Color Changes!

[starrylight99]

Is anybody's Winter White starting to change their colors yet? It's been cold here and all the WW hams at my local rescue are starting to grow in some whiter coats. There are a few that were grey that are now completely white!

My two boys (who I assume are hybrids because I know none of their history) have white eyebrows! Almost overnight, I swear their eyebrows went from being a bit lighter than their coat, to completely white. The fur behind their ears is lightening, and the white on their bellies is starting to creep up their sides. Is this a hybrid thing, or just them aging? I don't know their exact age, I'm guessing they're about 4 months old.

[Katty_Sheldon]

I think its a color change in WW because of the season change, not because of the age:) Enjoy!

[DeweyTheHammy]

I have a hybrid hamster, and she's been white since I bought her 2 weeks ago. she's all white with a gray stripe. I wonder if since she's a hybrid, she'll stay white all year? because I live in Florida and its never really cold here.

[Katty_Sheldon]

From what i have read i understand some of them change, some do, hybrids dont (but is it a rule? no idea) and its really unpredictable. For example it happened only a little to my agouti Sheldon and not at all to my pearl Spock (but we shall see...).

[starrylight99]

From what i have read i understand some of them change, some do, hybrids dont (but is it a rule? no idea) and its really unpredictable. For example it happened only a little to my agouti Sheldon and not at all to my pearl Spock (but we shall see...).

Yeah that's what I understood as well. Which is why I was so shocked to see my boys getting fuzzy white eyebrows! I thought I was going crazy, but my boyfriend even pointed it out. And poor Apples, one of his eyebrows is lighter than the other now :/

And yeah I also understood that some WW's change colors while others don't. All the ones at our local rescue sure are!

[annie81]

my 2 hybrids didnt change their coat in winters...only my second one was white with a brown face when i bought him and he changed slowly to the wild colour...but it doesnt change anymore

[nooboo]

its not down to temperature, the winter whites colour change is down to light levels, as the days get shorter they start to change colour.

Of course as many like to see their pets and so keep them in rooms with lights on as it getns darker most shouldnt change colour, only those who are not getting really that much more additional light from lightbulbs.

hybrids as a mix of campbell and winter white can sometimes change colour, but can also not be able to.. its a mix it all depends what genes etc they got from the mix! Many are bred to look more winter white, so usually more winter white features like colour change are present, but there is no guarantee. I would usually expect a hybrid to be able to go into winter coat, but if shut in the dark for two weeks it doesnt change well... that wouldnt shock me

I am really confused how anyone would think a pearl could go into winter coat! Pearl is what a winter white looks like IN winter coat... so there is really no change for a pearl winter white, its only the 'coloured' ones that change.

for showing them going into winter coat is bad, or at least you loose a lot of points for it. Personally i dont see it as a problem if they change coat or not, but i do like to keep the hamstery lit during evenings so i can see the hamsters, play with them etc...so its very rare for any of mine to start to change at all.

If you really want them to change simply keep them in the dark longer

[starrylight99]

That's really interesting Nooboo, thank you! I always assumed the color change was because it got colder and they started growing in thicker coats, like dogs and horses.

[nooboo]

no not at all, its a colour change thing, they have very thick coats anyway.

Actually many animals that turn white to blend in with snow are actually triggered by day length rather than temperature, which is why they can be so caught out by sudden cold spells earlier/later in the year than normal.

Anyway, as said if they change oh well, if not doesnt matter either, many find it best to keep them lit enough not to go into winter coat, but some like them to...seems to be more a personal thing, but if you are going to be around them a lot in a lit room chances are they will never fully turn (some will still go patchy though if they are just not quite getting enough light)

With hybrids as said its all more random simply as you dont know when genes it really has, but often those looking more winter white will turn if put in the dark!

[RachK]

Yeah Nooboo is correct. I posted a thread a couple of weeks ago with my sons WW Gizmo with pics of when her coat started to change last year. It was end of October early November. Can't wait until it happens again this years especially now I have two WW's of my own. :)

The light in his room is on though until he goes to bed but it I suppose with it being off through the night that's why the change still happened. :)

[RachK]

Starrylight don't want to hijack your thread but for those who are interested here is the link to the post I made about Gizmo. In the end she was white with flecks of grey.

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/dwarf-winter-white-russian-hamster/10072-gizmos-coat-change.html

[starrylight99]

Starrylight don't want to hijack your thread but for those who are interested here is the link to the post I made about Gizmo. In the end she was white with flecks of grey.

http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/dwarf-winter-white-russian-hamster/10072-gizmos-coat-change.html

I don't mind at all! That's really awesome! I was looking for threads on color changes, that one didn't pop up for whatever reason.

It's been dark and rainy here the past week, we moved my hams to a warmer room that doesn't have much lighting at all, which would be the reason why they would be changing colors, if indeed they are. I'm still not convinced since at the moment, it's still just their eyebrows and the fur behind their ears, and a little bit creeping up from their bellies. I don't know their history at all, so I can only suspect they're hybrids.

I look forward to seeing more pics of your babies changing colors!

[mangoandmimi]

ohh so a pearl ww is like a ww... in a winter coat forever...?
cool!
lol it would be so funny lol to have oone that changed colour in winter - but apparently wws sometimes dont turn white in captivity...
ohh really want winter white now :D

[Shmoo]

Now I'm curious about Jasper. I just got him this summer, so no chance for color change yet. Right now we're having weather that feels like summer. 70F right now. haha.

I'll try and take pictures as he changes, if he does. I'm assuming he's not a hybrid? I suppose I can't be sure though because I got him at the pet shop. lol.