The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Proper and Improper Hamster Naming

The Good

The way to refer to any hamster is to base the name on the Standards. Even unstandardized colors and patterns can be named using existing terms.

The Bad and the Ugly

Names for hamster types are often invented for various reasons. One is that hamsters with exotic names can be sold for more money. Another is, sadly enough, ignorance. Yet another is someone wanting to assert that they have something new and different when they have not proved this to be the case. And many people will assert there is a temperament difference associated with a specific color or pattern even if there are no such differences associated with any genes. Here, we list some of our favorites in hopes that no one who is a part of IHANA will ever use them.

• Black Bear- A Black Syrian hamster. Just like any other Syrian hamster except it's Black. Not a single bear gene in the whole genotype. Invented by pet shops years ago, and they're still charging up to $25 a hamster for them in some places.
• Panda Bear- As above, a routine Black Syrian hamster, this time with a white band around its middle. Properly called a Banded Black Syrian or Black Banded Syrian.
• Polar Bear - An all white Syrian except for the ears and can have either red or black eyes. Correct name is Dark Eared White, Flesh Eared White or Black Eyed White depending on the specific ear and eye color. It's been around for decades but some shops have moved many more of this color just by changing the name.
• Teddy Bear - No, no, no. This is a Longhaired Syrian.  Just as in some dog breeds where there are longhaired and shorthaired versions.
• Calico - Hamsters are not cats. In hamsters, it is Tortoiseshell and White (TSW).  Most commonly, a TSW refers to a Black Tortoiseshell (patches of Black and Yellow) with a white pattern gene that adds areas of white. In America, you will hear them also called Tricolors. While not strictly proper, this term is more accepted here than in Britain.
• Dalmation - Colored hamster with white spotting. It's a Dominant Spot Syrian (usually black).
• Harlequin - This one is infrequent and it's hard to know exactly what it is. Generally, it's used for a tortoiseshell.
• European Black Bear - An upgrade on "Black Bear," it's the same thing. There is a real European hamster, but it's a different species entirely - larger, not a good pet, endangered in the wild, and illegal to keep in most places.
• Honey Bear - Before you think that the "bear" trend is getting stale, here is another. Usually, it's a Black Eyed Cream or Cinnamon Syrian, but fanciful pet shop employees have been known to stick this label on any "honey-ish" color that comes along.
• Brown Bear- Yet another "bear" name, this one is usually given to a Chocolate Syrian, which are becoming more common in the US pet market.
• Hershey Bear- The same thing as a "Brown Bear", actually a Chocolate Syrian.
• Blue - A Roan Syrian, usually a Sable Roan.
• Blue Sable - Simply a Sable Syrian. All colors can exhibit a range of tones, and a "bluish" tone in some led one person to start labelling them as if they were a new color.
• Alien - A Syrian hamster with a double dose of the Hairless gene, ipso facto, a Hairless Syrian. Too bad this one is out there at all, with or without a proper name.
• Fancy - This one isn't any particular color or coat type. The term is used by pet shops to connote anything they wish to identify as unusual and charge more for.
• Blackberry - Black Campbell's Dwarf
• Blueberry - Blue Campbell's Dwarf
• Russian Dwarf - Confusing because it can refer to either a Campbell's or a Winter White Dwarf, two totally different species, or even a hybrid between the two.
• Siberian Dwarf - As above, this might mean Campbell's or Winter White or hybrid.


• Domino - Black Mottled Campbell's Dwarf
• Rob or Robo - While not exactly improper, it is better to use the full name, Roborovski. It is particularly important to avoid any confusion with this species because it is not recommended for the average pet purchase.
• Winter White - Winter White IS a proper name. The problem is that the vast majority of them sold on this continent are NOT Winter Whites but are Winter White/Campbell's hybrids. If your source can not reliably trace back to known imported pure animals, then the only safe route is to assume they are hybrids. For more information visit PetWebSite.