellow members of the subfamily Cricetinae, creates and dwells within a system of subterranean tunnels. The burrow of a Campbell’s hamster is usually composed of four to six main tunnels, with both horizontal and vertical orientation. A nest is often constructed at the end of a tunnel and comprised of dry and insulating materials including but not limited to; grasses, feathers and wool. Seeds and nuts are, more often than none, cached in extremely close proximity to the nesting area.

Additionally, several region-dependant variations in Phodopus campbelli habitat preference have been documented. In the Barga and Great Kingan Regions of Manchuria, Campbell’s hamsters are known to share tunnels and burrows with several species of pikas, Ochotona dauria and Ochotona mantchuria. Moreover, Phodopus campbelli residing on the Mongolian Plateau do not dig their own burrows, but instead share the burrows of several species of Meriones, more commonly known as jirds or gerbils. (Allen, 1938)

Phodopus campbelli is very small in size and the pelage is short and silky. The underside of the animal is covered in soft, buff, light grey fur and the dorsal portions, including the head, are woody brown in color. The underfur is quite short and is a dark slate grey. A defined charcoal stripe runs from between the ears to the tail. The pads of all digits, and the small tail, are covered in silky white fur. Additionally, Campbell’s hamsters, like other members of the subfamily Cricetinae, possess large internal cheek pouches that terminate above the scapula. Males are larger than females. (Thomas, 1905)

Phodopus campbelli is often confused with Phodopus sungorus, Siberian hamsters. However, there are several physical characteristics that distinguish the two species. The ears of Phodopus campbelli are generally smaller than those of Phodopus sungorus. The mid-dorsal stripe of the Campbell’s hamster is both thin and defined and the area where the dorsal fur meets the ventral fur is a creamy light yellow. Moreover, the underfur of Phodopus campbelli is dark grey, whereas that of Phodopus sungorus is white. (Allen, 1938; Hollister, 1912)

Documentations of region-dependant color variations have been collected from several populations of Phodopus campbelli native to the Chuisaya Steppes. Campbell’s hamsters from this area are slightly greyer in color and possess a shorter mid-dorsal stripe. (Hollister, 1912)

Minimal documentation exists regarding the lifespan of wild Phodopus campbelli. However, captive Phodopus campbelli have been extensively studied in various laboratory settings and their average lifespan ranges anywhere from 1.5 - 3 years.

Phodopus campbelli is generally classified as a solitary species. However, in captivity, Phodopus campbelli exhibits a high tolerance for other species members when sharing territory. Campbell’s hamsters, like other members of the subfamily Cricetinae, are nocturnal. But captive specimens exhibit sporadic adherence to the cyclical sleep and wake patterns of wild specimens.

Phodopus campbelli scuttles when moving quickly. In order to avoid predators the Campbell’s hamster often moves both abruptly and quickly. The maximum documented running speed of Phodopus campbelli is 6.5 km/hr. (Wynne-Edwards, Surov, and Telitzina, 1992)

Home Range

Aside from burrow dimensions, very few documented accounts investigate the overall territory size of Phodopus campbelli. However, in 1992 a survey of the home ranges of several female Campbell's hamsters was conducted in the Lake Tere Xol region of Mongolia. (Wynne-Edwards, Surov, and Telitzina, 1992)

Of all the senses, Phodopus campbelli relies primarily on smell. Wild Campbell’s hamsters, both male and female, utilize urine and feces to identify territory. Additionally, secretions originating from both the ventral sebaceous glands and the Harderian glands, located behind the animal’s ears, are utilized not only for territory identification, but also for communication. The oral sebaceous glands of Phodopus campbelli also serve to mark all of the contents that enter or leave the animal’s cheek pouches. (Tikhonova, Tikhonov, and Surov, 1999; Wynne-Edwards, Surov, and Telitzina, 1992)

The diet of wild Phodopus campbelli is primarily composed of a wide variety of seeds, nuts and vegetation, including Stipa capillata, Iris ruthenia and Iris flavisima. Additionally, the diet may be supplemented with small invertebrates and insects. (Ross, 1995)

Captive Phodopus campbelli will welcome almost any commercially prepared hamster food, traditionally composed of an extensive assortment of corn, oats, sunflower, peanuts, dried fruits and dehydrated vegetables. The latter diet is often supplemented with alfalfa and minerals or salts.

Known predators of tsaker falcon this species are corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac), eagle owls (Bubo bubo), steppe eagles (Aquila nipalensis), kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and saker falcons (Falco cherrug).

Phodopus campbelli disperses the seeds of numerous plant species. Their burrows are not particularly destructive to the environment. They serve as a primary food source for corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac).

Because the natural habitat of Phodopus campbelli is large, undeveloped expanses of desert, steppe and mountain terrain, the Campbell’s hamster is not responsible for any documented significant negative economic impact.

Phodopus campbelli are inquisitive by nature, and individuals kept as pets have been known to nip humans when startled. However, the bite is primarily a reaction mechanism and nips rarely extend beyond the outermost, dermal, layer of tissue.

Phodopus campbelli, Phodopus roborovskii (desert hamsters) and Phodopus sungorus (Dzhungarian or Siberian hamsters) were collectively introduced to the American pet industry as “dwarf hamsters” in the mid-1990s. The small size, mild temperament and inexpensive maintenance of Phodopus campbelli make it both a novel pet for first-time pet owners and a particularly ideal pet for young children. Moreover, unlike larger species of the subfamily Cricetinae, Phodopus campbelli will contentedly cohabitate with one another.

The same characteristics that make the Campbell’s hamster an attractive pet also make it an ideal animal model for scientific study. Phodopus campbelli has been utilized in numerous cytogenetic and cancer investigations. (Pogosianz, 1975)

The natural habitat of Phodopus campbelli is an extremely dry, harsh and undeveloped environment. The Campbell’s hamster is not considered an endangered species and probably does not face extinction anytime in the near future.