Do hamsters breed? Djungarian hamster: breeding in captivity

Hamsters are different high speed breeding. It is known that wild hamsters can produce offspring equal to a hundred individuals in just 7-8 months. Therefore, having made such a serious decision, it is important to take care of where you can attach or sell grown cubs. However, do not breed hamsters at home often, this can greatly harm the health of both the female and the male.

How to breed hamsters. Preparation of female and male.

• The first thing to remember is that future parents should always live separately from each other. Otherwise, it may end fatally for one or both animals. Same-sex hamsters also do not get along together.
• If you are going to breed small hamsters, do not confuse breeds. The Dzungarian breed and Campbell's hamster are very similar to each other, but serious problems can arise when crossing, and you can lose the female.
• It is important to provide throughout their hamster's life. If you feed, especially the female, anything, this can lead to non-viable offspring, or she will eat them after birth. During pregnancy and feeding, female hamsters need to be given protein food more often, about every other day.

• Now separately about females. They reach puberty as early as two months, but this is too early for mating, since the body is not fully formed. The ideal age is 4 months. But do not wait until six months. At the age of 12-13 months, females lose the ability to reproduce.
• In order to prevent wear and tear of the female's body and get healthy offspring, you need to observe pauses between matings equal to three months. It turns out that from one hamster you can get offspring three, maximum 4 times.
• Males. It's a little easier with them. They reach sexual maturity at 5 weeks and until the end of their lives. It is recommended not to have a male too often so that the hamster does not lose its fertility.

Stages of breeding hamsters at home.

No need to breed hamsters and other rodents just like that. Both females and males will live perfectly without breeding their entire hamster life. The absence of cubs does not harm them in any way. Estrus in females are usually painless.

Cute goofy hamsters that are so easy to care for make great pets. If you approach the process of breeding hamsters responsibly, it can be an interesting and quite rewarding activity, as well as great way supplying pets to your neighbors and children's friends. With some preparation and planning, it's easy. If you have a place to house your hamsters, here's what you should do.

Steps

Part 1

Decide what kind of hamsters you want to have. Syrian hamsters make great pets, partly because they are solitary, but they can be difficult to breed. If the male and female are introduced at the wrong time, they may start to fight. Djungarian hamsters can be biting with people, but are more socialized with their congeners and are easier to breed.

• There are also Russian hamsters, as well as many other varieties. If you are purchasing hamsters from a breeder, talk about the different varieties of hamsters to see how socialized they are or vice versa to get some idea of ​​the breeding process.

1. Buy a male and a female. It is best to purchase hamsters from a breeder so that you have a large selection in color and type of hamster. It is also good to know the pedigree history of hamsters.

   • The pet store often sells related hamsters or mestizos different breeds which are undesirable to breed. Also, often in a pet store it can be difficult to determine the sex of hamsters.

2. Choose healthy hamsters. The eyes should be clean, bright, the fur smooth and shiny, and the hamsters themselves should be active and show interest in the environment.

   Purchase two large hamster cages. Plastic containers or aquariums work very well for breeding hamsters. Place each hamster in your cage and fill the bottom with sawdust or other natural bedding. Try not to use small sawdust, as it gets in the hamsters' eyes and can be bad for their respiratory system.

   • Avoid using metal cages. Hamsters, especially babies, can climb through the bars.
   • Purchase a small plastic "hamster house" for hamsters to sleep in. Fill it with the same sawdust as the bottom of the cage.
   • It would be nice to get a running wheel for hamsters. Djungarian hamsters can use any wheel size, but Syrian hamsters - more than 20 cm. The wheel should be plastic, not metal.
   • You will also need a drinker, bowl, hamster food, treats, and anything else you might need.

3. When you bring your hamsters home, let them be alone for at least one day. Don't pet them or take them out of the cage, make sure your hamster has enough to get by without your intervention. It is best to start picking up a new hamster the day after you bring it home.

