Torties and bands!

HuanLang · 10-05-2014, 04:25 AM

I've noticed that a lot of tortoiseshell hamsters also have the banded gene which seems to make the pattern look more intense! However in some cases like Hekomi's flashy tort. I'd definitely ruin the pattern.

I'm sorta on the fence about the possibility of breeding a band into my tortie lines.

Also does the quality of the tortoiseshell markings get passed on to the babs or is it random?

ANYWAY. What are your guys thoughts on this?

**kyrilliondaemon** · 10-05-2014, 05:32 AM

Its all completely random, both the quality of the band and the tort markings are random

HuanLang · 10-05-2014, 05:57 AM

Checked this morning. Paw has gotten worse.

He'll be going to the vets tomorrow.

Hekomi · 10-05-2014, 06:37 AM

The quality of the tort is random - if you look at Arya's mum, she's actually not that well marked at all, lol! Neither is her sister. But I do agree - a band would ruin her pattern.

I do enjoy the white with the tort patches, and will be breeding banded and/or dominant spot (it doesn't really show well with tort usually, so if I find it's not doing what I want, I'll breed it out of the torts) onto them. In our area, most people don't understand "tort" and refer to them as "tricolours" or "calicos" which is anoying - but without the white they don't understand how they're what they want, just without a band.

Nancy's Hamsters · 10-05-2014, 02:29 PM

I must be different. If Arya had a perfect band that was exact to the standard for bands she would be even lovelier. Can you just image that tiger stripping divided into two equal parts of Yellow and Black by a pure white stripe? I think if you saw it with a band you'd think other wise. As for to add in band or not all I can say is pet buyers love three colored Hamsters. My Ee Black Tort bands always get reserved before any other colors or patterns. On Black Tort the Cream gene carried actually produces a more eye catching coloring. But I do see the need to get Cream genes out because of the fake BEC pups which occur when you have a pup who is genetically a Yellow with two cream genes. And example(which actually happened) Top winning BEC shown at shows. Wins multiple certificates and becomes a Champion. Shower was sold this Hamster as a BEC and seeing the parents had no reason to doubt, nor did the breeder the hamster came from. Multi Champ then gets a BIS and their offspring are in high demand. This Hamster's pups are used by several other showers and one day it is found the BIS Cream is genetically an ee Melanistic Yellow, and produces a beautiful Black TORT pup. Until this top winning and producer of equally top winning Offspring Hamster was bred to a BEC who also carried for Black the hidden Yellow gene went on and on in the BIS winning Hamsters lines. NOW everyone who has offspring of this top winning hamster(as well as siblings) has to wonder if their pup is hiding that elusive yellow gene.

Now this wouldn't be so bad if you weren't trying to breed the next BIS BEC hamster, but if you were aiming for a super awesome pure BEC this could virtually ruin your whole works and force you to start all over in producing that top BEC winner who will only produce more BEC offspring.

Had it not been for one breeder/shower using a BEC they knew carried Black the secret would have remained unknown for many many generations down the road. With Bands or without bands. If Arya were not Ee her pattern would not be as eye catching at all to a pet person but would sure catch the eye of a judge.

Sorry I got a bit off subject here. The Band gene in your Yellow lines would be your choice. IF you breed to show it is even harder to produce that perfect animal as not only do you need a 50/50 patterned Black and Yellowblack, BUT also need a band that is perfectly sized and has no color at all in it. Tort pattern is Random, BUT you can breed towards a perfect band. However you'll still find good bands, and rubbish bands from a perfect band parent. That said I would say it depends on your personal goals on why your breeding Torts. If for show keep the band out, if for quality healthy companion Hamsters why not add the band with one parent you know genetically only carries one Band gene so will produce both Torts and Tort banded offspring.