Nibbly

Russian dwarf hamster colors

The wild Russian dwarf hamster is grey-brown with a white belly and a dark stripe down its back, called agouti. Pet hamsters come in many more colors: sapphire (blue-grey) and pearl (white) in the winter white, and argente, opal, black, albino and mottled, among others, in Campbell’s.

By Nibbly · Updated 6 October 2026

Four Nibbly hamsters of different colors side by side: white, spotted cinnamon, sapphire and golden.

Two species, one name

Pet shops call two similar species "Russian dwarf hamsters": the winter white (or Djungarian) and Campbell’s, and there are many hybrids of the two. Each species has its own colors.

Winter white dwarf hamster colors

  • Agouti or normal: grey-brown, white belly and a dark dorsal stripe. The wild color.
  • Sapphire: like the normal one but a lighter blue-grey.
  • Pearl: white with grey-tipped fur and black eyes (not albino).
  • Sapphire pearl: both together, white with a bluish tone.

Why do some turn white in winter?

As the days shorten, the winter white swaps its dark coat for an almost white one, to hide in the snow of the steppe. Indoors, with artificial light in the evenings, many never change or only change in part. Campbell’s hamsters do not change color.

Campbell’s dwarf hamster colors

  • Agouti, the wild grey-brown.
  • Argente: cinnamon or sandy with a white belly and red eyes; there is a black-eyed variety too.
  • Opal: blue-grey with red eyes.
  • Black, all over.
  • Albino: white with red eyes.

Combined, they give many more: blue, lilac, beige, chocolate, champagne… The coat can also be mottled (irregular white patches) or platinum (white hairs mixed in), and its texture normal, satin, wavy or rex.

Nibbly cage with four hamsters of different colors: one in the wheel, one eating, one in the sand bath and one heading for the tubes.

The 21 coats and 12 patterns in Nibbly

In Nibbly every hamster is born with one of 21 colors. Some are inspired by real ones, like winter white, pearl, sapphire, agouti or argente; others are pure fantasy, like copper or slate. The one you will meet most often is winter white.

  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in winter whitewinter white
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in pearlpearl
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in sapphiresapphire
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in agoutiagouti
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in tangerinetangerine
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in cinnamoncinnamon
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in chocolatechocolate
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in creamcream
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in ebonyebony
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in lilaclilac
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in silversilver
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in caramelcaramel
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in honeyhoney
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in slateslate
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in argenteargente
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in ivoryivory
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in goldengolden
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in jet blackjet black
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in champagnechampagne
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in ashash
  • Nibbly hamster with a coat in coppercopper

On top of the color it may wear one of 12 patterns, and sometimes white socks or a white blaze on its forehead:

  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern classicclassic
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern solidsolid
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern pandapanda
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern spottedspotted
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern harlequinharlequin
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern maskedmasked
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern dark-backeddark-backed
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern shadedshaded
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern collaredcollared
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern two-tonetwo-tone
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern dalmatiandalmatian
  • Nibbly hamster with the pattern speckledspeckled
Adopt your hamsters in Nibbly

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common Russian dwarf hamster color?

Agouti or normal: grey-brown with a white belly and a dark stripe down the back. Among winter whites, sapphire and pearl are very common too.

Is a white Russian dwarf hamster albino?

Not always. The pearl winter white is white with black eyes. It is only albino if its eyes are red, like the albino Campbell’s.

Will my dwarf hamster change color in winter?

If it is a winter white, it may turn almost white as the days shorten, though with artificial light it often does not change fully. A Campbell’s or a hybrid usually does not change.

Sources