   Breeding hamsters

   1. Wait until the female is ready to breed. At the age of 28 days, hamsters become sexually mature. The female is ready to breed about every 4 days. In this case, her behavior is very similar to that of a cat: she begins to crouch to the ground and lift her tail. You may also notice that the hamster begins to smell stronger due to the release of pheromones.

      • If the female is not ready to breed, trying to breed hamsters can be dangerous and counterproductive. The female will start to fight and may kill the male.
      • When planning to start breeding hamsters, place two cages close to each other for a few days so that the hamsters can see each other, get used to each other, and the pheromones do their job.

   2. Place the female with the male. Hamsters are nocturnal animals, so it is best to do this in the early evening. Place the hamsters in neutral territory, in a spare cage, as the female can attack the male if he is planted with her on her territory. If the hamsters start fighting, remove one of them and try again another day.

      • Continue to follow the indicated steps until they mate. If you miss the moment of the female's readiness, wait a few days until it comes again.

   3. Isolate the female after mating. While some male hamsters may take care of their offspring, others may eat them. It is better to be safe even if your hamster is very kind and caring, and put him away for the period of pregnancy and childbirth, which takes about two weeks.

      • When breeding Djungarian hamsters the time to reach puberty and the duration of pregnancy is slightly longer. A Djungarian hamster can take anywhere from 4 months to a year to reach sexual maturity, and pregnancy lasts about three weeks.

   The birth of hamsters

   1. Wait. At this stage, you must be patient and watch the progress. If a female is pregnant, this will become noticeable in a few days, and by the time she is ready to give birth, her sides will stick out very clearly. You don't have to do anything special, just don't grab the female rudely, it's better to leave her alone.

      • collecting food and nesting material for their nest. When labor begins, you will notice that the uterus begins to open and little pink bodies emerge from it. They will be born one by one as she runs around the cage, and one by one she will drag them into the nest.
      • When a female is in labor, don't try to step in to help. Childbirth, especially the first childbirth, is often difficult for the female, but there is nothing you can do to help her at this stage. Just don't interfere, let nature do its thing.

   2. looking after offspring. Now and for some time afterwards, you should not disturb the female in any way. If she leaves the babies lying at the bottom of the cage, you shouldn't touch them. If for any reason you need to do this, take a spoon, rub it well on the bedding in the cage, and then pick up the baby with it and return it to the nest.

   3. Let the mother take care of the children for three weeks without disturbing her or even cleaning the cage. Leave her, the cage, and especially the babies alone, except for the careful addition of food and water. This is especially important for a female who has given birth for the first time, who is under the influence of stress, there are times when she can kill and even eat her children.

      • Do not think that a mother is going to eat her children if she puts them in her mouth. This happens when she is scared and thinks they are in danger.
      • You can notice that the female is ready to mate by running a hand over her body. If it leans towards the ground or arches slightly, it may be ready.
      • Make sure your hamsters are ready to mate before trying to breed them.
      • Don't worry if the mother kills or eats several babies in the first few weeks. This is normal behavior to weed out weak offspring that would not survive in nature.
      • Loud music can make hamsters nervous.

Pair of hamsters

All pet owners can be divided into 2 categories. Those who keep pets in their home due to Great love to them, and those who plan to earn money by breeding offspring from their pet. Well, we will not now try to shame someone in mercantile interests. In the end, there is nothing wrong with that. And, if someone had not been breeding hamsters at home, then now your charming Hamster would not live in your house. Simply, in our publication we want to tell you how to do it correctly - with minimal moral and material losses, both for you and for your pet. So, how to breed hamsters at home ...

What types of hamsters can be bred at home

Do not rush to think that if hamsters are prolific rodents, then just choose any species you like, purchase a pair, and how you can start the breeding process. Not at all. It's not that simple. Some types of hamsters are absolutely not amenable to breeding, no matter how hard you try and torture the animal. And, here, - those just love to live alone, therefore, they do not lend themselves well to reproduction. And, the joint residence of a pair of hamsters of these species in the same cage - in 95% of the case ends badly, because between rodents, even despite the fact that they are of different sexes, conflicts arise, the struggle for territory, they are used sharp teeth and claws, and as a result of such a showdown, one of the hamsters may die. The exception is Roborovsky's hamsters. They are paired animals that do not tolerate loneliness. They can be kept in a cage in pairs. And, here are all the rest, including jungars, if you are so impatient to start breeding them, it is better to breed them in different cages, and bring them together only for mating.

