AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

Template:Taxobox Winter White Russian hamsters are a species of Hamster in the genus Phodopus. They are typically half the size of the better-known Syrian hamster, and therefore called dwarf hamsters along with all Phodopus species. Features include a typically thick dark gray dorsal stripe and furry feet. The tail is so short that it hardly shows when the hamster is sitting. As winter approaches and the days get shorter, Winter Whites' dark fur greys until it is almost completely white (hence the name). In the wild, this adaptation helps them evade predators in the snow covered Steppes of winter. They live mainly in Siberia and are also found in Dzungaria, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Manchuria.

Up until recently, it was debated whether the Winter White hamster was a sub-species of the Campbell's (Phodopus campbelli) or not; however, it is now known that the Winter whites are of their own species, Phodopus sungorus.

Winter White Russian hamsters as pets

They are often found on the pet market, in Europe and Asia more so than in the U.S.. They are rarely found in pet stores in Canada. Care is similar to that of the Campbell's dwarf hamster. Winter White hamsters generally make excellent pets. However, a larger Syrian Hamster would be more suitable for younger children as they can be handled more clumsily. Winter White hamsters should not be fed food containing sources of monosaccharides because of the risk of developing diabetes mellitusTemplate:Reference needed.

Winter Whites, in common with the Campbell's Dwarf Hamster are sociable and will live together peacefully with others of their own species, but are best introduced at a young age and will require a sufficiently large cage to ensure they live together happily.

In general, dwarf hamsters typically have more of a family structure than the Syrian Hamster. Conventional beliefs that dwarf hamsters will happily live in mated pairs, with both male and female caring for the young. However, this may be a result of a frequent confusion of the Winter Whites and the Campbell's hamsters. Current research work suggest biparental care in Campbell's hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) but not in Winter Whites (Phodopus sungorus) (see research work by Dr. Katherine Wynne-Edwards at Queen's University, Ontario, Canada). Some report that same-sex pairs and larger groups don't always get along well and frequent fighting may occur and be a great distress for them, or even lead to deadly incidents.

There are several phases (colorations) of Winter White hamsters: their normal (dark brownish-grey colouring) or sapphire (blue-grey colouring). A white pattern called pearl (white with coloured hairs) sometimes exists in either phase, producing the normal pearl or sapphire pearl forms. However, these colours may be difficult to find, and the range of colours is much narrower than in the case of the Campbell's.

Winter White hamsters, also called Siberian hamsters, come from the steppes of Siberia and Kazakhstan and possess an adaptation not seen in Campbells: they can moult into a white winter coat. This camouflages them against the snow and also gives them their name. This moulting is brought on by the amount of day light; if the hamster is kept in an environment with short duration of day light (< 12 hours of light/day) for more than 6 weeks, they will change into their winter coat (white guard hair with thick inner hair) with only a single black stripe going through the center of the back. Such seasonal moulting is mediated through the nocturnal secretion of melatonin, the hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Short day lengths also triggers the regression of the gonads in both male and females, and thus Winter Whites become infertile. Because Winter White hamsters show such photoperiodic and seasonal changes in physiology and various behaviors, it is also used as a research model system for studying seasonality and photoperiodism.

The average lifespan of the Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is 1½ to 2 years, although they can live longer.

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  Pearl Winter White - Front

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  Pearl Winter White - Side

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  Pearl Winter White - Rear

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  Pearl Winter White - Face

Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster, normal color

Campbells/Whiter White Hybrids

Of the 5 species kept as pets only the Campbells and Winter Whites are able to interbreed and produce live offspring (hybrids). Hybrids are most often unknowingly produced through incorrect identification of the two similar species of hamsters and unfortunately the number of hybrids is increasing particularly within pet shops in many countries today where they are often mislabelled as being one or other of the pure species.

Although hybrids make suitable pets the breeding of hybrids should be avoided as it can cause health and birthing problems and also the widespread breeding and distribution of hybrids could threaten the existence of both pure species in captivity. Therefore if intending to breed Russian hamsters it is important to ensure that both hamsters being bred are a pure form of, and of the same, species to avoid producing hybrids.

External links

• Pet Web Site (formerly The Complete Hamster Site) section on Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamsters
• Pet Web Site (formerly The Complete Hamster Site) section on Hybrid Hamsters
• Hamster Heaven
• Xander.it - Winter White video gallery
• FurryCritters