|
Breeding Hamsters The vast majority of pet hamsters are produced through accidental breeding. Unless you specifically want to breed, our recommendaton is that you purchase female hamsters who can co-habitate without strife and without the added work of caring for and finding homes for baby hamsters. If you want to breed, here are a few facts to get you started.
Syrian hamsters and Russian dwarf hamsters are the most popular breeds in pet shops. Syrians are larger than dwarf hamsters and (in our opinion) more docile with people although can be quite aggressive with their own species.
Before breeding, prepare your cages. You will need a cage for the female, a cage for the male, and two cages for babies (one for each sex) after they are weaned.
Before breeding, call your local pet shop to see if they are interested in taking the babies when they are weaned. Make sure you have homes for the entire litter.
Before breeding, consider if the traits of your two hamsters are compatible. Do not breed family members together. Breeding brother to sister or mother to son is a recipe for disaster. Do not breed hamsters that are not social or whose health is in question. Temperament can be hereditary, and so are several health problems such as a propensity for tumors etc.
If they are deemed suitable mates, male and female should be introduced to each other for breeding in a clean, neutral territory outside their own cage (an unused cage is fine). If the female is receptive (she comes into season about every 4 days or so), she will accept the male and the process will start. If she argues, fights, or rejects the male, separate them and try again the next day. Syrian hamsters are more solitary and anti-social and will take longer to get to know each other (serious fighting can occur). Do not try to separate them with your bare hands. Keep a cardboard separater handy in case she rejects the male and you need to separate them quickly. If the female is in proper estrus, she will freeze flat to the floor with her tail in the air to facilitate the male.
Dwarf hamsters, which often live communally while raising the young, are easier to mate showing less aggressive behavior.
I don't recommend leaving the male and female together during the family-raising time. Female hamsters who are stressed, fearful, or overly anxious sometimes kill their babies. Also, if you leave the male hamster in the same cage, he will try to breed (and often succeeds) the female again immediately after the litter is born. This puts a tremendous strain on the female, as she will be trying to produce extra nutrition during lactation (nursing) while also being called upon to produce extra nutrition for a gestating litter en utero.
Syrian hamsters gestation period is about 16 days. Russian Dwarf hamster gestation period is 18-21 days. Syrian average litter size is about 8 babies (although 12-14 is not uncomon). Dwarf litters are smaller, consisting of 4 or so. Babies are born looking like little, pink, hairless, gummy bears. Their eyes are closed and they are helpless. They will nurse for about 3 weeks.
During the month before breeding, through the gestation and through the total lactation process, you should increase the protein in the diet of your mother hamster. Feed a higher protein, prepared diet and/or add tiny bits of milk-soaked bread to her diet. Scrambled or boiled eggs, tofu or cheese can also be added. Just take care to remove uneaten food within 12 hours. Immediately BEFORE the birth of the litter, clean the cage thoroughly (as if you aren't anyway). You will not get another chance at a spotless environment for 3 weeks or so (until the litter is weaned). It is not a good idea to move the litter or clean the actual nesting area during the lactating process. If the female gets panicky, she may kill the babies. If you MUST change the litter, touch the environment as little as possible while removing the soiled litter and add clean litter. But do not touch the nest. Hamsters are active all through the birthing process, sometimes giving birth to babies at different locations throughout the cage. Don't worry. She will collect them all and take them to the nest when she is finished. Sometimes this process can be quite disconcerting, as she may actually put them inside her mouth into the pouches as though eating them. When she gets to the den, she uses her paws to dislodge and disgorge them into the waiting nest.
Although the mother will probably keep the babies covered with her body (for nursing) or covered with litter when she is away from them ( for warmth), you will begin seeing them become more active in just a short time. When you see the babies covered in hair and beginning to venture a few inches away from the mother (about 3 weeks), they are on their way to being weaned. They, too, will benefit from the milk-soaked bread as it is soft and available as a supplement to their mother's milk. When they are partaking of the seed or pelleted diet, you are only a couple of days from complete weaning.
At 2-1/2 to 3 weeks, you should begin touching the babies. Socialization is very important. Do not touch them before this time, but after 2-1/2 weeks it is essential if you want them to be the best possible pets. With clean hands, gently scoop them up, pet with one finger, and talk to them, breathing on them slightly to get them used to human scent. Offer special treats by hand. Allow them to go to sleep in your relaxed hands.
Babies must be separated into two cages (one cage for each sex) by 3-1/2 weeks of age. Syrian hamsters are weaned and will become sexually mature at this age 9about 4 weeks), so they must be separated into different cages or the litters will just keep on coming. Dwarf hamsters are also weaned at this age, but not usually sexually mature until 12 weeks old or so.
They can go to new homes at 4-5 weeks of age.
This article is intended to give you the bare bones of breeding. If you want to breed specifically for color or other characteristics, we will cover that topic in another article. |