Regarding Roborovsky hamsters, I also want to say that in captivity they breed poorly, they need special temperature conditions for this. But, if you "catch" the temperature, pick up a couple - your Roborians will regularly delight you with offspring. True, sometimes they should still be seated for a certain period of time, since frequent births deplete the body of a female hamster.

Recommendations for breeding hamsters at home

• Most "breeders" of hamsters still recommend keeping the male and female in separate cages and bringing them together only for mating, moreover, on neutral territory.
• Breeding hamsters younger than 4 months of age is not recommended. The offspring may be too weak, and early birth will weaken the body of the female hamster.
• If you seriously decide to breed rodents, then it is better to purchase. Moreover, for each female it is necessary to have a separate cage. You should also have an extra cage for breeding offspring. By the way, do not forget that already at 4 weeks your grown hamsters are ready for breeding, therefore, keeping babies of different sexes in one cage is not recommended, since mating processes can occur uncontrollably, but the offspring from such early mating will not be viable.
• For self-education, be sure to take a short course on hamster genetics and species. Then, you will be able to independently give answers to all your questions, and the result of your work will not disappoint you.
• Chinese hamsters are very difficult to breed. The fact is that they are so aggressive towards each other that in order to count on offspring from them, a couple must be kept together from early childhood. Only then will they adequately respond to each other. Otherwise, when a male stranger is placed next to the female, she can even tear him apart…

Comfortable conditions for breeding

Numerous offspring

Well, after you figured out the type of hamsters, the number of cages for them, and the number of females and males, it's time to create comfortable breeding conditions for these little rodents. To do this, you must take care, as we wrote above, to purchase several cages or terrariums that are spacious enough (the floor area of ​​the cage should be no less than 30 x 50 centimeters). This is necessary so that the animal has space to run and frolic. So, for dwarf breeds of hamsters - these are Djungarian hamsters, Chinese, Roborovsky and Campbell hamsters, it is imperative that these sizes be observed, since they are very active. If it is not possible to purchase such a large cage, you can try to win by having several floors in the cage. As for the rods in the cells, in addition to the fact that they must be very strong, their optimal placement is horizontal. Thus, the hamster will be able to climb them, like stairs.

Do not forget about installing drinking bowls, feeders, a running wheel for playing in such a cage. Many hamster owners often simply install a bowl of water instead of a drinker - but this is not entirely correct. Since the hamster can overturn such a bowl, the water will spill, and you will have to clean and clean the cage. You will avoid all this if you install a special drinking bowl - the hamster will definitely not turn it over. In addition, using a drinking bowl, you can easily dissolve vitamins, special additives in such drinking water, and you will monitor the amount of water that the rodent drinks. Well, a running wheel is a must for maintaining a healthy physical form. You won't believe it, but

in Nature, a baby hamster runs up to 12 kilometers a day, and at the same time he feels good. And, here's a passive lifestyle in your cell negatively affects it ...

If you have a desire and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe cage allows, you can also install a house and a toilet in it. Do not forget about toys - in veterinary and pet stores you can see walking balls or pens. Indeed, it is necessary to take into account individual characteristics hamster - one travels with pleasure in a walking ball, and the other is afraid of him for some reason ...

As for the choice of filler for a cage with hamsters, we had a whole publication about this on our website, but we remind you that it is still recommended to opt for sawdust - pressed or granulated, at your discretion. If possible, you can use hay or a special pressed cellulose filler. As for paper, napkins, this is a moot point. Although, some breeders claim that hamsters build their nests from this material. But, here's what is strictly forbidden to be used as a material for such a nest - so, this is cotton wool. Moreover, any, even the one on which it can be written that it is intended for use in cages with small rodents. The fact is that thin fibers of cotton wool can wrap around the pet's paws and disrupt blood circulation in its limbs. As a result, the paw may completely atrophy, and the animal may die. Well, if a hamster “thinks” of eating cotton wool, it can damage its intestines with its fibers. A similar taboo for use in hamster cages is newspapers and magazines. On the sheets of these publications there are "tons" of printing ink, a drop of which can kill our beloved hamster.

