What is in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Hampster - The Hybrid result of breeding a Hamster with a Hamper. Sorry, I couldn't resist that one. A common misspelling since Hamster is pronounced with an implied 'p'. Pronunciation: 'ham(p)-stər

Any two animals of the same species can be bred together. They aren't breeds in rodents like there are in dogs, cats, and rabbits. Even then they are the same species and capable of being bred together. Different breeds can be bred together but different species can not or should not. Fancy pets are bred for the showing fancy but are otherwise the same as those bred for feeding herps (feeders).

Gerbils, Chinese Hamsters and Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters are usually properly labeled.

Tuxedo ~ dark self colored with large white bibs
Canadian White Spot ~ spotted, pied or mottled

Pygmy Hamsters

Syrians are sold under various names but they are still the same species and can be bred together except those mentioned in the Genes and 101 pages to avoid problems.

Teddy Bears ~ long haired
Panda ~ black banded
Dalmatian ~ dominant spot
Black European Bears ~ black
Polar Bears aka black eyed white
Albino ~ pale eared white
Calico ~ tortoiseshell and white
Honey Bears ~ black eyed cream
Alien ~ hairless
Albino ~ pale eared white

Campbells Dwarf Hamsters (Dzjungarian) and Winter White Dwarf Hamsters (Siberian) are often mislabeled and lumped together because of their similar size and body type. They are like horses and donkeys in that they can be bred together but not without problems. They are different species. There is a list of problems on the 101 page. There is also a Hybrid? page written by two respected breeders/judges. The confusion may be caused by these facts: their territories abut each other; they are both known as Russian Dwarfs; and they may actually be cousins. Most breeders won't call their hamsters Russian, Siberian or Dzjungarian because of this confusion. Campbells Dwarf and Winter White Dwarf are easier to keep straight in everyone's mind. Campbells Dwarf are starting to attract store names.

Blueberry ~ blue
Blackberry ~ black
Dalmatian ~ mottled
Albino ~ red eyed white (of course there is an albino)
Winter White Dwarf ~ any platinum or black eyed white

Campbells Dwarfs ~ if they more closely resemble them
Winter White Dwarfs ~ if they more closely resemble them
Pygmy Hamsters

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.

From Gertrude Stein's Sacred Emily

Be original with your pet's name. How many dogs have been named: Spot, Rover, Fido or Lassie? How many striped cats have been called Tiger or Tigger? How many mice have been called Mickey and Minnie? Here are some examples of overly used names to give you an idea:

Don't name an animal a color in that species. Check different websites for Groups involved in showing the animals to find a list of colors.
Hamtaro and other cartoon names
Harry Hamster or Gerry Gerbil ~ Food names
Banded ~ Bandit
Black Banded ~ Oreo, Panda
Dom Spot ~ Domino
Long Haired ~ Bear, Fluffy, Wooly
Black ~ Blackie, Midnight
White ~ Snowball, Blizzard

I keep a scrap of paper and a pen at hand to write down ideas. People in the pet groups thought I was joking until my daughter confirmed it by complaining she had to write down names if I was driving. Here's a list of some of my inspirations:

Map names ~ roads, towns, rivers
Business names ~ BEKA is an engineering firm in my area. I changed it to Beka.
Credits from TV shows and Movies ~ wonderful names first and last names will do. In some cultures the eldest son is given the mother's maiden name as his first name.
Name lists ~ Like the two links below.
Watch your pet for ideas ~ Racine got her name a month after I had her. She was too big for a standard wheel. When I finally got a suitable wheel she raced on it from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Thereafter she was Racing Racine.
You may want to avoid pairs names or group names even in same sex situations ~ If anything happens to break up the pair or group you now have mismatched names. And if they don't break up they will eventually succumb to age. They will not pass at the same time. If you are breeding you may decide to switch partners again mismatching names.
Food names - Soufflé uses different pudding and dessert names for her pets.
Mythology - this was my daughter's theme.

One rose says more than the dozen.

Wendy Craig

If you're joining a group please be original with your forum name. We're pretty sure you love your pet ~ whatever species it is or you wouldn't be joining the group. I'd say at least half of the members of any given animal group fall into these two areas:

They use their pet's name ~ Xander's Mommy, Xander
They use their animal species ~ Hamster Mommy, Gerbil Lover