Winter White Dwarf Hamsters – Genetics Glossary

Winter White Hamster Facts – Definitions and Glossary

Winter Whites (on Djungarians) are quite established as pets, but there is still plenty to know about them – especially the few colors available (and how to make your own) – so we have started a glossary to get things started for us all – and we will add more as we learn more ourselves – or something new develops in the world of these charming dwarfs.

They are in alphabetical order as best we can, but will be repeated throughout if they have lots of definitions or ways of being described – just to make sure you find what you are looking for.

Right, here goes…

A

the way of writing the dominant version of an Agouti gene – so far though the Winter Whites don’t have it.  Unlike most other domesticated rodents – its wild colour is deemed to be Dilute or Blue (if compared to rodents such as gerbils, Syrian hamsters and degus)

Agouti Gene      

this gene is the gene which determines the wild color of most rodents – and they have a ticked coat as adults.  It isn’t yet found in winter whites  

Campbell’s Hamster (Phodopus campbelli)              

One of the only other hamsters that can successfully produce young with the winter whites – which are known as hybrids.  They are very difficult to tell apart, and although they have more available coat colors – the offspring of these hamsters will never be pure winter white again.

carries (i.e. carries a gene)

to carry a gene means that that specific gene is one of the two genes at a particular locus that each winter white is ‘allowed’ to have – you may or may not know what this gene is.  Often, when this is used to refer to the second or unused gene – it is often called a ‘hidden gene’

Coat Color

coat color genes affect the color of the coat itself and in most rodents are represented with the letters A B C D E for starters – plus others as they are found.  We don’t yet know if there are other coat color genes available for winter whites, as they currently only have D and Pe, but there is certainly the P – eye colour gene to be had surely?

Coat Type

coat type describes the effects that can be laid over the top of the coat color to give it a different appearance – including Long-Haired or Satin coats. Winter whites do not yet have any reported coat types other than ‘normal’

d

this would indicate a standard recessive version of the dilution gene.   It represents ‘blue’ in many rodent fancies, but in winter whites it is called ‘sapphire’

D*/D-/D^

this notation shows that there is at least one dominant gene present but it is unknown what the second gene in the pair is (as it is hidden).  It just makes it clear to breeders that it ‘could’ be a carrier or the recessive version – and possibly create the sapphire colour – but it hasn’t been proven.  The only way to prove this gene is to breed this normal winter white to a sapphire winter white: and if you get ANY sapphire pups it is defo Dd (however, if you don’t get sapphire pups from one litter it doesn’t prove the gene yet – you need at least 10 pups from a sapphire hamster to be sure it doesn’t carry it.  You really need to want to know it to do this) 

Dilution Gene (D)      

this gene is the gene which determines whether winter whites and other wild rodents have a diluted colouring showing in their coats – and often creates what is called a ‘blue’ (as it strips the full black out of a black hair and makes it look blue) – but as stated above – this is called sapphire in winter whites (when recessive) and is the only color available other than ‘normal’ which is a deep grey color

Djungarian Hamster               

One of the many ways to describe the species of hamster known by the binominal name of Phodopus sungorus – a dwarf hamster that moults out to a whiter coat in winter (or in the environmental conditions that mimic winter).  Other names include Russian dwarf hamster, winter white hamster, striped dwarf hamster, or even Siberian hamster

Domestic Animal

this describes animals that have been bred over time from a wild animal into one that is more suited to living with humans.  Many exotic pets like winter whites (still only found in limited colors) are not to be confused with ‘exotic pets’ which are from equatorial countries and have specific temperature/humidity/UV or other specialised requirements

Dominant

the word used to describe a version of a gene that always shows itself in the color or appearance of a winterwhite if it is present – like Normal (D).  You cannot carry a dominant gene – it can’t be ‘hidden’

Dwarf Hamster

this phrase is often used to describe and hamster that isn’t a Syrian hamster (including 4 species in fact) although only the winter whites really go by this name as a ‘common name’.  Other dwarf hamsters include Campbell’s, Chinese and Roborovskis 

