Whats your fave hamster breed?

[Marbleandjasper]

I understand that they have problems but if they can have a happy quality of life why deny them the right to exist?

[Fluffagrams]

I think I read somewhere that some hybrids only live about a year and a half however I am happy to be corrected on this.

I think that a lot of people have the attitude that they're fine as pets and but it is unethical to actively try to breed them. Of course some might argue that by buying them, you are supporting that unethical breeding indirectly so I guess it's a matter of preference.

[cypher]

Most of what you've read is true, hybrids should never be bred intentionally but now pet shops are full of them & I don't think that's going to change.
Don't ever be fooled by how they may be labelled in pet shops btw, they are often called ww or campbells but unless you have a pedigree from a registered breeder the chances are any russian ham will be a hybrid.
Neurological problems seem from what I can tell to be more likely to occur in robos than hybrids although it does happen of course.
The major health issue to be aware of is diabetes, they can have other health problems just due to poor breeding practises as much as anything.
I've had four hybrids but my only experience of diabetes has been with my Chinese girl so don't think it will occur in all of them, it is something you need to be aware of though & feed appropriately.
Being as there are so many hybrids around & they do make the most lovely pets there are plenty up for adoption looking for good homes with people who know how to care for them so I wouldn't rule out getting one.
Life span varies as with any species, they can live as long as any other ham, my oldest is 21 months now & in spite of teeth problems doesn't look like he's ready to give up on enjoying life just yet!

Going by my personal experience (which isn't that vast compared to some!) & observations of the kind of problems people post about I think the chances of health issues with non breeder hams are probably a bit higher with all the dwarf species & not that much higher in hybrids than robos or Chinese, non breeder syrians do seem to do a bit better but they can often develop health problems too.

[Marbleandjasper]

Oh that makes it sound like hybrids problems are the same as all dwarves :/

[Fluffagrams]

Sometimes it's just down to luck, other times it's down to poor breed

As Cypher has said they can have problems due to poor breeding practices but no species of hamster is immune to these. A syrian could be born without eyes and deaf due to breeding from two white bellied hamster types that carry the recessive Wh gene for example.

The more responsible breeders (the National Hamster Council will have a list of these) will do their best to breed healthy hamsters with good temperament but even a pet shop hamster could live a long life. The hamster I had with the longest lifespan was a little Chinese boy who I'd bought from a pet shop. He had a dental problem which they thought was hereditary but he was such a lovely lad and lived just a few days off of being three years and seven months old.

[Marbleandjasper]

Wow I hope my hamsters have long happy lives its just sad that even then its just two years :/
Jasper is about one and a half now and he is looking a bit older and scruffier Q.Q