Hairless
This gene causes the hamster to have no fur although it may have curly whiskers.

Long Haired
Female long haired hamsters have a longer coat than the normal short hair and may have tufts around their bottom. However it is the male long haired hamsters that have the true long coat. They may have long tufts around their hips, a long skirt around their lower body, or a thick long coat all over. The long haired Syrian Hamster is sometimes referred to as the Teddybear Hamster.

Rex
This gene causes the coat to become wavy and the hairs to be lifted and a Short Haired Rex is plush in appearance with a velvet feel to the coat. The Long Haired Rex (particularly the males) can have a slightly scruffy look. Rex hamsters also have curly whiskers with a 'crimped' appearance.

Satin
The Satin gene gives the coat a shiny appearance. This is sometimes very difficult to see on a White, Sable or Black hamster. Satins should not be bred together as this produces 'double satinised' hamsters who have an ultra shiny but thin coat.

Short Haired
This is the normal coat of the wild Syrian Hamster and the coat is short and dense all over the body.