View Full Version : 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!! :D
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.
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.
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.
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