Three questions about Ruby-eyed Fawn

[Sam Zika]

The Syrian hamster color Ruby-eyed Fawn (ruru) is thought to be extinct. One of the reasons it's no longer around is because it caused fertility issues in males. Of course, being recessive, it could still be lurking somewhere. Does anybody know the answers to these questions?

1. When was it last seen?
2. What did the hamsters look like? Any photos??
3. Why does the combination color Ruby-eyed Cream (ee ruru) have an NHC standard, but the single-gene color Ruby-eyed Fawn (ruru) does not?

[jemmalg]

Ooh interesting questions! Unfortunately I have no answers for you, other than that ruby eyed fawn did have a standard at some point as it was definitely shown in the 60/70s.

I'm at a show in June so if we don't have any further answers on this by then I shall ask around, there will be breeders there who have been showing for a long time!


ETA: I have done some searching, haha I like a good mystery! I've found this link, which appears to be a standard! It's in Russian but I can't seem to paste the translation properly http://s-hamster.narod.ru/okrasi/RYfawn.htm

[Sam Zika]

Thanks! Yes, please ask some of the long-time breeders about it. I don't have the opportunity to attend such events, so I'm glad you can.

[jemmalg]

I've asked today, we don't seem to have any photos, but I do have a standard (which was in my hidden in my handbook all along, derp) which I will post up when I'm home and have a computer. It looked somewhere between a cinnamon and a light golden, not particularly striking cheek flashes, no ticking, grey ears and ruby eyes.

The standard has been archived and lives in the appendices of the handbook, which is why it's harder to find. The ruby eyed cream should be there too. It's appended just in case it makes a reappearance at some point.

We're not sure when it was last seen, it was standardised in 1951 and Pete from Towy thinks one of his first hams was one, however by the time they wrote hamsterlopedia (2002?) it was almost definitely disappeared.

[Sam Zika]

Wow, how exciting to be able to mingle with such luminaries of the hamster world. To us, here in the eastern US, that sounds like taking a bus to Mount Olympus to have coffee with the gods.

What handbook do you speak of, and can I obtain one in a digital form?

[jemmalg]

Haha it is interesting! It's the NHC handbook given to members when we join a club, it has all of the standards and NHC info in.

[BrainGirl]

I think I looked into that and people outside the UK can join. Pretty sure I read that anyway...

[kyrilliondaemon]

There's a link to download a copy of the handbook here for anyone interested

[Sam Zika]

Any idea why Ruby-eyed Fawn (ruru) and Cinnamon Fawn (ppruru) were removed from the NHC standards but Ruby-eyed Cream (eeruru) is still there?