genus. Currently, 10 variations of Roborovski hamsters are thought to exist. Only one is standardised in the UK as of 2018 as per UK National Hamster Council with 4 genes recognised and others still under dispute. agouti — a natural grayish-brown with white underside and "eyebrows" (white over eyes) "white face" — a dominant mutation producing an agouti-coloured hamster with a white face "husky" — a recessive mutation producing a white-faced hamster with a paler, more dilute top coat and no dilution on the undercoat. "mottled" or "pied" — both dominant and recessive mutations have been identified, these hamsters are white with the agouti colouring (or husky/blue/black/cinnamon) in irregular patches over their heads, bodies and sometimes their faces. "head spot" — a combination of the dominant and recessive pied genes that creates a pure white animal with one patch of colour on the head "white-from-white-faced" or "dark-eared white" — a combination of the dominant white-faced gene and the husky gene that produces a white hamster that retains a greyish undercoat and ears. "white-from-pied" or "pure white" — is allegedly a combination of the two pied genes producing a white hamster. Note that two recessive pied genes do not make white. "black eyed white" is a new gene that has proven not to be white from pied or white from white faced. This gene is still being explored. "red-eyed" — a recessive mutation that produces a cinnamon-coloured hamster with a chocolate undercoat, dark red eyes, and pale ears. Adding pied to a cinnamon gives brighter red eyes. This is not the same mutation as 'brown eye' or rust. Black/blue - Originally bred in Finland, going to The Netherlands and then Germany. Black and blue are two recessive genes still being investigated. These genes came to the UK in 2017 via Doric Hamstery and the first UK litter of blacks were born there Spring 2018. Both are thought to be self colours behaving like melanistic and its further dilution to blue that is already found in other species. Breeding in captivity has also produced a darker variation of the naturally sandy-coloured agouti fur. According to Fox (2006) white faced and derived breeds are considered torture-breeding and therefore breeding them is forbidden by law in several European countries like Germany or Austria. The homozygous carrier of the gene variant causes neurological symptoms similar to the whirling disease, where the animal spins itself around