New litters planned at ST's

[Nancy's Hamsters]

After taking a needed break from breeding I have paired up three pairs of Hamsters, but so far the third gal hasn't been in heat however it is only day 2 of her testing. I have two female keeper pups from my own breedings,and one from a breeder who has lovely temperament hamsters with nice longevity.

First pair is My Homo Polywhite Dominant Spot Yellow keeper from my C-16 litter named Caleb to Godiva who is not my breeding but is a Satin Hetero Silver Grey Tort. The plan is for a nice patterned Sg Tort or a satin silver Pearl. This mating also will see if Godiva gained the black gene. Caleb carries Rust, and Black, but Godiva doesn't carry Rust so this litter will be focused on improving my Yellow lines with added outcross lines. Both parents are super friendly and of a fair size. They should produce excellent pets.
Caleb and Godiva breeding 8-5-16-a.JPG

Second pair is my newest addition to ST's whose name is Elkin. Elkin was sort of a mystery pup that came about when a friend gave me a lovely and very interesting color Hamster. Through chatting with a breeder over seas it has been determined Elkin is either dd Dilute Chocolate, or Homo Extreme Dilute Chocolate . Elkin is the prettiest color I have seen of a dilute. Though it is very hard to see in Photos he has a perfect ring of Chocolate fur all the way around his nose, and his eyes are red do to flash and the dd gene. Elkin was bred to Emuna who is a Huge girl from the C-16 litter. Emuna is an EE Black Tort band carrying Rust, She goes back to ED lines but it is unsure if she carries for it or not. The plans are to find out which dilute Elkin is for sure. Emuna is also Het Polywhite. I will be keeping a pup only if there is a very nice Chocolate Tort, or Chocolate Yellow male. Also still waiting for my Chocolate Tort Band which is a possible with this litter.
Elkin mating Emuna 8-6-16-b.JPG

The third and final pairing is Benjamin who is still unknown if he is a very browned out Sable or what his breeder claims he is which is a Dd Umbrous Melanistic Yellow carrying Rust. Benjamin's only other litter was not helpful in figuring which he is as there was only 2 pups born which one is a Solid black male and the other is a solid Umbrous Ee Black Tort who LOOKS a very strange sable having only one eye ring and odd brown like tort patches. Benjamin's mate is a Homo Polywhite EE Black Tort LH. Her name is Jania. Jania carries Rust and is large like her wonderful Dam ERH's Ahave of ST's.
Jania so far has not come in heat but I am sure she will soon. Benjamin is almost 2 years old so this may be his final litter. Being Jania will be 8 months old on the 23rd if not bred she will not be used as the risk is too high for her to have issues.
This is Jania just this week. She is so big she almost can't fit in my hand LOL
Janai 7-30-16.JPG
Here is old man Benjamin who I feel looks very good for a 20 month old Man Ham.
Benjamin 6-30-16-a.JPG
This was him two months earlier
Benjamin 4-16-16-e.JPG
As you can see he doesn't exactly fit the coloring of a sable as he lacks eye rings.

[freyashamsters]

Sounds like you'll have some lovely litters soon Nancy Can't wait to hear more

[Hekomi]

Elkin is a heterozygous ED black male, though he lacks the nose smudge he should have. He doesn't look dilute to me. Benjamin appears to be a yellow umbrous. Who was his breeder? I must be out of the loop as I don't know too many breeders with rust, just yourself, Erin, Jennifer, and some in the more northern states. I'd love to know more.

I wish you luck in your breedings. I'm a bit curious why you're incorporating so many genes together though; it seems you already have a lot of unknowns at this time? As well, I've been advised that ED and rust should not mix, similarly to cream and yellow. Just food for thought and some friendly advice, as it was news to me when I found out.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Originally Posted by Hekomi

Elkin is a heterozygous ED black male, though he lacks the nose smudge he should have. He doesn't look dilute to me. Benjamin appears to be a yellow umbrous. Who was his breeder? I must be out of the loop as I don't know too many breeders with rust, just yourself, Erin, Jennifer, and some in the more northern states. I'd love to know more.

I wish you luck in your breedings. I'm a bit curious why you're incorporating so many genes together though; it seems you already have a lot of unknowns at this time? As well, I've been advised that ED and rust should not mix, similarly to cream and yellow. Just food for thought and some friendly advice, as it was news to me when I found out.

Hekomi, Elkin has BROWN ears not Black and in hand his dark BROWN nose smudge is very obvious. I have been conversing with a Breeder over seas on FB who has been displaying several lovely dd hamsters and I PM'd them with many Photos of Elkin and she concurs he is dd Chocolate, and showed her dd Chocolate male to me in PM as well as in the Group she and I met in, who is exact in every way to Elkin. I don't know who told you ED Chocolate was ugly and undesired but Bill has shown me some of his and they were not white but almost a butter scotch tan and IMHO very pretty.