Do not forget to place a special stone in the cage, on which the rodent will grind its teeth. Such stones come in several types - chalky, mineral, they can have a different shape, size and color. By the way, twigs can become an alternative to such stones. fruit trees- a natural natural product.

Djungarian hamsters breed very easily in captivity. And if you become the owner of a pair of jungars, get ready for the fact that they will regularly have babies.

Joint maintenance of male and female Djungarian hamsters

Experienced hamster breeders advise keeping the female and male in separate cages and uniting the "family" only for the mating period. This is done in order to avoid conflicts and fights over territory, which can result in bites and scratches. But it is not uncommon for a hamster family to live together throughout their lives. It is quite difficult to predict how events in the cell will unfold, so it is better to rely on intuition, and then act according to the circumstances.

Having settled a male and a female together, watch their behavior. Sometimes, perhaps, they will begin to sort out their relationship very violently, but the male is always ready to give up the victory in the dispute to the female, without showing aggressive actions towards her.

It is advisable to keep a couple of jungars from an early age, so they can normally exist together. Adults who lived apart require additional measures warnings. First, you should place them next to each other in a cage with a partition, so that the hamsters get used to the smell of each other. After some time, the partition can be removed, and the cage put in place with bright light. This will provoke them to hide together in the dark, and they will cling to each other, which will speed up the addiction process. One male Djungarian hamster is able to live with several females.

When can Djungarian hamsters be mated?

Sexual maturity of female hamsters occurs at the age of one or two months, but with mating it is better to wait until 3-4 months, when the female is already able to take care of her offspring.

Dungar hamsters are animals that are predominantly nocturnal in the natural environment and at home keeping hamsters. Therefore, mating and childbirth also occur at night. Every 4-5 days, female Djungarian hamsters experience estrus, the duration of which can be from 4 to 24 hours. The female is ready to accept the male only at this time.

Signs of estrus in a female Djungarian hamster: in the presence of a hamster and even without it, she raises her tail and arches her back. At this time, you can put the female to the hamster. If you saw aggression on the part of the female, it means that she does not have estrus or simply did not like the male. Monitor her behavior and try again in a day. Repeat "dates" hamsters until they are effective.

Pregnancy in a female Djungarian hamster

Pregnancy in a female Djungarian hamster lasts from 17 to 21 days, if it goes longer, immediately go to the veterinarian for help. During pregnancy, the female should not worry. Add more fresh vegetables and fruits to her diet and take care of protein nutrition, which is so important during this period. Foods rich in proteins: egg white, boiled chicken meat, gammarus, meat baby food and dairy products. Be sure to give her a mineral chalk stone.

The expectant mother will intensively prepare a nest for her cubs, and for this you need building materials: put paper napkins in her cage. Remove the house from the cage in advance, and hide the running wheel two or three days before the birth.

The offspring of Djungarian hamsters

A female may give birth to from two to nine cubs, in rare cases there may be 18 of them, then there are times when a mother hamster eats weak or sick hamsters. Little cubs of the Dzungaria are born blind and naked, completely hairless. Their eyes will open at two weeks of age. So it’s not worth taking the kids in your hands and cleaning the cage until that time.

Breeders advise seating hamsters by gender at the age of one month, since, starting from this age, they are already capable of mating.

It is important to keep dad apart from the family: his father's feelings can let him down and he will eat all the litter.

Install a drinking bowl in the cage with the nursing female so that she receives as much water as she needs. Provide her with proper food and clean water. Add special food to her so that the milk contains enough vitamins and minerals for the development of babies. Try to interfere as little as possible in the process of birth and nursing of hamsters, so as not to scare away the mother’s desire to raise and feed little dzhungaria.

