mottled |
Genetic Code: Mo-
|
Irregular white patches or spots – also called banded, spotted, or collared, if the mottling is confined to the neck.
The mottled gene is a dominant gene. Being dominant means that a hamster only needs one of these genes, and he will have the mottled pattern. It also means that the gene cannot be carried. The Mottled pattern mutation occurred in the UK in 1991 and a variable amount of white patches, spots, bands, collars on the body with the belly being pure white. The amount of white varies immensely with some Mottleds have only one white spot on the side or back, whilst others have a white collar or band or large patches of white, to white all over with a very small spot of color. The patterns the mutation causes are highly variable. The Mottled can be combined with any color or coat type so it is possible to produce Opal Mottled, Argente Mottled Satin, etc. |
ruby eyed mottled |
Genetic Code: Mimi
|
The Ruby Eyed Mottled is similar to the Mottled but the eyes have a ruby glow. On black eyed hamsters (eg Normal Ruby Eyed Mottled, Opal Ruby Eyed Mottled) this ruby glow can be seen if the hamster is placed near a light source. Often it is not difficult to detect the ruby glow in the eyes unless the hamster is held near to a light. On red eyed hamsters (such as Argente Ruby Eyed Mottled) the eyes are a bright clear red. As with the Mottled, the pattern can vary and amount of white can vary.
You need to know if your mottleds have this dominant ruby-eyed gene or not. If they have it, you need to avoid breeding two ruby-eyed mottleds together. The reason is that the 25% of the babies will receive two ruby-eyed genes (one from each parent). These babies will be toothless/eyeless whites. Most die at about two weeks of age since they cannot make the switch from milk to solid food due to their lack of teeth. This can be avoided by only breeding ruby-eyed mottleds to unpatterned or to platinum dwarves. Ruby Eyed Mottled can be combined with any color or coat type. |
platinum |
Genetic Code: Sisi
|
White hairs mingled in the coat ranging from a few to almost total coverage – sometimes incorrectly called pearl.
The Platinum pattern mutation occurred in the UK in 1991. The coat pattern dilutes the ivory belly to almost white and the coloring of the back and sides becomes sprinkled with white hairs. The amount of white which appears in the coat can vary greatly with some Platinums having a fine sprinkling of white in the coat and others having so many white hairs that the color is hardly visible although the dorsal stripe usually remains visible and the side arches retain color. The Platinum can be combined with any color and coat type to produce for example, Argente Platinum, Black Platinum Satin, etc. The platinum gene is a dominant and lethal gene. Being dominant means that a hamster only needs one of these genes, and he will have the platinum pattern. It also means that the gene cannot be carried. The lethal part of the gene means that there are no hamsters with two platinum genes. All have one platinum and one non-platinum gene. Those hamsters who did have two platinum genes (got one from each parent) die in the womb and are reabsorbed by the mother. It does her no harm. It does mean that the number of babies in litters born to two platinums are 25% smaller on average than those born to a platinum and a non-platinum. The surviving babies are entirely healthy and normal, however, and can be bred or kept as pets without any concern for health problems (beyond those of any Campbells). |