Do Hamsters change colour?

[kay]

My Syrian Magnum seems to be turning more 'gingery'. He was a sandy colour before but his fur is definitely darkening to a more orange tone.

Is this something that usually happens?

[souffle]

Yes some colours do change as the hamsters get older. Most commonly Mink will go gingery brown from a greyer brown, Sable will brown from a much darker more black colour, Black will go dark brown and Dove will brown from Grey to gingery colour. Some do it as early as first moult and others last 7-8 months or so before browning.
Creams become richer and more peachy as they age.

[kay]

Ah so does that give me an idea of his age too? I adopted him from a neighbour in May/June and she got him from her sister so had no idea how old he was.

[Munchalot]

It could be an indicator, but broadly. Sometimes it depends on the hamsters.

My syrian is a long haired black (I've noticed that the long haired tend to change colour more noticeably than the short haired) and even though he is a young hamster he has gone really gingery on his back. I think it looks cute, especially as his black dilutes into a light blue-grey in his skirt, so he's a fluffy blend of black, ginger and grey.

[Queen Of The High Teas]

One of my hamsters escaped under the washing machine once, got a shock of some sort and turned a completely different colour! he was dark brown and black mottled with a sort of scruffy coat when he went under it, out came a smooth coated, single coloured light toffee cream coloured ham - we thought we'd got the wrong hamster back!

[kay]

I'd love to know how old he is. I don't think he is very old though.

LOL Queen of the high teas - are you sure you did get the right hamster back?

[Queen Of The High Teas]

We must have done, nobody else around us had lost a hamster, and as I'd seen him go under the washer, it had to be him! Never heard of anything like it since, I know you can go white from shock, but that was ridiculous!

[kay]

LOL that is so strange!