Having decided to become a breeder of Djungarian hamsters, try to approach this process as naturally as possible, but do not allow hamsters to breed chaotically at a young age. Set aside grown-up hamsters in a timely manner and follow all stages of the breeding season of jungars. Create comfortable conditions for keeping, breeding, pregnancy and birth of Djungarian hamsters. This is quite an interesting and entertaining activity that will bring you a lot of positive emotions.

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Sexual cycle: at what age do they start breeding

Females reach sexual maturity at 1-1.5 months and already at this age can become pregnant.

Males are ready to breed from 3 weeks. However, it is not recommended to bring young animals together until the growth of the animal ends and the skeleton gets stronger.

Otherwise, you can get an unhealthy offspring, various complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Often a young female does not have enough milk, then she eats part of the offspring. Only those individuals that she is able to feed remain.

The optimal time for mating hamsters is the age of 3-6 months. She is able to become pregnant soon after the birth of the young, but it is not recommended to reduce her with a partner too often. After giving birth, the female will need time to rest and recuperation. Hamsters are re-mated at 8-10 months.

Females retain the ability to bear children up to one and a half years. Males can breed throughout their lives.

Contraceptive methods

The great fecundity of small rodents can cause a lot of trouble for their owners.

High fertility causes a lot of problems for the owners of cute animals.

The only way to protect against unwanted offspring is to place girls and boys in different cages.

No contraceptive pills are produced, also Veterinarians don't spay hamsters. They can do this only for medical reasons, for example, a tumor has been found in a hamster.

The only method of contraception is the separation of pets.

breeding cycle

Pregnancy lasts about three weeks.

It is possible to bring a female and a male only during estrus, which occurs every 3-5 days, usually in the evening hours. In Syrian hamsters, at this time, mucus is secreted from the genitals, a special musky smell appears, which attracts the male.

Finding any physiological changes in dwarf breeds, whether Dzungarian or Roborovsky, is quite difficult. However, you can guess that the female is ready to mate by her changed behavior.

She loses her appetite, stands motionless, her paws wide apart and her back arched. During this period, the hamster responds favorably to the approach and courtship of the male.

Pregnancy in animals lasts 16-21 days, in dwarf breeds - 22-24 days. After this time, from 5 to 12 cubs are born, they do not have wool and weigh only 2-3 grams.

However, hamsters already have teeth, after a week a tiny fur appears on the body, and the most active babies can crawl out of the nest.

Experienced breeders advise bringing hamsters together no more than 3 times a year. More frequent mating wears out the body of the hamster, and the male loses the ability to fertilize.

Manufacturers' Choice

For mating, well-fed large animals are selected with shiny fur. Here are some rules:

Girl and boy must like each other, otherwise, the female will start to fight and will not let the gentleman near her. Rodents, like humans, have their likes and dislikes.

How does mating take place?

The process takes about 40 minutes, sometimes 5 minutes is enough for pets. Mating occurs in several visits, usually at night. After that, the female loses interest in her partner and may even bite him. Sometimes the male acts so actively that after mating he lies exhausted on the floor for some time.

You can guess that the process ended in pregnancy by several signs:

How is pregnancy in hamsters?

It is better to introduce a couple on neutral territory. The cage can become a battlefield for hamsters: rodents are dying for their own dwelling. A cardboard box is suitable for mating. It is more convenient to observe the actions of the couple in it, and in the event of a fight, you can quickly separate the animals. You should act in leather gloves, otherwise your hands will suffer from sharp teeth.

Hamsters, unlike rabbits, do not like prying eyes. Therefore, it is better to put the box in a secluded place after you are convinced of the favor of the female.

Payment for the services of show males

The price for the services of an elite male is equivalent to the cost of the animal itself. An exhibition hamster with a pedigree can be sold for 2 thousand or more rubles, his services will cost the same amount.

How much does a hamster cost?

