In need of some help!

[KutButLykee]

Hi everyone, all Hamster experts
I am Katie i own several Hamsters, two of them being Dwarf Hamsters. I just want to clarify a few things.
1. When i bought my two Dwarfies on there tank was just 'Russian Dwarfs', no specific breed. One of them is cream coulered with a brown stripe down its back, she also has red eyes.
My second Dwarf Hamster is grey, with a black stripe down its back and black eyes. Round both of the behinds they have white trailing upward abit, either side of there tails. I will try and post some pictures. But can anybody clarify there breeds?
2. Why is Chinchilla sand so expensive? I have been reading up and seen that Dwarf Hamsters require some bathing sand (Chinchilla sand) (I have never kept Dwarfies before. I am clear on all there care, apart from sand baths!)
Rant over
I am Katiie, and thankyou for your help Everyone xxxx

[fluffymunchkins]

1. your dwarfs will most definitley be hybrids (campbells x winterwhites) as its almost impossible to find a pet shop selling pure bred russian dwarfs.
2. Charlie chinchilla sand and others is quite expensive and seem sto run our fast, escpecially when you have a few hamsters. Argos sell childrens playsand for only liek £4 for a huge bag which is perfectly safe

[fluffymunchkins]

here we go, and its only £3
Buy Children's Play Sand 15kg Bag. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for .

[thorneloe0810]

Hi Katie

i have 13 dwarf hamsters at the moment and fluffy is right they are most likely to be hybrids.

as for sand i get mine from a small pet shop that is very reasonable 90p per kg

welcome and hope this helps

becky

[debs]

how can you tell if there hybrid dwarf cos i got two winter whites from someone but i dont if there hybrid

[thorneloe0810]

it is realy hard to tell Russian Campbell’s Dwarfs come in a variety of colors that are often confused as being Winter Whites. Winter Whites only come in the normal (agouti), Pearl, and Sapphire Blue. The biggest difference between the two is that Winter Whites will actually change their coat from normal (agouti), Pearl, or Sapphire Blue, to solid white with black ticking and black dorsal stripe. This happens about once a year. Russian Campbell’s will not change into a yearly white coat.
Often it is hard to tell an agouti (normal brown) Campbell’s from a Winter White (darker brown with some black ticking). Some of the differences are the black, or darker brown colors on the dorsal stripe and side arches.

becky

[fluffymunchkins]

An expert eye can tell, but generally they usually look kinda half inbetween winterwhite and campbells (eg.campbells colour but winterwhite size)
Along with purebred winterwhites will moult into the white coat (although not all purebred ww do) and hybrids will not!
I knew Treo was a hybrid, not only as hes from a pet shop, but he was labelled winterwhite when he is blatent campbells colour

[debs]

ohh cos am starting too wondering if mine are winter whites, they look more Like Campells.

[thorneloe0810]

your first hammy looks winter white and so does the 4th picture but it is so hard to tell unfortunately sometimes you never find out, i have a pure winter white pearl and she is alot more rounded in shape than my two campbels.

[debs]

it doesnt matter i was just wondering how you tell :]