Hamsters

Coat type

Short Hair or Fancy: this coat resembles that of the

original wild stock.

Long hair or teddy

This coat needs extra care and the hamster needs

grooming every day to prevent mats and tangles. The

females tend to have a fluffy coat, while the males

can have coats over 3 inches (7 cm) long.

Rex

These are not usually found in pet stores. The coat

has a velvety look and feel.

All three coat types also come in Satin. This has a

sheen to it due to the hair reflecting more light. It

does this because each strand is thinner and has

more air pockets in it than normal hamster hair,

creating a more reflective surface.

Hairless

As with all hamster color and coat varieties, the hair-

less hamster is a result of breeding from animals

with

genetic mutations

. However, these hamsters

are rare and have a shorter life expectancy than

those with hair. They also need special care and are

not advised as pets.

Hamsters