If you are interested in adopting a dwarf hamster, it is a good idea to seek out an established dwarf hamster breeder. A good breeder can sell you a better quality dwarf hamster than the one you can find with your friend from the street who bred you by mistake, for example. When looking for a breeder, you can find many in your local area, but try to get a recommendation, check their background, and ask for references to make sure they are a bona fide breeder with a good track record.
Ideally, you want a full-time dwarf hamster breeder rather than someone who just does it as a hobby. Many breeders will sell their hamsters to any interested buyer with the right money, while others will not put their pets up for sale, preferring to keep them to themselves.
A good hamster breeder usually spends time selecting which hamsters to mate with. However, there are also some unscrupulous breeders who are not that keen on raising a good pair of hamsters, they just want to breed them and get rid of the puppies for some money. Don’t assume that all breeders know how to mate and breed quality dwarf hamsters, because they vary so much.
The fact that dwarf hamsters have a short gestation period means that breeders can produce a new generation of hamsters very quickly. Years of breeding experience mean that a good breeder who knows what he is doing can breed dwarf hamsters with certain predetermined qualities and characteristics that they want them to have. This has resulted in some beautiful and well-behaved creatures, including dwarf hamsters with sapphire colors and unique patterns.
Aside from color and pattern, a good hamster breeder also considers health factors, as well as the behavioral traits of the hamsters they breed. They do not breed hamsters with diseases or abnormalities and also avoid hamsters with a bad temper and observe the behavior of both hamsters so that the young have good temperament and are disease free.
We would all love to save the weak, scared and malnourished hamster that trembles in the corner of the store cage, but keep in mind that you may be buying a pet with a lot of problems that ends up turning into a money pit, so choose your dwarf hamster and its breeder very carefully.