Albino hamsters?

[Teddy001]

Is there albino hamsters? I'm seeing pet shops label white colored hamsters with red eyes, " albino." Isn't albino due to a specific recessive gene? How can you tell the difference between albino and white/red eyes hamsters?
Curious minds want to know.. Lol.
Thanks X

[kyrilliondaemon]

There aren't true albino hamsters, just red eyed whites

[Kimberly]

I did some research, and it looks like Syrians cannot be truly "albino". But Syrians with red/pink eyes and white fur are still classified as albino, probably for easier categorization. A lot of sites put parentheses under that said "flesh-eared white" or "synthetic albino", then later explained that Syrians couldn't truly be albino. Couldn't find too much on other breeds, not like I know a lot of them. But the other breeds I did see had said the characteristics that define an albino of that breed are red/pink eyes and white fur. So, I suppose the stores can easily get away with saying that those hamsters are albino, even if they aren't "true" albinos.

[Teddy001]

Originally Posted by kyrilliondaemon

There aren't true albino hamsters, just red eyed whites

Yes, I couldn't find any concrete information regards to true albino hamsters, other than on google there's mixed information. A link said, there are albino "Syrians" in which, what makes them albino's, is their skin, is a "reddish" color, white coat, red eyes, flush tone ears, and their body temperature is different than an non albino Syrian. I do not know if there's any truth to this, so, thought I'd post a question regards to it. thank you, Kyrill

[Teddy001]

Originally Posted by Kimberly

I did some research, and it looks like Syrians cannot be truly "albino". But Syrians with red/pink eyes and white fur are still classified as albino, probably for easier categorization. A lot of sites put parentheses under that said "flesh-eared white" or "synthetic albino", then later explained that Syrians couldn't truly be albino. Couldn't find too much on other breeds, not like I know a lot of them. But the other breeds I did see had said the characteristics that define an albino of that breed are red/pink eyes and white fur. So, I suppose the stores can easily get away with saying that those hamsters are albino, even if they aren't "true" albinos.

Okay, thank you .. So, the Syrian hamster species, do not have the albino gene pool, such as an human would, when they are born "albino.". X

[Kimberly]

Originally Posted by Teddy001

Okay, thank you .. So, the Syrian hamster species, do not have the albino gene pool, such as an human would, when they are born "albino.". X

According to what i could find on the internet, pretty much.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

The White fur and red eyed Syrian has two genes for the c(d) gene which is a gene which blocks any pigment on fur and eyes so you get a white fur and actually colorless eyes (the red is actually the blood flowing in the Hamsters eye ball at the optic nerve.)

A true albino Hamster will produce itself where a c(d) white Syrian is actually a fully colored hamster that also has two doses of the c(d) gene which is actually more like the Himalyan gene in other rodents. Dark eared White hamsters are the best example of this gene and the dark pigment only shows on colder parts of the hamster which is the Ears only as the tail and nose are too warm for any dark pigment. When a Dark eared White hamster is mated to a normal color hamster the resulting pups will be normal colored unless the color hamster also carries for the c(d) gene. Then a pup who gains the c(d) gene from both parents will be like the white furred parent. Flesh eared white hamsters are Dark eared who also have two genes for the cinnamon gene. Here's the best example I have with the c(d) gene.
Meet Virgo a Dark eared White
Virgo-a.JPG
I had no clue what color was under that pure white coat except to know it had to have black ears and was at the most a cinnamon carrier as other wise Virgo would have had flesh color ears. I bred her to my lovely Satin Melanistic Yellow male and here's the result of that mating which showed me beyond a doubt what color lurked under that c(d) gene
Male pup #1
Egos-day 24-b-Male pup #1.JPG
Male pup #2
Egos-day 24-d-Male pup #2.JPG
Male pup #3
Egos-day 24-f-Male pup #3.JPG
and the only female pup
Egos-day 24-h-Female pup.JPG

So it was obvious that the blocked out color on Virgo was Black as if it was Dove she would have had flesh colored ears

[Teddy001]

Originally Posted by Nancy's Hamsters

The White fur and red eyed Syrian has two genes for the c(d) gene which is a gene which blocks any pigment on fur and eyes so you get a white fur and actually colorless eyes (the red is actually the blood flowing in the Hamsters eye ball at the optic nerve.)

A true albino Hamster will produce itself where a c(d) white Syrian is actually a fully colored hamster that also has two doses of the c(d) gene which is actually more like the Himalyan gene in other rodents. Dark eared White hamsters are the best example of this gene and the dark pigment only shows on colder parts of the hamster which is the Ears only as the tail and nose are too warm for any dark pigment. When a Dark eared White hamster is mated to a normal color hamster the resulting pups will be normal colored unless the color hamster also carries for the c(d) gene. Then a pup who gains the c(d) gene from both parents will be like the white furred parent. Flesh eared white hamsters are Dark eared who also have two genes for the cinnamon gene. Here's the best example I have with the c(d) gene.
Meet Virgo a Dark eared White
Attachment 30303
I had no clue what color was under that pure white coat except to know it had to have black ears and was at the most a cinnamon carrier as other wise Virgo would have had flesh color ears. I bred her to my lovely Satin Melanistic Yellow male and here's the result of that mating which showed me beyond a doubt what color lurked under that c(d) gene
Male pup #1
Attachment 30299
Male pup #2
Attachment 30300
Male pup #3
Attachment 30301
and the only female pup
Attachment 30302

So it was obvious that the blocked out color on Virgo was Black as if it was Dove she would have had flesh colored ears

Ooo, how interesting .. x thank you, Nancy..