I apologize upfront if there is already a thread about this, I couldn't find anything pinned so I thought that I could help a bit if that's okay!
A lot of posts are made almost every day regarding Hamster identification so to help with you guys out there asking the similar question of "What is my Hamster?" here are some helpful tips!
There are five domesticated Hamster species and they are:
- The Syrian Hamster
- The Campbell's Dwarf
- The Djungarian Dwarf (Winter White)
- The Chinese
- The Roborovski
Each species is completely different from the other and this revolves around their physical appearance, mannerisms, "language" and size. To help you differentiate what you have the best thing to do is single out their key features and compare them to others! What you need to observe are:
1. Ears
2. Eyes
3. Face
4. Body
- Fur
- Size
- Weight
- Shape
http://i55.tinypic.com/ogmaub.png
(For the heck of it, let's use a photo of my Chinchilla Kyubey! You can use these tips and tricks to I.D virtually any animal by their species and breed!)Ears - With the ears you want to take note of their shape, position on the head, proportion and color.
Eyes - You want to look at their color (Which would also help in figuring out their body color if you are not sure!) and their position.
Face - try looking at how the face looks from different angles like up front and the side. Does the nose arch? Is the face puffy or lean? Is the nose short or long? Is the jawline mouse-like or rat-like?
Color - The easiest way to tell what species you have is by looking at their color! The species are so different that most colors and patterns are exclusive to particular species! This is due to breeding and some species have been successfully bred longer which can sometimes show in how many variations are available per species of Hamster. You also want to take note of any markings you see like how the color of the animal transitions into their belly color (If they have a different belly color) or patterns that are across their bodies.
Body - Fur, Size, Weight and Shape
Fur - Is the fur thick? Is it darker/lighter at the roots then the tips? Is the fur short or long? Do the fur or whiskers curl in any way? Is the fur shiny or glossy in appearance?
Size - Compare them to a dollar bill (This is a common practice in the Hamster Showing/Breeding world, as an American dollar bill is usually the same size as other paper bills in several countries.) How big are they? Put them in your hand, do they fit in your palm a certain way?
Weight - Try getting them weighed by ounces or kilograms; a common kitchen scale will suffice. By weighing them and remembering their specific age it can help you figure out what kind of species you have! This can also help you see if there are any dietary problems that need adjusting once you figure out what kind of Hamster you have ;)
Shape - Do they look like a ball? Are they pearl shaped or hourglass shaped? Do they look more like a mouse or a small rat? This also goes with their tail lengths and thicknesses.
To help you out a little more, here is a list I compiled describing each feature for you to compare to your "mystery baby" at home:
1.) Ears:
- Syrian - Large tear drop shaped, on the front of the forehead and often looking "flat" down against the back of the skull when sleepy or in distress, like an upset cat or excited dog.
- Campbell - Large and disc-like, on the front of the forehead
- Winter White - Small, on the back of the forehead and often giving a "crinkly leaf" appearance
- Chinese - Small, on the sides of the head and disc-like, almost more like a mouse
- Roborovski - Small, oval shaped and on the sides of the head often looking "teddy-bear like"
Eyes look similar for the most part, color is what you are looking for generally and they vary from black to red depending on the specific colored Hamster of a particular species
3.) Face:
- Syrian - "Rat-like" but shorter and thicker, not as lean as a rat's face but similar in appearance with puffier "lips" that make it look like a pouting teddy bear
- Campbell - Wide, short and to a sharp "point" at the nose
- Winter White - Long, round "point" at the nose and usually accompanied by a curve that gives it a "Romanesque" look
- Chinese - Long, thin and mouse-like, comes to a sharp "point"
- Roborovski - Small, wide and comes to a sharp "point" at the nose - much flatter then all Hamster species available but noticeable with puffy "lips" that give a "teddy bear" like quality
Fur:
Fur varies depending on the species of Hamster, but for the most part fur is short soft, thick and dense. There are variations in the Syrian and Campbell species though.
- Syrian - Long hair and short hair that can be affected by Rex (curly hair and whiskers) and Satin (Shiny/glossy fur)
- Campbell - Rex (curly hair and whiskers) and Satin (Shiny/glossy fur)
- Syrian - Large, usually 5-7 inches depending on ancestry
- Campbell - Small, about 3-5 inches depending on ancestry
- Winter White - Small, about 3-5 inches depending on ancestry
- Chinese - Small and thin, about 3-5 inches depending on ancestry
- Roborovski - Tiny and round, about 2-3 inches depending on ancestry
Color:
Colors vary depending on the Species of Hamster, however with the Djungarian (Winter White) there are only 2 common colors and 2 common patterns available (There are others known as Imperial and Merle but they are both extremely rare, with Imperial even being described as extinct.) and they are:
- Agouti
- Sapphire
- Pearl
- Sapphire Pearl
Baby Syrian (Sable)
Adult Syrian (Sable)
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Baby Campbell (Agouti)
Adult Campbell (Agouti)
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Baby Djungarian (Sapphire Winter White)
Adult Djungarian (Sapphire Winter White)
(This is a Hybrid in both photos, however he looks like a Djungarian so I felt it would be okay to use him as an example for now, the differences are so slight it's almost unnoticeable at first glance.)
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Baby Chinese (Agouti)
Adult Chinese (Agouti)
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Baby Roborovski (Pied)
Adult Roborovski (Pied)
Lastly, take a look at that beautiful creature you have there in that cage and take notice of it's mannerisms and personality - enjoy it and appreciate them for who they are <3 Please understand at this time, that all Hamsters are different just like us and some like attention, some like to socialize with others and Humans and some prefer to be left alone to do their own thing and can sometimes tell you in their own way. These characteristics do not mean they love you any more or less then you love them, they are who they are exactly like you and me so try your best to love them unconditional regardless of what happens as they grow with you and try to work with them to strengthen your relationship! If this means giving them more attention then usual then so be it and that also goes for all of you Hamster lovers out there who have a Hamster that prefers to do their own thing in a zen-like manner without your "two cents". Don't fret, just work with them and hope they come around and watch them and love them more every day!
Here are some helpful links that will help you figure out what colored Hamster you have of whichever species:
-> http://www.petwebsit...ter_species.htm
-> http://www.aaahamsters.org/
Edited by lacrima, 18 April 2012 - 08:42 AM.