Exotic Animals

this word is used to describe one of three things: 1) species of animals that have been pets for a long time but are still quite unusual in the world of mainstream pets (for example geckos and prairie dogs); then 2) species of animals that haven’t been pets for very long and so are closer to their wild counterparts – like Persian Jirds and scorpions.  As a result there is less know about their diets, behaviour and breeding as well as their medical care and other needs (for example Great Gerbils and Kinkajous); and 3) species of animals that have to have specialist care based on their original habitat and who usually can’t survive without it (for example tree frogs and salt-water fish).  Some vets even call winter whites exotic pets…

Fancy

a word used to describe the love of a certain domestic animal to the point where people are breeding them for pets and for show.  Winter whites can be shown at standard rodent shows in some areas but the yaren’t as big a Syrians – literally too

First Generation

this is used to describe all the pups from two single parents – regardless of how many pups they have together.  All their pups only have the genes given to them from these same parents. It is usually shown as F1, where the F stands for ‘filial’

Gene

the word used when describing the thing that will (or won’t) affect your winter white’s color, hair type (or anything else that makes your winter white a winter white) – like the ‘dilution gene’ or the ‘colourpoint gene’ (not yet reported)

Gene Pool

this describes the genes available within a collection of winter whites.  It can mean just within your clan – the genes you can use over and over to create the best winter whites possible (like bigger ears, bigger eyes, longer hair); or it can mean all the genes in all the winter whites of the world

Genetic Nomenclature

this phrase is used to describe how a winter white’s genes can be written down.  It uses a system of uppercase and lowercase letters (one for each gene) as well as symbols to represent unknown or unproven genes – at the minute though it is quite limited (dd Pe) might be all you get

Genotype

this word describes the genes that are present in your winter whites –  whether you can see them or not (basically it is your genetic notation – so Sapphire is just dd)

Hybrid

this phrase is used to describe a hamster (or any animal or plant) that was created from two different species or clearly defined subspecies in some circumstances – basically a more serious version of a cross breed dog.  There aren’t many different species that can successfully breed with each other anyway – but Campbell’s and winter whites are two that can and do breed together (or should I say ‘get bred together’).  They look so similar too that many novice breeders can’t tell them apart – or get told otherwise by a breeder or shop – and once crossed the purity of the species is lost – however some great new things can sometimes be produced by mixing genes – as with flowers – but generally within the fancy – it is frowned upon. 

Imperial Gene (Wh)

this gene is believed to be extinct in winter whites now.  It was originally a pattern gene (a gene that overlays the original color of the hamster) and used to create a slightly paler coat and a white belly.  There are virtually no images of these in general circulation

Inbreeding

this term usually describes the action of indiscriminate breeding of close family members together – like mothers to sons and uncles to nieces, etc.  It is usually looked on in a negative way in the fancy – as breeding with closely related individuals over and over again in a small population can ‘bring out’ or inflate the likelihood of negative traits.  It can also be used carefully to bring out a favourable trait in a small population where it is known as Line Breeding which can be an essential tool when starting out with a relatively unusual pet like a winter white

Line Breeding

this term usually describes a concerted effect to breed in and increase the likelihood of a specific trait appearing in a population – for example; a shorter tail, a pointier nose or new coat type, or to eliminate an undesirable gene from a small population.  It is also used in founder populations, to make sure the species stays pure (ie there is no cross breeding of other similar subspecies). Line Breeding involves breeding close relatives together (known as a ‘line’) and is carefully planned and executed over a period of time for the safest results

Marbled

this coat pattern is believed to be in winter whites – but there is very little detail on it.  It is also called merle

Meiosis

this describes the biological action of gene sorting and cell division.  An egg or sperm cell has only half the information of a whole cell. This happens because you need two halves to make a whole new cell (a baby)  Anyway, to get these half cells, a normal whole cell has to divide into two – but before it divides in half – it mixes up all the information inside and lays it out slightly differently.  This re-shuffling process produces individuals and is the reason why you don’t look exactly that same as your cousins, nan or your Autie Pauline

Merle

this coat pattern is believed to be in winter whites – but there is very little detail on it.  It is also called marbled

Morphological Features

this word describes the shape, size and structure of an organism.  It can be different within the same species depending on what those different animals do (for example dog breeds are all morphologically different) but on a smaller scale if can mean something more simple like pet duprasi may have slightly wider tails than in the wild as they would most likely have been selectively bred over time to look more and more cute

Normal Color

this coat color is the standard ‘wild’ color of the winter whites.  It is a deep grey on the body with a wide dark dorsal stripe as well as less noticeable stripes on the sides at the juncture of their white underbelly.