Breeding hamsters as a business

First you need to purchase 1 male and 2-3 females. Each animal must have its own cage, in which there are necessary accessories: a feeder, a drinking bowl, shelves, an attraction for entertainment. Add to this the cost of filler, feed, extra food pregnant and lactating females - it turns out a round sum.

Young animals are seated in different cells by gender. If you decide to go into professional animal breeding, you will have to spend another couple of cages.

The cost of maintaining 1 individual

It turns out that keeping several animals at home will cost 7-12 thousand rubles. rubles. The cost of an animal on the market ranges from 100-200 rubles. Syrian hamsters are considered the most expensive, their price reaches 800-1000 rubles.

It turns out that breeding hamsters is not a very profitable business, if you approach it with all responsibility. Uncontrolled reproduction of animals does not end in anything good, dead or sick hamsters with genetic defects are born.

If you are interested in breeding hamsters at home, try to realize your ideas. Arm yourself with specialized knowledge and the necessary accessories beforehand. The amount of earnings depends on the number of pets and your desire to do this.

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How do hamsters reproduce

Syrian hamsters are inherently solitary and this makes mating particularly difficult, as a female or male should only be introduced into another hamster's cage if the female is in heat to avoid serious fighting. Breeding Syrian hamsters requires patience from their owners.

Estrus in domestic rodents

The female Syrian hamster goes into estrus every 4 days (although this can vary from 3-5 days). At this time, she is more active and receptive to the attention of a man. Estrus in females begins in the evening and can remain from 4 to 24 hours. Before this, the female usually emits a strong musky odor, and this is often noticeable in summer months. The next day after this, the hamster develops a thick white vaginal discharge, and white discharge can sometimes appear in the urine.

During the winter, females may stop experiencing estrus and this may help by extending their daylight hours by turning on the lights for 12 hours every day for a few days and feeding vegetables.

Syrian hamsters should only be introduced for mating when the female is in heat. Even so, the male should not be introduced to the female in her territory, as she will be fiercely protective of her. The female should be introduced into the male's cage, or she should be introduced into neutral territory.

If a female is suspected of being in heat, she can sometimes be "tested" by stroking her back and stroking her tail. The female will "freeze", her body will be pressed to the floor, her head is directed forward, and her tail is in the air.

If there is any doubt as to whether a hamster is in heat, it is usually recommended to introduce rodents of both sexes into a cage so that they can be easily separated if a fight occurs. It is also wise to wear gloves or have a handy item that can be used to separate them if a fight does occur, as attempting to separate a female and male fight with bare hands is not recommended. If the female is not receptive to the male, she should be removed and repeated the next evening until she is receptive.

How hamsters mate

When introduced into the cage, the male should begin to fuss around the female, and if she is receptive, she should "freeze" her tail in the air. A male who has not yet bred may seem a little confused and try to mate from all angles, but will usually think too long about it.

Females that have not been mated before are not always tolerant of this convoluted mating attempt from virgin males. Females that have mated before appear to be more tolerant of these attempts. Mating is often more successful if the male or female has been bonded and experienced before.

Several times the male will mount the female and push her before mating. The male will mate with the female several times, and the mating of the hamsters will continue for 20 minutes, unless they lose interest before this time, in which case they should be separated and returned to their cages. For some males, soft biting on the skin by the female is common behavior, but this is normal and usually nothing to worry about, although the female may be irritated by a very enthusiastic male.

It is not always possible for a hamster to become pregnant after the first mating, and some males may need to mate several times before a successful pregnancy occurs. Very often, males show no interest in mating, and this happens most often in winter when it is colder. Very rarely, a male may not be interested in mating at all.

Pregnant hamsters do not usually experience estrus after pregnancy, and therefore pregnancy can be "tested" if no white discharge from the genitals appears 5 days after mating.

The female usually becomes sterile once she reaches 12-14 months of age, but she may still be in heat.

