| Hamster Colors / Coat / Patterns |
| Syrian Hamsters These are some of the names given to the syrian in the pet trade. Some are valid others are just marketing on the behalf of retailers. Some acceptable recognized names: Golden or Gold hamster - this is the base color Patterns- Banded Hamster - This animal would have a white band or group of white markings around the center of the body. Perfectly marked banded should have 1/3 of the base color over the head and rump while a thick even white band of white encircles the midsection. The belly is white~ eyes and ears would correspond to the base color. Bandeds maybe breed to each other or any color phase*. Dominate Spot - AKA dom spot -This is a dominate gene that causes random white spotting over the base color ot the animal. Some have heavy spotting, some may have hardly any white at all. DS always have a white flash or blaze on the head. Belly is white~ For the novice DS hamsters can be bred only to NON - DS hamsters. DS to DS matings should only be done by experienced breeders. Roan - this is a white hamster with various color hairs ticked through the coat wben the gene is present in some self colors. In other colors the gene can produce the WhiteBelly, due to this gene called the Anophthalmic gene. Never bred a roan to roan or to a white belly, or white belly to white belly, as this is a semi lethel gene. Working with this gene is not for the beginner and should be left only to more advanced breeder. Hair coat - Short hair - this is the normal coat of the original wild golden. Long Hair - sometimes referred to as Teddy Bear / Angora /Silkie. Females LH have slightly longer coat then the normal short hair hamsters, with possibly a few long tufts around her hind legs and rump. Males have the extreme long coat making a hair skirt around the lower parts of the body or thick and full long hair all over his body. Selected breeding can increase the fullness of the coat. However, IMO, females that display extreme long coats are often hard to breed and very poor mothers. Long hair can combine with any pattern or color as well as with the next two hair types. Satin - This gene causes a very slick shiny coat, that can intensify some colors, while making it hard to see in others (black, sable, whites, any black combo color). You should not breed satin to satin as this will produce babies with very thin sparse hair, though it is ultra shiny, it looks sickly. When breeding this gene good tracking documentation is important since, being recessive, it can come up later down the line. Rex - This gene gives the hair wave, a lift and a fluffy look, velvety to the touch. Whiskers will also have a kinked or criimped look. Also a recessive gene. Hairless - a recessive gene that causes the animal to have no real hair. Whiskers may be curled. This gene has an effect on the females ability to produce milk so she can not raise her litter. Mostly rare and not well accepted by the reputable breeders, it could die out all together as the health issues are not favorable. Only bred as a novelty, should only be attempted by those with experince and knowledge. This page will show some of the (bad) commercial names and link them with the proper names used by breeders. Genetic deformaties in syrian & Campbells dwarf hamsters plus nore information of accepted color names and complete description is found here at Pet Web Site |
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