The 'original' color of the Campbell's Dwarf Hamster in the wild is brownish-grey with an ivory belly and a darker line down the center of the back (dorsal stripe).
Occasionally a mutation occurs resulting in a new color. In the wild these mutations may not survive but in captivity such hamsters are kept and bred from in order to maintain the mutation. As a result in captivity a number of additional colors to the original wild brownish-gray have been established.
Some color mutations are referred to as Agouti color mutations whilst others are referred to as Self color mutations. Agouti means that the hamster has the original wild markings, that is the coat is a darker color at the roots (undercolor) than on the top, the belly is off-white and the hamster has a darker dorsal stripe. Self colored hamsters are the same color all over (top and belly).
In addition to the agouti and self color mutations that occurred over the years a variety of additional colors can be created by combining the different color mutations together.
Click on the pictures below for more information on the different color mutations of the Syrian Hamster.