Avoiding Hybrids?

[WandaWigglebottom]

I as many other members am reading up on keeping a pet hamster,
No i have read alot in my search for my perfect friend.
Ive learnt about the special dietary needs of the chinese hammy's.

But then on more reading i have come across Hybrid hammy's that dont live as long and have alot of health problems. so thats a massive great slap in the face..

How can i recognise hybrids and be sure the hammy im to buy is a healthy and happy hammy.
not species specific however as i am not 100% set on a breed of hammy yet, im hoping the perfect hammy finds me but help on this subject would be good thankyou

[LocoRocoPanda]

Most Russians in big pet shops are hybrids. The only way you can assure a Russian isn't a hybrid is by buying from a small pet shop who gets their hams from private breeders or by going to hamster shows and buying from a breeder.

I had a Hybrid. Her name was Rao. She was beautiful and I was totally smitten however she developed Diabetes and a few weeks later, she was dead. I avoid Hybrids now not because of their health issues but because I lost Rao when she was just about 6 months old. It was far too upsetting.

[vanilla-yazoo]

There's no way to tell unless you go to a breeder, but pretty much anything in pet shops that are Russian shape are hybrids.
Things like cinnamon going into White like a ww is a way to know it's not a Campbell, but there's only 3/4 colourings of winter White.
Chinese and Robos are not hybridised as such.

[WandaWigglebottom]

thanks is it just dwarfs that are hybridised or are their syrians also (if so wht the heck do you hybridise it with) lol :/

[Demecat]

Syrians are not, but there are pairings that should be avoided when breeding them

[WandaWigglebottom]

taa Demi i was begining to wonder how a syrian could hybridise with a dwarf lol..
i have no intentions of breeding hammy's myself.
i lost wanda at such a young age i want to be sure i get a healthy ham and dont jump into it. i already have 6 rabbits and foster for a rescue so dont have time money space or know how for breeding hehe

[Vectis Hamstery]

Hybrids occur between Winter Whites and Campbells as they have the same number of chromosomes. Chinese, robos and Syrians all have different numbers of chromosomes and can't be bred with another species to produce a hybrid. If you're still interested in getting a Chinese hammy, hybridisation therefore isn't a problem It's still a good idea to ask questions about your new hammy's origin and consider getting one from a reputable breeder.

[Gamina]

No only winter white dwarfs and campbells dwarfs can be breed together to form a hybrid.

Vectis posted just as I was typing. Also in regards to a chinese with its dietary requirements its not a huge barrier when it comes to feeding. Its more a matter of feeding a good quality food with some high sugar components removed and not feeding sugar loaded treats like you will find in a pet shop and maybe opting for low sugar treats like dried insects and low sugar veggies.

[WandaWigglebottom]

Ok so thats food for thought also. my pets at home had white chinese dwarfs and golden ones, thats why i asked as i didnt think they came in colours?

[samincittagazze]

Originally Posted by WandaWigglebottom

Ok so thats food for thought also. my pets at home had white chinese dwarfs and golden ones, thats why i asked as i didnt think they came in colours?

Really? Are you sure they were Chinese hammies? :/ I've never owned a Chinese, but as far as I was aware they primarily come in a 'normal' (dark brown-greyish) and Dominant Spot (similar, but kind of white patches I believe). I think you can get white Chinese's but I thought they were very rare, much like the white robos.

Regarding hybrids, I have 6 of them. 3 that were my first hammies as a 'grown-up', and I didn't know any better about buying from PAH, and another 3 that were rescues. I love them all dearly but most of them have had some kind of health problem, either minor or major. I would happily have hybrids again as rescues, but I would never out and out buy one.