My friend always asks me for advice on breeding dwarf hamsters. She is thinking of getting a completely new set and starting off with two pairs. She asked me what colour they should be in though? How would i know? Hope one of uus knows or can give some advice on what colour they should be that would be a big help!!
Don't breed them. The very fact you are breeding only for colour states that you are not ready to become a responsible breeder.
A responsible breeder breeds for health and temperment FIRST before even considering secondary issues like colour.
Things your friend should consider.
Find and read a 'Breeders Code of Ethics'
Why is she considering breeding? For profit (she's extremely unlikely to make one), to research genetics, for fun, to improve the breed?
Where is the breeding stock coming from? Another breeder with known clean lines or a pet store who may be in a hamster mill situation?
As for the answerer "Hammysam" who states that "they have different color babies, it doesnt matter." You can easily predict what the litter will be (and what's impossible to have) based on the genetic make-up of the parents.
Oliva - while some colour mixes can produce the eyeless babies, there are numerous ways to breed hamsters that are of different colours that don't have the risk. Understanding the genetics is important.
Things your friend should consider.
Find and read a 'Breeders Code of Ethics'
Why is she considering breeding? For profit (she's extremely unlikely to make one), to research genetics, for fun, to improve the breed?
Where is the breeding stock coming from? Another breeder with known clean lines or a pet store who may be in a hamster mill situation?
As for the answerer "Hammysam" who states that "they have different color babies, it doesnt matter." You can easily predict what the litter will be (and what's impossible to have) based on the genetic make-up of the parents.
Oliva - while some colour mixes can produce the eyeless babies, there are numerous ways to breed hamsters that are of different colours that don't have the risk. Understanding the genetics is important.
If you breed hamsters the male and the female have to look the same, if one is brown with a stripe the other one needs to be brown with a stripe, if you do not breed the same colour you can have eyeless babies. I like the dwarf hamsters that are white with black spots.
None. You guys clearly don't know enough to be breeding.
Why are you breeding? Think about it. Breeding is not a game... it's not a matter of just putting a male and female animal together. Mess with the wrong genes and breed the wrong animals and you could end up with some very sick babies. Do you know the mom and dad's genetic/health history at least three generations back? Pet store animals should never be bred, you know nothing about their health background. It doesn't matter if they seem healthy now or the vet gave them a clean bill of health... it's what's in their genes. There are more than enough small animals in shelters and rescues without more poorly bred ones being added to the overpopulation. There's a lot more to breeding responsibly than you might think. Please read and make a responsible decision:
http://www.petinfopackets.com/aboutbreed...
Darksong~
Why are you breeding? Think about it. Breeding is not a game... it's not a matter of just putting a male and female animal together. Mess with the wrong genes and breed the wrong animals and you could end up with some very sick babies. Do you know the mom and dad's genetic/health history at least three generations back? Pet store animals should never be bred, you know nothing about their health background. It doesn't matter if they seem healthy now or the vet gave them a clean bill of health... it's what's in their genes. There are more than enough small animals in shelters and rescues without more poorly bred ones being added to the overpopulation. There's a lot more to breeding responsibly than you might think. Please read and make a responsible decision:
http://www.petinfopackets.com/aboutbreed...
Darksong~
they have different color babies, it doesnt matter.