black eyed white/red eyed white/ dilute platinumThis is not truly a "self coloured hamster" as the white is produced by combining a colour with a diluting gene and the Platinum pattern gene. The coat is pure white but may have a few coloured hairs around the head. When a colour with black eyes is used the eyes are black and the ears are flesh but may have some dark spots. When red eyed colours are used the eyes are red and the ears flesh so the hamster has the appearance of an Albino.
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albino |
Genetic Code: cc
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The Albino mutation occurred in Hungary in 1988. The Albino has pure white fur on the back, sides and stomach. The eyes are clear red and the ears are flesh colored. In some animals Albinos tend to be weaker or less healthy than other colors but there is no evidence to suggest that this is true of Albino Russian Hamsters.
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black |
Genetic Code: aa
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It is unclear when the Black mutation first occurred there were rumours of Black Russians in UK labs as long ago as 1986 but these rumours were never confirmed. The Black Russians known today were discovered in Belgium in 1997. The Black is black on the back, sides and belly and the black colouring extends all the way to the roots of the hairs. The Black has white on either side of the nose, paws and white under the chin and often there is white under the chin and sometimes patches of white on the belly.
Some Blacks lighter with age and it is then possible to distinguish a very slightly darker dorsal stripe. Many Blacks develop silvering (a sprinkling of white hairs particularly around the neck) as they get older and the black colouring lightens. It is thought this is due to a separate "silvering" gene which is heavily linked to the Black gene. |
blue |
Genetic Code: aadd
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The Blue is steel blue-gray in color to the roots on the back, sides and belly. The area around the side of the nose is white and the feet are also white. There may also be white on the chin and sometimes patches of white on the belly. The eyes are black and the ears are dark gray.
Many Blues develop silvering (a sprinkling of white hairs particularly around the neck) as they get older and the blue coloring lightens. |
chocolate |
Genetic Code: aabb
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The Chocolate is dark chocolate brown in color to the roots on the back, sides and belly. The area around the side of the nose is white and the feet are also white. There may also be white on the chin and sometimes patches of white on the belly. The eyes are black and the ears are dark gray.
Many Chocolates develop silvering (a sprinkling of white hairs particularly around the neck) as they get older and the Chocolate coloring lightens. |
dove |
Genetic Code: aapp
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The Dove is dark dove gray-brown in color to the roots on the back, sides and belly. The area around the side of the nose is white and the feet are also white. There may also be white on the chin and sometimes patches of white on the belly. The eyes are red and the ears are flesh colored.
Many Doves develop silvering (a sprinkling of white hairs particularly around the neck) as they get older and the Dove coloring lightens. |
lilac |
Genetic Code: aabbdd
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Black-eyed Lilac is the three-gene color which is the combination of the opal, black-eyed argente (BEA), and black genes. Since all three of these colors genes are recessive, the hamster must have two copies of each of these genes to appear BE Lilac. It is not difficult to breed a BE Lilac if you have the three genes -- but you must have all three genes. It is always easiest, though, to start with two two-gene colors which have one gene overlapping. Then you can both predict what you get and recongize the colors when you get them. It is also easier to know what genes your babies will carry when you start with a two-gene color and add the third gene.
To breed a BE Lilac, you would start with two different two-gene colors like lilac fawn and blue (chocolate works equally as well if you make the substitutions). Between them you need to cover the three genes needed for BE Lilac with one color overlapping. Since lilac fawn is the two-gene color for opal and black-eyed argente, you are only missing the black gene to get BE Lilac. Since blue is the two-gene color for opal and black, you are only missing the black-eyed argente gene to get to BE Lilac. So you would breed the lilac fawn to the blue with opal being the overlapping gene. All babies would be opal carrying BEA and black. You would then breed two of these opals together. From this pairing, you should get approximately 9/16 opals, 3/16 lilac fawns, 3/16 blues, and 1/16 BE Lilac. |
dark beige |
Genetic Code: aabbpp
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Dark beige is the three-gene color which is the combination of the red-eyed argente, black-eyed argente, and black genes. Since all three of these colors are recessive, the hamster must have two copies of each of these genes to appear dark beige. It is not difficult to breed a dark beige if you have the three genes -- but you must have all three genes. It is always easiest, though, to start with two two-gene colors which have one gene overlapping. Then you can both predict what you get and recongize the colors when you get them. It is also easier to know what genes your babies will carry when you start with a two-gene color and add the third gene.
