Fuzzy x Babbins

[Mama2six]

Then the other confusing thing about this litter is that I have 2-3 "light" sables. I thought at first that they were mink, but their eyes are not red at all. So, based on known genetics, I'm just calling them "light sables" for now, but I'm hoping to get to the bottom of it.

Here are all of the sables together:
Attachment 36859Attachment 36860

Here are some of them:
Attachment 36862

And here is the LIGHTEST one. There are really 2-3 of this same shade, but he is a little lighter than all of them.

Attachment 36863

Any idea why these 3 are lighter? Do they look roan to you? They aren't exactly darker toward their head and lighter on down their back. 2 of the lighter ones are male, and 1 is female.

Like I said, I really kind of feel like I'm over my head here! I can't figure this litter out!

Any chance a masked yellow sable would look lighter like this?? That would kind of fit the yellow theory, because there would usually be more than 1 or 2 yellows in a litter of 14.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Mama2six]

Here is the sable (a F silver sable satin) who does look a little "roanish". Here top half is darker than her bottom half.

Attachment 36864

That is the picture that shows the contrast the most.

[Mama2six]

And, finally, the other 2 "creams" also seem to have ivory bellies. Perhaps because they are not satin, it is not as startling, but here they are... one is a male, and one is a female.

Male:
Attachment 36866Attachment 36865

Female:
Attachment 36867Attachment 36868

The male is probably the best of the entire litter. I in no way need another cream male, so I am not keeping him, but he already has a lovely home lined up.

I know I have not shared pictures of the entire litter, and I maybe will later, but I don't want to overwhelm everyone! These are my "problem" hamsters... not exactly what I was expecting, because I was looking for roan, and ended up with something else, I think.

[oddlyoblivious]

Ack those lighter sables are lovely.

[WinnieTheHam]

Roan is a pattern and makes hairs white in places, do the sables have white hairs? It does look a little like roan, although roan is usually quite noticeable in sables because of the contrast. The Wh gene could also be causing the ivory bellies in your creams, I've found some hamsters bellies are lighter though. Myrcella's belly is lighter than the rest of her body, but it's not white or ivory, just a lighter version of the orange/brown colour. Could it be something to do with the silver? also some sables can be very light anyway - which is why it's hard to get the black show standard sable, because they nearly always lighten. Belles bottom is almost completely cream, which could be what's happening with your hams.

EDIT:
I've just had a look on google to see, majority have a contrast between white and the sable colour, but some of them look like how yours look, all of yours look like they gradually get lighter from head to bottom. I personally like the darkest one

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I really think you're dealing with more then Cream and the Polywhite gene to be honest. If you notice several of the sables have two distinct color sable within their own coat. In several unshown pictures of the 3 lighter sables, the females were the ones which had this almost marbled pattern, and the lightest one was a male.

That said and using my ee Melanistic Yellow pups picture for comparison I am willing to entertain that the marbled effect silver Sable females are actually ee silver sable Torts, and the lighter sable male is actually an ee Umbrous silver Pearl. This would mean the white bellied BEC are actually ee silver pearl males, and ee silver gray torts.

[Mama2six]

I think I may keep the one with the biggest belly contrast and breed her with either a regular cream or a regular sable. My only problem is I don't have an unrelated cream or sable that is not SATIN, and the girl who has the biggest contrast is a satin.

Winnie, I had also wondered if perhaps this is just within the realm of "normal" for the belly fur. Then I looked at a couple of my other creams, and it really doesn't look normal, especially for the satin. I am still considering that it is just "normal", though my feeling is that is unlikely.

So I think I will just proceed with testing for a further generation, and see what I can come up with with a little more info. I could even breed to a golden to see what I get. If I breed to a normal male and get half creams with ivory bellies, and half creams with cream bellies, then I will have double-confirmation that something is going on here.

[flowerfairy]

Oh the videos of ragdoll hamster cuteness. Awwwwwww

[Mama2six]

Originally Posted by flowerfairy

Oh the videos of ragdoll hamster cuteness. Awwwwwww

I know, how unusual this litter is! I should not be too surprised though, as Fuzzy comes from a line of great hamsters, and she is an amazingly friendly girl herself.

I think I'll go scoop up some more little Rag Dolls!

[Enh98]

This is all so interesting to read. A bit like a foreign language to me but fascinating! And it's so much fun to see the new babies, especially the little cream (?) male as mine is the lovely new home to which he will soon be going!