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Keeping heterosexual hamsters before mating: together or separately

Before mating hamsters separate otherwise they may reproduce too often. This situation can cause a weakening of the body of the female and the birth of weak offspring. Therefore, mating hamsters for breeding should be carried out as planned.
When forming pairs for breeding, the following should be considered:

• female large sizes you can’t mix with a small male, she can behave aggressively and harm him;
• a female of small sizes is not mated with a large male, since the offspring can take on the size of the father, and she will have problems with the birth of such large babies;
• relatives should not be brought together, as they may have unhealthy offspring, weighed down by genetic abnormalities;
• do not breed aggressive individuals - such behavior can be genetically incorporated and inherited;
• you can not connect fatty individuals. First, you need to review their diet and switch to lighter foods containing less fat and carbohydrates and more vitamins in order for them to lose weight. Overweight hamsters are often sterile and your efforts to breed them will go to waste.

When a male and a female hamster live together in a cage, mating occurs during the female's estrus period. In this case, the hamster may have a period of lactation and pregnancy at the same time, which contributes to a strong weakening of her health.

Puberty

Females can become pregnant as early as 3-6 weeks of age. The organism of the animals during this period is still growing, and by allowing pregnancy in such a young individual, you can significantly reduce its lifespan. Offspring in such early pregnancies are often born non-viable. Too young females produce little milk, and the cubs can simply die of starvation. In such cases, the hamster may even eat her offspring.

The best age to start mating is 3-6 months. If the female did not breed before 6 months, then she should no longer organize mating. Such late pregnancy and childbirth can have many complications.

Males can be used for breeding from the age of 5 weeks.

How often do hamsters breed

You can not mate the female more than six times a year, since the body will not have time to recover after childbirth, which will negatively affect the health of the cubs. It is best to take a break between matings of 3-4 months. It would be optimal to limit the number of breeding periods to three times a year.
It should be borne in mind that some females become infertile at 12-14 months. But males do not lose the ability to reproduce all their lives and always show interest in the opposite sex. But they should not be often used for conception, since with frequent mating their ability to reproduce decreases, and the expected pregnancy does not occur in females.

When to plant a female with a male

Hamsters should be mated only during estrus (oestrus) in the female, which happens every 3-5 days. This condition usually occurs in the evening and lasts 4-24 hours.

The signs of estrus in females are:

• restless behavior;
• poor appetite;
• increased odor;
• mucous secretions are observed under the tail.

In some varieties of hamsters (jungariki or Campbell's hamsters), signs of estrus are hardly noticeable.

Sometimes, during the cold season, females do not have estrus, since in the natural environment during this period they hibernate, and they breed from May to September. In apartment conditions, they do not sleep and are capable of conception all year round.

If the female is planted with a male outside of the estrus period, she may show aggression towards him. The same thing can happen during estrus, when the male is not liked for some reason. If you want to get offspring from this particular pair, then you should try to bring them together another time.

Why it might not work

Before mating, it is advisable to introduce hamsters, then the mating will be effective. For this, some neutral place or territory of residence of a male hamster is suitable. You can not bring these rodents into the dwelling of the female.

Perfect for this purpose thick cardboard or plastic box, because if the hamsters start fighting inside the cage, it will be difficult to immediately separate them, and they will have time to injure each other. First you need to protect your hands with leather gloves from the bites of these rodents.

Not always pregnancy in a hamster occurs at the first mating. Therefore, mating must be repeated until the expected event occurs.
Serious obstacles to the onset of pregnancy can be the following reasons:

Where to keep and what conditions need to be created for a pregnant hamster

A pregnant female needs more attention. There should be no obstacles to drink and food. During pregnancy, the female needs to provide walks, but it is important that she not be frightened.

It is necessary to monitor the constant temperature and humidity in the room where the cage is located. The cage during this period should be cleaned less often and not rearranged to another place. But before the expected birth, it should be cleaned well, disinfected and put in place (house, shelter) in which the birth will take place, fresh bedding (preferably from chopped hay).
While waiting for the offspring, the nutrition of the female hamster should be balanced and contain more proteins and calcium. The diet should include greens (alfalfa, clover), carrots, germinated grains of cereals, give more cottage cheese and pieces of boiled meat. You can also add beaten eggs, milk cheeses to the menu. It is also recommended to put a piece of chalk or calcium gluconate, as well as a tablet of activated charcoal and phytin.