To breed a dark beige, you would start with two different two-gene colors like beige and dove (chocolate works equally as well if you make the substitution). Between them, you need to cover the three genes needed for dark beige with one color overlapping. Since beige is the two-gene color for red-eyed argente and black-eyed argente, you are only missing the black gene to get dark beige. Since dove is the two-gene color for red-eyed argente and black, you are only missing the black-eyed argente gene to get to dark beige. So you would breed the beige to the dove with red-eyed argente being the overlapping gene. All babies would be red-eyed argente carrying black-eyed argente and black. You would then breed two of these argentes together. From this pairing, you should get approximately 9/16 argentes, 3/16 beige, 3/16 dove, and 1/16 dark beige. |
red eyed lilac |
Genetic Code: aaddpp
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The Red Eyed Lilac is soft lilac-grey in color to the roots on the back, sides and belly. The area around the side of the nose is white and the feet are also white. There may also be white on the chin and sometimes patches of white on the belly. The eyes are red and the ears are flesh colored.
Many Red Eyed Lilacs develop silvering (a sprinkling of white hairs particularly around the neck) as they get older and the Red Eyed Lilac coloring lightens. |
black eyed whitered eyed white |
Genetic Code: didiP-Si-
Genetic Code: didippSi-
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The Black Eyed White or Pink Eyed White is not a true white but is more correctly labelled as Dilute Platinum.
Black Eyed White The Black Eyed White is a combination of a black eyed color (e.g. Normal, Opal) with Platinum and the addition of a diluting gene. The coat is white and the eyes are black. The ears are flesh colored but may have some black spots or patches. There may also be some colored hairs in the coat, particularly around the coat. Red Eyed White The Red Eyed White is a combination of a red eyed color (e.g. Argente) with Platinum and the addition of a diluting gene. The coat is white and the eyes are red and the ears flesh colored. The appearance is that of an Albino although genetically very different. |
champagne |
Genetic Code: aabbddpp
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Champagne is the four-gene color. It is the combination of all four of the currently known color genes in the Campbells: Opal, Argente, Black-eyed Argente, and Black. Since all of these colors are recessive, the hamsters must have two copies of each of these genes to appear Champagne. It is not difficult to breed a Champagne if you have all four combinable color genes -- but you must have all four of the genes. It is always easiest to only add one gene at a time. Thus, it is best to start with any two three-gene colors which will have one overlapping gene. Then you can also predict what you get and recognize the colors when you get them (which is not trivial with these newer colors). It is also easier to know what genes your babies carry when you start with two three-gene colors.
To breed a Champagne, you would start with two different three-gene colors like Red-eyed Lilac (RE Lilac) and Blue Beige (Dark Beige or Black-eyed Lilac work equally as well if you make the substitutions). Between these two hamsters, you cover all four of the combinable Campbells color genes. Since RE Lilac is the combined color for Black, Opal, and Argente, you are only missing the Black-eyed Argente gene to get to Champagne. Since Blue Beige is the combined color for Opal, Argente, and Black-eyed Argente, you are only missing the Black gene to get to Champagne. So you would breed the RE Lilac to the Blue Beige. Since Opal and Argente are the overlapping colors, you should get all Blue Fawn babies carrying Black and Black-eyed Argente. You would then breed two of these Blue Fawn babies together. From this pairing, you should get approximately 9/16 Blue Fawns, 3/16 RE Lilac, 3/16 Blue Beige, and 1/16 Champagne. |