New member! Need help determining if I have a true winter white!

Christinab3210 · 02-05-2017, 02:40 PM

Hi! My name is Christina, and I'm new here! I came to learn more about hamsters, so I'm able to give my current &future hamsters a happy, healthy and quality life. Being a new hamster owner, I am unsure of the TRUE species of my hamster. I did purchase from a pet store, as I wasn't aware at the time that pedigree hamster breeders exist. With that being said, I would like to learn whether my hamster is a pure winter white, or a hybrid. I finally got two good pictures while I was cleaning the other cage, and I attached them in the hopes someone can help! Also, any information about pedigree breeders would be wonderful, as I would like to purchase from them in the future. Thank you in advance, for any and all advice! Nice to "meet" you all!!!

SKB_Hamsters · 02-06-2017, 03:43 PM

Hello and Welcome to Hamster Central
Your hamster is most likely going to be a hybrid (mix of WW and RC) since being purchased from a pet shop.
Your hamster looks so sweet - does it have a name yet?

Lilac_Dreams · 02-06-2017, 04:05 PM

Welcome to the forum!!

Your hamster is a hybrid of both Winter White and Campbell

Do you live in the USA or UK? If you live in the USA I don't think there are any Pedigree Winter White breeders and for Pedigree Campbells there is one 1 breeder.

If you're in the UK - You can usually find Winter Whites for sale at Hamster shows. Aside from that there is Oblivion Hamstery, Hamster Mischief, Winterwood Hamstery, Tuftyfluff, Tristar, Wellington and Lilliput - Those are the names on my Winter Whites Pedigree, so, some of them may not be breeding them anymore/may not be currently breeding them.

Hope this helps!

Drago · 02-06-2017, 04:40 PM

Hello and welcome to you and your lovely little one!

cypher · 02-06-2017, 10:25 PM

Hi Christina, welcome to HC.
What an adorable little ham you have, as the others have said any Russian bought from a pet shop will be a hybrid, you will only get a pure WW from a good breeder.

CMB · 02-07-2017, 09:17 AM

Welcome. Your hamster looks lovely. It will be a hybrid and they can vary a lot in how they look.

Christinab3210 · 02-08-2017, 12:15 PM

Thank you so much everyone!! That really really helps! I figured my chances of owning a true winter white was slim, as we purchased at a pet store.

SKB_Hamsters-- Thank you! Not yet unfortunately, as we are still trying to find out the sex. However, my 3 year old insists it's a boy&his name is Phil lol. I just started 2 days ago with trying to flip him/her over, and it has went really well! I THINK it's a male, but tonight I am going to take a picture to post on here, if possible. I think our ham is tame already! He/she has just started crawling into our hands while taking food/eating, AND I can put my hand up to the cage, cup it and hammy will crawl right out! We just bought him (almost three weeks ago this week) so I am quite surprised our ham has warmed up so quickly!

Lilac_Dreams- Thank you so much for that info, it definitely helps! I live in the U.S., so that is unfortunate (just one more reason to leave this country hahah!). Do you know if there are pedigree breeders for any other hams? Hopefully I am able to find a reputable breeder!

Drago- Thank you so much!!! We are glad to be here!

Cypher- Thank you so much! We are lucky to have gotten such a well-behaved&friendly ham! He has even warmed up to our 3 year old already, and crawls all over him! He even sits in his hands! In part to make the ham unafraid, my son is SO gentle&still. He whispers to him- "hi little fella" "aw, he's so cute!" Lol

CMB- Thank you very much! I do love our hams color! Will it change at all since it's not a true winter white?

SKB_Hamsters · 02-08-2017, 12:39 PM

I thought you might find this video useful to help determine your hamster sex also it might be easier to take a photo using the method mentioned at the start of the video which you can then post here - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1WdQ3tn8a7o.
That's good that he/she has warmed up to you quickly.

CMB · 02-08-2017, 02:44 PM

Not sure if your hamster will change colour or not. But it will be interesting to see if it does. If you take regular photos you will have a good record if it does.

cypher · 02-08-2017, 10:31 PM

All my hybrids except one have changed colour a lot as they aged, one became pure white but I think that was age rather than the seasonal change, I've yet to see that in a hybrid myself although it can happen, if it does they change then change back but most just change gradually as they get older.