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British Hamster Association Standards

December 2002 Feature

Satin Coat in Campbell's Dwarves

[Scroll down for Judging.]

So far, the Satin gene has only been found in two hamster species: the Campbell's Dwarf and the Syrian hamster. The Satin gene in the Campbell's Dwarves is so different from the Satin gene in the Syrians that we�re going to deal with them in separate months.

The Satin gene in the Campbell's is a recessive gene. There are no problematic breeding issues with the Satin Dwarves. Thus, you can breed two Satins together, and you will get all Satin babies. Alternatively, you can breed a Satin to a Satin carrier and will get approximately half Satin babies.

There is not a specific point category for judging Satins. The effects of the Satin coat are typically seen in the Color and Markings (30 points) and in the Fur category (20 points).

Standards copyright and reproduced with permission of the
British Hamster Association

Color and Markings: As for existing varieties (e.g. normal, albino) allowing for satinisation.

Fur: The fur should be soft, fine and have a glossy sheen.

People sometimes ask me as a judge to explain which satin colors are standardized. For this, you refer to the standardized colors. Any color or pattern which is standardized will also be standardized with a Satin coat. Any color or pattern which is unstandardized will remain unstandardized in a Satin coat. Remember that all colors and patterns can be bred in a Satin coat.

The Satin gene in the Dwarves creates a slightly longer coat which is lifted. This can sometimes make the coat appear less dense, so breeders of satins often find that coat density is one of the key criteria they use in their breeding selection. (Note the Argente Satin in the picture below. The fur right behind/below the ear is a bit thin. This fault is accentuated when the fur is lifted.) The Satin gene also gives a glossy shine to the coat which sometimes confuses people making them think that the hamster is wet or greasy.

The BHA standard for Campbell's Satin does not offer a lot of help on the color portion of judging Satins. It essentially says that we judge the color of Satins the same as the regular standard with the needed allowances for satinization. Since the Satin gene affects the coat color quite a bit, breeders and judges need to educate themselves on how this gene affects the color.

Below is a picture comparison of non-Satin to Satin for the most common Campbell's colors. From top to bottom is Normal, Argente, and Opal with nonsatin on the left and Satin on the right. (Albinos are standardized and also found in satin, and their coat sometimes has a slight yellow tint due to the satin coat.)

As you can see in the pictures, the Satin gene essentially darkens or enhances the underlying coat color. At certain angles, the coat looks like it has highlights. It can also appear to have different shades just due to the way the light falls on the coat. Some coats are also more lifted than others giving a slightly different appearance.

Next month we�ll focus on the Satin Syrian.

That's it! Now go take some pictures of your favorite "best Satin Dwarf" hamsters, and upload them to the BHA Standards Photo Gallery. (Photo tip: Pick the angle which accentuates the satin strengths in the hamster's coat.) No camera? Surf the web for photos of Dwarf hamsters with great Satin coats, and submit a link on the BHA Standards Links List. In your post be sure to indicate which hamster you're entering on the linked page in case there is more than one. If multiple people submit the same link, credit will go to the first. (No links to hamsters at AAA Hamsters, The River Road Hamstery or the California Hamster Association.) Only two hamsters entered per member per month please. Multiple photos for each are fine, if needed. Questions? Post to the BHA Standards Message Board.

Remember - enjoy your hamsters, and...

Have your Standards!

Linda and Jan

Judge's Page

by Linda Price

It is not really fair to judge these hamsters on their "satin-ness." The satin coat is really judged in conjunction with the Color and Markings and with the Fur categories. Thus, instead of taking a winner this month, let's take a few of the pictures submitted and talk about their coats. We have one good example of a very lifted coat. We've got another picture of a satin with little lift. And a third picture appears to fall somewhere in between. Remember that all three (as well as the other entrants) are equally desirable as far as the standards are concerned. Some breeders, though, prefer one over the others.

Let's start with the lifted coat.

This nice top view of Mocha clearly shows the strong lift in her coat. As a matter of fact, it is sticking straight up. You can see right down to the skin along her upper back -- and probably on her forehead and around the eyes. You can see how important it is with this much lift to maintain very high fur density in your hamsters.

Next, let's look at an example of a hamster with moderate lift.

Nicky appears to have moderate lift in his coat. From this front view, you can see that there is some smoothness to the coat along the sides and top. You can see the lift, but you can also see that the coat lays down some and does not appear to stick straight up as Mocha's does. Nicky would be somewhere in between the other two.

Finally, let's look at a Campbells satin with relatively little lift.

Ruby has a smoother coat than the other two satins pictured above. You can see it on the sides and over the top. She is clearly still a satin and has more lift, shine, and length than a non-satin would, but her fur lays down rather than sticking straight up like Mocha's does. In the picture, she also appears to have better fur density around the eyes (a common problem area for satins). If you were to see her in person, though, this may not be true. Her lighter coat would not show the contrast to the skin color that they others have shown. Her shine is also quite attractive in this picture.

There was also a link submitted this month. It fits in very well with the above pictures. The picture chosen is the second one from the bottom -- of Ulle. He clearly shows a coat somewhere in between the highly lifted coat of Mocha and the smoother coat of Ruby.

http://members.aol.com/thehamsterlog3/satwins.html

Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures and links this time!

Congratulations to everyone!