There are several different species of hamsters that are kept as pets, but within those species different varieties, or “breeds”, have recently arisen. Continue reading this article to learn more about hamster varieties!
Each species of hamster as different coat colourations available. Syrian hamsters are available in all the different following types, but other species have more limited variation.
Dominant Spot
Dominant Spot hamsters have a body that is mainly white, but with patches of a different color on it. These spots may be many or few, and can end up being anywhere on the body.
Rex-haired hamsters
These animals have wiry, fluffy fur that makes them very appealing. Depending on their hair length, Rex hamsters will either have quite wiry or quite curly hair. It’s important to remember that Rex hamsters are very vulnerable to eye infections due to the possibility of developing a slightly malformed eye. Rex hamsters, like some other coat types, should not be crossbred with each other because their pups can develop severe eye problems.
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Piebald
Piebald hamsters are very similar to dominant spots, except that they have white spots over a different color.
Banded
Banded hamsters are a very popular variety, with a little white band on their middle. The rest of the hamster will be coloured.
Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell hamsters have yellow spots over another color. This other color will alter the shade of the hamster’s yellow-colored spots – darker base colors will produce darker yellow hues. It’s a good idea to bear in mind that male hamsters cannot have tortoiseshell coloring, because they cannot possess the right collection of genes.
READ MORE: Getting A Hamster.
Satin hamsters
These hamsters have very glossy hairs that give their coat a satin-like appearance. Satin hamsters have very thin hair, but are very visually appealing. As with Roans, we advise people not to breed two different satins together, as they can have problems with their pups – in this case, very sparse fur.
Roan
Roan hamsters are mainly white, but have specially-coloured hairs that have some areas of non-white pigmentation. Be really careful when breeding roans, because breeding two roans together will produce some malformed babies.
As well as these different hair patterns, some hamsters also have different hair textures: long hair, short hair, rex and satin. Syrian hamsters can have coats of any of the following variations – Campbell hamsters too can have got the rex and the satin coats.
Long-haired hamsters
Their locks will need to be brushed several times a week, which is a lot more than their short-haired counterparts’ coats require. These little animals have much longer hair than any other commonly kept hamster – their individual hairs can grow up to nine or ten centimeters!
Bear in mind that if kept long then this hair can limit bedding choices, as it can get very tangled in materials such as hay, limiting your hamster’s movement and causing them lots of discomfort.
Tortoiseshell and White
These hamsters are very similar to tortoiseshells, except they must have patches of white on their body as well. Like the tortoiseshells, they have a main color and yellow spots, and the precise shade of these yellow spots is determined by their primary color.
Short-haired hamsters
These animals have coats that are nearest to their wild kind. The hair is short and easy to keep clean and tidy.
Hamsters are cute and cuddly, but they also require a lot of care usually. If you want to learn how to care for a hamster, this article about Tips To Bring A Hamster Home can help.