How can I tell what kind of hamster I have?

Question

They weren't labeled at the store. Is there any way I can tell besides waiting until it gets older and see how big it gets?

Answer 1

Don't ask the pet store, I've never found one to sell a single hamster correctly.

Visit the Pet Website (link below) and there's photos of all the species. AAA Hamsters has great photos of the dwarf species and the link is also below.

There are five species of hamsters commonly kept as pets: Syrian, Campbells Russian Dwarf, Winter White Russian Dwarf, Roborovski Dwarf and Chinese.

Syrians are the largest and what most people typically picture when you say "hamster". Syrians come in numerous colors (I've done a spreadsheet with over 40,000 possible color and pattern combinations), several patterns and several coat types. Pet stores sell Syrians based on appearance, hence the incorrect names of "Teddy Bear" (Longhaired of any color), "Black Bear" (Black Shorthaired), "Panda Bear" (Black Banded Shorthaired), "Dalmation" (Black Dominant Spot), "Hershey Bear" (Chocolate Shorthaired), "Calico" (Black Tortoiseshell and White), etc..... The only name they get right is the "Golden".

Then there are the Campbells Russian Dwarves. These are the dwarves you are most likely to see in the pet stores. Pet stores are also beginning to sell these based on their color, "Blackberry" (Black), "Blueberry" (Blue), etc... Campbells come in several colors and several patterns.

Next are the Winter White Russian Dwarves. Winter Whites go their name because they will turn white in the winter. These are not as easy to find and come in one other color and one other pattern.

Here's the hard part. The US and Europe is witnessing a huge problem of hybridization of Campbells and Winter Whites. It is being determined in the US that if you can't trace the line (ancestors) of your Winter White to when it first entered the US, it has a very good chance of being a hybrid. I have seen obvious hybrids in the pet stores and some not so obvious. I was in one Petsmart that had Winter Whites and Campbells in the same cage and selling them as Winter Whites. I made the store aware of it and they didn't care! No wonder there's a hybridization problem. The hybridization problem isn't helped by the pet stores but has been amplified by the commercial breeders and casual hobby breeders. If you have a dwarf and it doesn't match any pictures on the Pet Website or AAA Hamsters then it's probably a hybrid.

Then there's the Roborovski Dwarf. I just love these guys, they're adorable but not really "holding" hamsters. They don't bite, but are just small, jumpy and very fast! They are light tan with unmistakable white "eyebrows". These are the smallest of all the hamster species kept as pets. There is only other pattern so far.

Lastly is the Chinese hamster. These are grouped as "rat-like" hamsters though I think they look more like mice. They have a long tail for a hamster, about 2 cm. There is only one other pattern with these too.

-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com

Answer 2

There are a couple of sites that inform you about the different breeds of hamsters. When i bought mine i simply searched "breeds of hamsters" and it brought up a few sites you can look at.
Then it tells you how to judge what kind of hamster you have according to their markings . I have a russian dwarf hamster.
Good Luck.

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/axfuj

Hmmmm.... is it a winter white? Does it change white in the winter or have you not had it that long? Anyway, just look at pictures of dwarf hamsters and see which ones look like him. Here's an example of one:

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How can I tell what kind of hamster I have?
They weren't labeled at the store. Is there any way I can tell besides waiting until it gets older and see how big it gets?

Answer 5

he is a winter white dwarf hamster

Answer 6

Go and ask someone in a pet store (bring the hamster in) If its a big hamster, then its a syrian, and if its quite small its a dwarf/...if you want to know the gender, in a month or so, the hamster will start to grow MASSIVE balls lol! I got told my chinese dwarfs were females, then a month or so later they started to grow huge balls! lol

Answer 7

Ask Richard Gere.

Answer 8

get a book at bthe pet store that shows all the breeds.