A small hamster originating in Kazakhstan and southwestern Siberia. It carries material in large cheek pouches.
Its summer coat is brownish. Shorter daylight can induce dense whitish winter fur, with individual differences in timing and extent.
A 2021 laboratory study tracked 60 Djungarian hamsters kept under short-day conditions. At least once during their individual observation periods, 46 animals showed torpor, while the other 14 were never observed in torpor. The timing of torpor and the degree of body-temperature change varied among individuals.
A separate long-term analysis followed 11 hamsters for 13 weeks after the light period was shortened, recording body mass, fur condition, body temperature, and activity. The animals with the strongest seasonal adaptations also showed torpor. The experiment used an 8-hour light and 16-hour dark cycle at 20°C, with food and water available freely.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species · Least Concern (LC) · Global
The IUCN global assessment published in 2016 listed the species under the name Phodopus sungorus as Least Concern. Mammal Diversity Database now uses Cricetiscus sungorus following the 2025 genus transfer and lists its IUCN status as Not Evaluated.