Book or Website on Genetics?

[Louby]

Hello all!

Right...Alvin - SH Sable Roan, the lucky boy is going to (in theory) have babies with both Cupcake - SH BEC and also NAME NOT YET ANNOUNCED - LH BEC Satin.

I still have alot of research to do before I will feel comfortable breeding, but we are totally obsessed with our new hamster lifestyle, and cannot get enough of them..and also reading about them.

Are there any websites or books that I can look at/read that will give me more information on genetics and also what colours/types I may get out of eventual litters?

[Gust0o]

As a beginner, I found Hamsterlopaedia to be very useful - it's easily obtainable, via Amazon

[Louby]

Thanks Gust0o...I do have Hamsterlopaedia (just at the end of it now after reading it cover to cover ). It mentions in there about there being more specialised genetics books, but it doesn't give you any more info on finding them.

Experienced breeders all have a good idea about what they will 'in theory' get from a litter, taking into account obviously the parents and also further back in the 'family tree'...but I have no idea how to research this a bit more myself.

Thank goodness for Peter and Chris though...where would we all be without Hamsterlopaedia?! Truely a hamster classic.

[Spuds Mum]

You could try the river road site - which can be a little brain boggling or

http://www.midlandhamsterclub.co.uk/.../genetics.html from the midland hamster club

Basically if you have a sable roan to a BEC you have a chance of getting (assuming they dont carry anything else)

BEC
Sable
Sable roan
BEC roan

If your sable roan has two lots of the U gene (known as homozygous) you would expect

Sable
sable roan

as all the pups would inherit a U gene from Daddy making them umbrous colours as above.

with me so far?

ok - pups from either Mum will be shorthair unless Daddy carries long hair. Its likely from her littermates that cupcake carries LH and obviously 'yet to be announced' does, so you could get a mix of SH and LH in the litters

OK - satin then

You wont get any satins from cupcake as neither Mum or Dad are satin, but from the 'yet to be announced' Mum you should expect about half of the pups to be satin.

Carried genes -

carried genes, whilst not visible on the animal, can appear in future generations if the other animal also carries them - so with Cupcake for example, she may 'carry' cinnamon as there were REC in her littermates - if Daddy also carries cinnamon then this will mix in with the cream and umbrous possibly giving you some extra colours
REC
mink
REC roan
mink roan

there would also be a similar possibility of the rex being carried too!! And if Daddy carried that - you may have some rex pups!!

So there are lots of 'ifs. buts and maybes in there - but thats half the fun!

[Bourne Valley Hams]

I quite like the genetics section on Andrew's website.
http://www.geocities.com/dunctonhams/genetics.htm

And I have this old SOEHC page bookmarked as well.
http://www.soehamsterclub.com/hamgene.html

[Holly]

There will soon be a set of discs available on colours and genetics that Pete is putting together - I don't know HOW soon though as he's busy bloke

I saw an example of them at Alcester and they look brilliant - giving genetics info and the colour percentages expected if you put such and such a hamster with such and such a hamster. I'll be first in the queue :P

[Louby]

Wow! Thankyou guys!

Spuds mum, thankyou so much for taking the time to write all that down for me. You really are lovely!

BVH...thankyou for the website...I have had a read and even I can understand some of it! I'll be getting the hang of this in no time I hope!

Holly...REALLY? Wow...well, I will be joining you in the stampede...what a brilliant idea. Such a clever man. That sounds like its going to be another indispensible addition like Hamsterlopaedia then!

[babyboos]

I made a database a few years ago with elements which I "borrowed" quite heavily from "Breeder's Assistant" and years of research on the internet and in books, combined with personal experiences and those of fellow breeders - I lost the hard-drive though and a whole lot of pictures of many years worth of hamsters and colours etc - I have been reminded of this now and will see if it is something that may be more affordable to try and recover - it used to make my pedigrees for me and I really miss it.
I would definitely want a license for Peter's database if this became available.