About Winter White Dwarf Hamsters

If you bought your dwarf hamster from a pet store you can be almost certain that it is not a Winter White Dwarf hamster. Winter White hamsters are not extremely common, but in recent years they've been gaining popularity. There is some confusion about their origins and even what determines if a hamster is a winter white or not. While some think that the Siberian dwarf hamster is a winter white, it is not always true.

  1. Origin

    • In the 1960's there were no winter white dwarf hamsters. At least, if there were, they were unknown. When winter white dwarf hamsters were first discovered, scientists classified them as the same species as the Campbells Dwarf Russian. Eventually, it was determined they were different, but at first they were classified as a sub-type. It has only been in recent years that the Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster has been classified as its own separate species.

    Identification

    • Identifying a Winter White Dwarf Russian hamster is not easy. Generally, the only way to be sure is to compare one side by side with a Campbell's Russian hamster. The Winter White should be a little larger and have thicker fur. The Winter White will have three stripes. Its eyes are larger than the Campbell's, too. In addition, the ears on a Campbell's have more prominence than those on a Winter White.

    Significance of the Name

    • Winter White hamsters are usually darker than Campbell's Russian hamsters. That might leave you wondering why they are called "Winter White." It's because these hamsters have a color changing ability. Although Winter Whites in captivity don't always do it, this type of hamster changes color in the winter. If the hamster gets a winter coat it will be white. That is in contrast to their summer coat of dark gray.

    Name Confusion

    • Winter White Dwarf Russian hamsters are also called "Siberian Dwarf Hamsters." Unfortunately, not all Siberian Dwarf Hamsters are Winter Whites. In fact, at present finding a Winter White in a pet store is very rare, but you might find a Siberian Dwarf hamster there. That's because many times pet stores (mistakenly or intentionally) call some Cambell's Dwarf Russian hamsters Siberians. The truth is only a Winter White hamster is really a Siberian Dwarf hamster.

    Variations

    • There are three variations on the standard Winter White Dwarf Russian hamster. First seen in 1988, the Pearl Winter White has a pure white top coat, black whiskers and black eyes. Its ears are gray. The Sapphire Winter White also appeared about the same time. It looks essentially the same as the Pearl except that its top coat is smoky gray (with a hint of blue). Cross breeding a Sapphire and Pearl gives you a third variant: the Sapphire Pearl.