| Hamster Breeding / Marketing |
| Hamster Species in the US Pet Trade The Syrian Hamsters - (Mesocricetus auratus)This is the hamster most people think of when the word hamster is used. Extreme color variations, not to mention coat length and textures. Chinese Dwarf Hamster - (Cricetulus curtatus) a rat-like hamster. The normal coloring is brown agouti with dark brown plus a dark dorsal stripe running down the spine. It has an ivory belly, black eyes and gray ears. The tail is hairless and longer then most hamster species. One mutation is the Dominate Spot, which can produce a small amount of white on a normal brown, or large amouts of white with brown markings, with a white belly. A pure white sometimes occurs, but is random and can not be breed, apparently is not fully inheirited or established. Gestation 21 days and average lifespan of 2-2.5 years, but about 4 years was reported. California has legislation against this species and they are not kept there. Russian Dwarf Hamsters (RDH): Campbell's Dwarf - (Phodopus campbelli) Normal color and in the wild is agouti brownish-grey with ivory belly, black eyes and gray/brown ears. Dorsal stripe is darker brown. There are a host of mutation colors from almost black to pure white and mutations are separated into Agouti colors and Self colors. Winter White Dwarf -(Phodopus sungorus) Normal coat is a dark brown-gray with a jet black dorsal stripe, darker undercoat and ivory belly. Eyes black, ears gray. One color mutation is Sapphire, a gray-purple colored coat, gray undercoat and dorsal stripe. Eyes are black, belly ivory color and ears are light brown/gray. Pearl is a pattern mutation that gives a white hamster with the dark hairs showing through to make a dark ticking, black in normal, purple-gray on a Sapphire. Another pattern called Imperial can also occur in either color, but reduces the amount of colored hairs on the hamsters sides. Seasonal coat changes in some WW is different from the color mutaions above. Not all WW will have coats affected by the seasons. Gestation 12-21 days, lifespan 1.5-2 years Roborovski Dwarf - (Phodopus roborovskii) Smallest of the dwarfs at about 2 inches and the longest lived of the RDH. There are 2 varialtions - Normal - a sandy gold with an ivory belly, black eyes and gray ears and "white face" or extended white, some say the body color fades with age in the white face.. No known lethel factors (10/07). Gestation is 23-30 days, with a lifespan of 3-4 years. Very fast and their small size makes these hamsters less popular in the pet market. Often better kept in a cage and observed rathe then handled or petted. Confusing terms: just FYI Djungarian Hamsters - Used in Russa to describe the Winter White RDH and the same term used by American Scientists describing the Campbells RDH ......... (which helps lead to)... Puddins' - Pet Store term for Hybrid RDH (WinterWhite X Campbell) |
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