The breeder of Benjamin is a gal who lives just outside Toledo who had Two Rust, and Rust carrier males who didn't come from the Rust line that Lavi came from, and he was used to a Swiss Miss daughter sired by your Amaretto who also didn't go back to any lines that Lavi came from. There was only two pups produced due to both parents being close to non productive age at the time of breeding even though the Dam only had one previous litter. The breeding was to confirm Benjamin's coloring which it did confirm he is Umbrous and Melanistic Yellow but it didn't confirm he was a rust carrier which is what this next breeding could reveal. Also his breeder had him as Poly white carrier and his mate is for sure Het Poly White so should reveal also if Benjamin is also.

Unfortunately when I had to discontinue the whole Rust line which Lavi came from and his offspring I had to use what I could get with the Rust gene and many of the various Genes I now have came with the rust gene so I have to work with what I have. I can say they are long lived as Benjamin is 3 months shy of 2 years old as of today, and the other male who is a Pale eared Yellow and is Benjamin's nephew will see 17 months end of this month.

However all hamsters used are Yellow or Rust. The dd gene just came along with the Rust gene with Benjamin. I had no idea Elkin was dd until the breeder said he was only by comparision with her dd Chocolate hamsters. The other genes are pattern genes which has no or little effect on healthy companion Hamsters. Since I have no shows, nor show standards for dd, Poly white, or ED to follow I am focusing on healthy, Long lived, and good temperament Hamsters at this time, and reestablishing my Rust lines doing away with the past rust lines I got from Misty Mountain Hamu as many of them were related to Lavi, and had to be removed from breeding and all were petted out and are in happy companion homes.

Hope this answered your questions.
Here are two close ups of Elkin which show his Brown ears and, and sweet face a lot better then the above photo.
Elkin 7-17-16-j.JPG Elkin 7-17-16-l.JPG

[radiocricket]

I am also puzzled by these pairings. They seem rather random and will create more hamsters with even more puzzling phenotypes than their parents.

Elkin is not a mystery pup but a Het. ED Chocolate. He is a poor quality Het. ED in that the darkening around his nose is minimal, ideally, you'd see a full face mask. The reason that you don't want Rust in an ED line is that it can be hard to determine the colors produced as ED has a browning effect on Black, thus creating colors that are very similar.

I am quite sure Benjamin is an Umbrous Yellow (a side profile photo would confirm) and not Umbrous Yellow Black (Melanistic Yellow). If your breeding proved that he was, then it's either a matter of odds or you got the sire wrong. Breeding Umbrous into a Black line is ill advised. It is very hard to get out of a Black line and causes Black hamsters to brown earlier than they would have otherwise.

What I see here are litters that are likely to have more "mystery" phenotypes than their parents.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I guess we shall see as I have already stated numerous times that I am focused on Healthy and long lived Hamsters which are tame and friendly and will make good companion hamsters for those who want a great companion pet without having to buy from a pet store and I am not even aiming for a fancy Show hamster. I see nothing wrong with my focus, and have a good amount of people waiting on my list for Companion animals.

Also as you well know Radio Cricket what I started with and also why there are so many different genes is the breeder you know and what genes are in the hamsters. What is wrong with focusing on Long lived hamsters so pet owners can enjoy their pet for much longer then 2 or maybe 3 months if their lucky buying from a pet store? What is so horrible with focusing on Tame and friendly pet hamsters when I favor the Rust gene, and had to start anew with some lovely and healthy hamsters who just happen to have many possible carried genes? I really don't understand why all this fuss.

As for Benjamin he was sired by a Yellowblack male carrying Rust and out of a Blue female. He has unbelievable great temperament, and is almost 2 years old and still active and playful. His mate is a lovely Cream free Black Tort sired by a Pale eared Yellow male, and out of a Rust carrying Black Tort band. She has strong points where he lacks them but the important goal for me is healthy, Tame, and long lived which both parents have, and are. Pet people don't care about genes as they will be pets not show hamsters, not breeders so if I get Umbrous Black they will still love them just as much as a show quality Black hamster.

Just to pacify you though here is a side shot of the very much Melanistic Yellow Benjamin. By the fact of his parents he can only be Melanistic Yellow.
Oh and this photo was sent to me by his breeder before I collected him and is why he has the bald spot. Today he has the thickest coat I have seen on a Short haired hamster and he no longer has the bald spot.
Benjamin 4-16-16-a.JPG

[Jenibelle]

Excited for pup pictures!

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Tomorrow is the big day for Godiva. The other two didn't wish to be moms so only one new litter to arrive. I think Godiva swallowed a tennis ball LOL. This was her yesterday evening after doing a final cage clean out and filling the food up and water bottle up. She at first decided to place her crinkle Eco bedding nest right next to the water bottle but has now chosen the darker and quiet end of her breeder tank. She is due Sunday August 21st.
That monkey nut sure didn't last long once she spotted it
Godiva baby bumps 8-20-16-a.JPG

Monkey nut all gone
Godiva baby bumps 8-20-16-b.jpg

[Gimleyand Meeko]

Looking forward to hearing about the new litters!

[Pygmypuff]

Wow, Godiva is massive! Can't wait to hear about the new little ones