Roborovski genetics

**babyboos** · 02-25-2005, 08:33 PM

I think I will pick a nice easy one

to start as there is only currently one mutation in this species, the "white faced", discovered in Sweden in May 2003. As far as we can tell so far it is dominant - only one parent need have the "white faced" gene for you to get approximately half "white faced" offspring in the litter. We don't know if it is a homozygous lethal yet though. Hopefuly spring and a renewed spurt of breeding will tell.

This is a picture of a normal Roborovski Dwarf hamster. The natural colour is sandy-gold over the back, with grey roots, a white belly, and distinctive white "eyebrows".

In the "white faced" Roborovski Dwarf hamster the coat is still sandy- gold in colour and the roots of the hairs are grey, however, the hamster has white face with just a coloured V coming from the ears to just above the eyes. The belly remains white, the eyes black, and the ears are pale grey. Some breeders have reported that the coloured areas fade with age. Please check out the bottom of this link for a photograph: Linda Price, Feature Hamsters:Gidget and Gadget, California Hamster Association or view the Hamster Information Pages of PetWebSite.

Emma · 02-26-2005, 12:43 AM

I've also seen mention of a "husky" variation on the net - have you heard anything about that?

Are you breeding white-faceds Morag?

Em x

**babyboos** · 02-26-2005, 06:10 AM

This is just another name to describe the "White Faced" Roborovski Dwarf hamster.

I am not breeding them, although I do own one. My little boy died so I have only a female left and she has not had a litter yet

As far as I am aware there is still not a gene coding symbol agreed on for this mutation

Emma · 02-26-2005, 08:14 AM

Oh I see....I guess like husky dogs, have a white chest/face, ish?

Who officially decides what genes are called anyway - do breeders just start calling something "Wf" for example, or does the NHC/BHA decree this kind of thing?

**babyboos** · 02-27-2005, 10:05 AM

When new mutations are discovered a proposed genotype code is usually discussed by these and other leading bodies in "the hamster fancy" as it is known, it all depends where and who "finds" it. Certainly whatever code they decide on usually becomes the accepted genotype symbol. Many of these genes can be found in other species, and if they already had a colourway which was similiar to the new mutation this existing code would most likely be used. The gene codes selected are generally quite sensible I think, and descriptive of the characteristics that genotype produces.

Please see this article courtesy of River Road Hamstery for more information on how a particular genotype code was decided upon for a new gene in Syrian Hamsters, as shown there is often sound scientific backing Extreme Dilute Gene

arikata · 05-19-2008, 03:23 PM

Something that I have noticed with my robos:
2 are white faced (cutest things on earth!) and 2 are normal but a little lighter than usual (all from the same family). The thing is, the 2 white faced hamsters stick together and the two darker hamsters stook together (before one of them had a sex change!) Is this coincidence do you think? Or maybe hamster facism?

Bunsey · 05-20-2008, 12:13 AM

could be that they are from different litters. p@h often stuff different litters of robos in the same tank. they must do, because i've seen like 10 robos in one tank and also tanks where some were bigger. My 4 robos all picked on the 5th right from the start and he was a bit bigger. never thought anything of it at the time, but now i think he was a different litter.