It was given its common name by Oldfield Thomas in honor of Charles William Campbell, who collected the first specimen in Mongolia on July 1, 1902.

It is distinguished from the closely related Djungarian hamster as it has smaller ears and no dark fur on its crown.

Campbell's dwarf hamster inhabits burrows with four to six horizontal and vertical tunnels in the steppes and semi deserts of central Asia, the Altai Mountains, autonomous areas of Tuva and the Hebei province in northeastern China.

This locality has puzzled later writers and was believed to be a general Mongolian word for a dry lake, and therefore with no specific coordinates.

[12] American biologist Ned Hollister described a subspecies in 1912:[4] The size of Campbell's dwarf hamster varies depending on its location.

A dark and narrow dorsal stripe runs along the center of the back from the nape of the neck to about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) above the tail.

The surface of the hands and feet are white to ensure the animal stays warm in colder climates in countries such as Mongolia.

[5] Campbell's dwarf hamster does not turn white in the winter and has a grey tint to its fur.

[16] By 11 days of age, the cheek pouches are fully grown and can carry objects up to the size of a sunflower seed.

A balanced diet for a hamster consists of 16-24% protein, 60-65% carbohydrates, and 5–7% fat, with constant access to fresh water.

An excess of any one particular seed or nut can lead to digestive problems, obesity, and forms nutritional deficiency.

[23] In addition to a commercially prepared seed mix, a balanced diet for a Campbell's dwarf hamster in captivity includes a regulated variety of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Wild vegetables such as yarrow, chickweed, and dandelion and raspberry leaves, are also good sources of protein that help prevent obesity.

Boiled egg whites and small pieces of clean, cooked chicken are also sources of extra protein.

Like all rodents, they must therefore gnaw regularly to keep their incisors from growing into the skin of the mouth and causing pain and irritation.

Smooth, young wood from nontoxic trees, such as apple and willow, is readily used by most species in the genus.

[23] Certain food items commonly consumed by humans are toxic to hamsters and should be avoided completely in captivity.

Grapes and raisins may contribute to acute renal failure, due to their high level of acidity.

Specifically, the growth and development of the head and body, tail, hind feet, and pinnae can be up to a day sooner than those found in the wild.

The widespread breeding and distribution of hybrids could threaten the existence of both pure species and subspecies of the ecosystem.

Each litter becomes smaller as more generations are produced and the young commonly begin to inherit many congenital problems.

But the cross between P. campbelli male x P. sungorus female result in overgrowth, leading to embryonic death.

[35][36][37] Campbell's dwarf hamsters inhabit burrows in the steppes and semideserts of central Asia, the Altai Mountains, autonomous areas of Tuva, and the Hebei province in northeastern China.

However, due to the increasing number of livestock in the areas of distribution, such as the steppes of central Asia, some burrows are at a small risk of being destroyed.

In arid areas of distribution, the reduction in the number of water sources is also of minor concern status.