Help me with learning my hamster colours?

[Hekomi]

Yeah, the baby coats make it tricky. Thank you though! I'll pass that along, and try to get you more pics as they get older.

[NiceCrocs]

This thread has me curious as to what Margo would be classified as. I've always just kind of called her 'cinnamon' but I know NOTHING about syrian genetics (though I'd love to learn, because it sounds fascinating!)

So here's a pic

(GAH it's sideways again >_< sorry)

[Hekomi]

She looks like a very light golden to me, shorthair.

However, could that/is that rust? The markings do look more cinnamon like, but lack the grey I'm used to seeing in the undercoat.

[NiceCrocs]

Originally Posted by Hekomi

She looks like a very light golden to me, shorthair.

However, could that/is that rust? The markings do look more cinnamon like, but lack the grey I'm used to seeing in the undercoat.

sorry to be obtuse, but what is the difference between rust and golden? How would I tell? I don't think she has any grey in her undercoat, but I'll give her a closer look when she wakes up.

Her father is an absolute mystery, so I might be wrong, but she's got some tufts behind her ears and hips, so I THINK she's actually long haired.

[Hekomi]

I can't tell well from my iPhone screen, lol, I have to blow up the image, but if she has ear tufts she'd be long haired.

Gallery of Hamster Colors - Dixie Dust Hamsters

I use that site as a starter to try to figure my colours out. Golden is the typical, "wild" coat, and is what my Java is (though she has umbrous too). Rust is lighter.

ETA: Rust is pretty rare though, so I'm thinking golden is likely your colour.

[souffle]

A rust has a brownish grey undercoat and the ticking is dark brown as are the ears and eyes. In a Golden the undercoat is very dark grey and the eyes and ears are black as well as the ticking.
I'd like to see the hamster in a better light. I'd say she was a cinnamon from that pic.

The difference between poorly coloured goldens / rusts and cinnamons can become very blurred and they can all look very similar.

[NiceCrocs]

I went looking through my phone just now to see if I had any better pictures of her undercoat (I don't) but I found this one I took with the flash on and her eyes are red. Does that mean her eyes are actually red or is it a trick of the light or something?

If so, she matches the cinnamon description on the website except for the undercoat.

Also this site is fascinating excellent primer for colors.

[NiceCrocs]

Originally Posted by souffle

A rust has a brownish grey undercoat and the ticking is dark brown as are the ears and eyes. In a Golden the undercoat is very dark grey and the eyes and ears are black as well as the ticking.
I'd like to see the hamster in a better light. I'd say she was a cinnamon from that pic.

The difference between poorly coloured goldens / rusts and cinnamons can become very blurred and they can all look very similar.

Thanks soufflé I'll see if I have any better pictures.

[souffle]

Some pics that may help courtesy of Wyeside hamstery
Tiger-Lily, SH Rust, bred by Hamster Mischief


and Poppy, SH Golden


The difference is quite small but you can see it here

[Hekomi]

Oh thanks Souffle!

Yes, she's cinnamon with that red glare to her eyes

Rust I find hard to tell from Golden, and then Mink and Dove. Yellow and BEC sometimes too, when the yellow is not well ticked.