What type of syrian is my hammie and what is color? Pics!

[SnuggleHam]

I guess your right Souffle! I think the light and dark pictures of Carmelo are a bit deceiving. Carmelo does appear to have a lighter back then Gwen does. I put together an Umbrous comparison picture; I hope you don’t mind hammiesarelovex3!

But both seem to have the same markings in the same places more or less, and both seem to have gray bellies, though Gwens belly does look more of an ashen gray. I think that one pic Hammiesarelove took from above was with a flash making him appear lighter. If we discount that one image, would he still be a golden, or an umbrouse? All the other pics look so close! I guess my eye inst as trained!

[souffle]

It is hard going from pics but both Pophammy and myself would still put Carmelo as a Golden. The belly fur is really quite pale and a nice golden should have quite dense dark ticking. The markings will still be the same agouti markings but the ticking is much heavier and more widespread in an umbrous giving them a sooty appearance. I always stand to be corrected of course by a more experienced person
Regardless though, they are still both gorgeous hammies

[SnuggleHam]

I see what your saying about the dark ticking Souffle. I’m certainly not questioning your hamster know-how, youre certainly more experienced then me! and I have no clue about color standards, or else I might be able to pull off writing a genetics article on my own lol! But without questions we don’t get answers and we don’t learn :P Im slowly on my way to understanding color patterns

[hammiesarelovex3]

Everyone is so helpful! Thanks! I don't mind about the pic snuggleham!

In my room when i took that pic, the light was on and I don't think think the flash went off...

[Skwee]

There are different types of golden, there is light, normal and dark variations of golden, there is also the typical (around here) petshop golden that has blatently come from something like a golden x sable breeding and they look like a really dirty golden.

I don't know whether your hammy is a dark golden, umbrous golden or a 'petshop golden'. I don't know too much about goldens and haven't seen any or many that shade

I think, tho, that he may still be Umbrous, even if not as dark as Gwen, because he doesnt have the white cheekflashes, they are an ashy grey colour...

[souffle]

Yes Skwee you are quite right there. mmmm...have been looking around a bit and there are in the UK the three types of golden, the dark, normal and light which is virtually never seen. The dark is heavily and evenly ticked with black with the dorsal line & hair on scalp intensly shaded. Face to be swarthy with black eye rings. Belly fur is ivory with a grey undercolour and the crescents (around the black cheek flashes) ivory so I agree the look quite dark. Maybe Babyboos can shed some light? In some of the pics Carmelos belly and chin are almost white which makes me think golden. In any case he is a Golden but I think he would need to be seen in the flesh to dcide what type! Even on the show bench people and judges will disagree on exactly what colour a hamster is so it is often down to a judges decision on the day as to what a colour is judged as.

[babyboos]

The Goldens with the black eye circles all tend to carry Black in their genetic makeup.

I think Carmelo is Golden and definitey not Golden Umbrous from the additional photographs in brighter light. Golden on a show bench and in a pet shop can be really quite different.

Both are lovely but you would be amazed if you saw a really good 'Show Quality' Golden at the depth and richness of the chestnutty colour, and blowing gently on their back just amazes you at the colours the hair shafts contain.

Hammis is a Red Eyed Cream Banded Short Haired Syrian with the added complication of odd eyes due to the banded gene. She has quite a large band too which does go all the way around.

[souffle]

Oh good Babyboos and I agree
Yes Babyboos some show Goldens are quite stunning to look at and a good Satin Golden is one of the most eyecatching animals I have ever seen. I will try and get a picture of the Golden which has won Best in Show twice recently at Northern for you all on Sunday. She is gorgeous. That's if she is there.

[souffle]

As promised here is pic of the Flattop Hamstery Golden female. She has won Best in Show yet again!



As you can see she is quite heavily ticked and I had a chat with the judge who commented that the dark golden is now the favoured colour of show golden.
As to umbrous, if she were umbrous the white/ivory bits under the black cheek stripes would be grey as would the belly fur. Hope the pics help! She is a beauty. Sorry the pics are not the best.

[SnuggleHam]

The pics are great Souffle and they helped me to see what you meant about the ticking variations and the white to grey variations in the Golden and Golden Umbrous.