Pearl Gene               

the gene in winter whites that determines whether the hamster is white or mainly white in color.  This gene is dominant – so you only need 1 of these to see the effect – and it is also dominant physically over the normal and the sapphire coat colors.  It basically ‘cloaks’ the original colour.  Like any other piebald or spotted gene, the pearl gene patterns the coat with varying amounts on white fur – in winter whites this is usually a total cover.  The hamster is still genetically the color it was meant to be – so when bred to non pearl individuals – these colours will still be there.

Phenotype

this word describes the appearance of your winter whites from the outside.  A phenotypic change in your winter whites would be if for example it was born with a really long tail, or it had massive feet  

Phodopus campbelli (Campbell’s dwarf hamster)              

One of the only other hamsters that can successfully produce young with the winter whites – who’s pups are known as hybrids.  They are very difficult to tell apart both before and after hybridising, and although the Campbell’s  have more available coat colors – the offspring of these hamsters will never be pure winter white again.

Phodopus sungorus

the binomial name for the species ‘winter white’.  It is in the same genus as two other dwarf hamsters (the Roborovski and the Campbell’s) and is also within the same wider grouping as Chinese and Syrian hamsters 

Piebalding

this describes the increasing amount of white fur on an animal, from one spot to a virtually white creature.  The Pearl gene in winter whites takes virtually all the color out of a coat (with piebalding the hamster is still ‘a color’ it is just the piebalding gene of that animal covers it up)

Population

this describes the winter whites that are able to breed with each other as required.  It could mean just your own colony, your colony plus neighbouring breeders, or your colony and your whole country. Basically, the population of a species, biologically speaking, is those individuals which can meet and produce more young

Prolactin            

the name of the chemical – that along with daylight changes – creates the effect of their coat change – winter whites.  A variety of chemical changes are triggered which pale out the coat of these tiny hamsters in winter to create less of a contrast in colour to a snow-covered tundra and help protect them from predators

Russian Dwarf Hamster               

One of the many ways to describe the species of hamster known by the binominal name of Phodopus sungorus – a dwarf hamster that moults out to a whiter coat in winter (or in the environmental conditions that mimic winter).  Other names include Djungarian, winter white hamster, striped dwarf hamster, or even Siberian hamster 

Sapphire            

the appearance of a winter white with two recessive dilution genes (dd) – the only actual available color in winter whites other than ‘normal’ (D*) 

Selective Breeding

this word describes the process by humans or changing or controlling the appearance or health of an animal over time to improve, enhance or remove a feature or series of features that are either desirable or undesirable.  For example; wild winter whites may have larger feet to help them grip on rocks – however pet winter whites don’t need to worry about that so much. So, over time, by selecting the healthiest winter whites we may not really watch out for foot size directly, so over time breeders can gradually reduce the ‘natural’ size of the feet by the accumulation of that effect.  A more simple use of the term will be where breeders who want to show the winter whites with the fluffiest faces – so when selecting their breeding stock will only select those winter whites with the most fluffy faces to breed from in the first place. They will select against (not choose) hamsters with bald or smooth faces with the effect of increasing the chances of getting more and more fluffy faces in their litters

White            

the appearance of a winter white with the Pearl gene can make it look totally white – covering up all of its original underlying color.  This hamster isn’t white genetically per se – it has been bred from a normal-colored hamster – say sapphire.  

Winter White               

One of the many ways to describe the species of hamster known by the binominal name of Phodopus sungorus – a dwarf hamster that moults out to a whiter coat in winter (or in the environmental conditions that mimic winter).  Other names include Djungarian, Russian dwarf hamster, striped dwarf hamster, or even Siberian hamster