Before childbirth and in the first seven days after them, glucose and preparations containing calcium are added to the drink. In the first 7-10 days of pregnancy, the amount of food for the expectant mother is increased by a third, but in the next 10 days the increase occurs twice.

2-3 days before the birth, the hamster develops a strong thirst, so it is important to monitor the presence of a sufficient amount of liquid in the drinker, constantly change it. It is desirable that the drinking temperature be around 20 ° C. You can use tomato juice and rosehip infusion as a drink.

Video: caring for a pregnant hamster

How many hamsters bear offspring

Female hamsters carry offspring for 16-20 days. The gestation period for Djungarian hamsters is longer - 18-30 days. On the tenth day, the females already have a noticeable tummy. They give birth most often at night, and lactation lasts up to 25 days.

How many hamsters are born

The fecundity of hamsters is very high, especially when they get enough food and do not hibernate.

Due to the ability to regularly give birth, these rodents are popular in laboratories for various studies.
Depending on the variety and care, hamsters can reproduce a different number of offspring. For example, hamsters of the dzhungariki species give birth to 4-6 babies, less often 8-9. But hamsters of dwarf breeds are less prolific due to their small size. Syrian hamsters always give a high yield. This is usually 8-10 babies, but the number of offspring can reach up to 20 pieces.

offspring care

After the appearance of offspring, caring for hamsters has its own specifics. The cage is not removed for 14 days, the temperature is maintained at +21…+25 °С. During this period, it is impossible to touch and disturb the babies, so as not to cause stress in the nursing mother. A balanced protein food enriched with fats is introduced into the hamster's diet. Hamsters start drinking water 10-20 days after birth.

If for some reason the mother cannot feed her offspring, then the cubs are fed with a pipette with a special substitute for hamster milk or powdered infant formula. After 7-10 days, the cubs begin to search for food on their own. During this period, babies can be thrown into the nest grated carrots, cottage cheese and other food. They put more feed so that both the mother and her offspring have enough.
If there was no house in the cage, then you need to place a small cardboard box in it so that the mother and babies feel protected. If the hamster is provided with building materials, then she will arrange housing on her own. In addition to sawdust and filler, napkins or paper towels are also placed in the cage for easy cleaning.

For this purpose, you should not use cotton wool and cloth so that the hamsters do not get confused and suffocate. The cage should not be tiered and have height differences, and the gaps between the bars should be such that the cubs do not fall out of the cage. Feeders should be placed in such a way that babies can easily find them, and water should not be placed in open containers.

If suddenly a newborn hamster fell out of a nest or a house, then it must be carefully moved back not with the help of hands, but, for example, spoon. The cage is located in a quiet place and closed from the direct rays of the sun, do not allow drafts.

If there are small children in the house, they should be instructed that they do not need to take small hamsters in their arms for two weeks. After the grown-up babies are moved to different cages, you can begin to tame them with your hands so that they get used to the person and do not bite their future owner.

When can hamsters be separated from hamsters

It is possible to plant offspring from a hamster from the 3-4th week of life. At 28 days, the cubs do not need a mother, and also already have the ability to reproduce. Therefore, they are removed to prevent early pregnancy and maternal aggression. But if the cubs were born weak and very small, they can be kept with a hamster for up to 5 weeks, but no more.

Babies are not handed out immediately after separation from their mother. Females are separated from males and placed in different cages, which have everything you need to keep hamsters - drinkers, feeders, bedding, houses, and more.

You can distribute hamsters at the age of 1.5-2 months. They try to give hamsters a little earlier, since already at seven weeks the struggle for territory begins, and each hamster needs a separate dwelling. When transferring hamsters to a new owner, it is advisable to give some filler that has already been used and food for the first time. Familiar smell and food will reduce stress from a change of residence.

Can hamsters be castrated?

Frequent estrus does not particularly bother the hamsters themselves and their owners, so there is no point in sterilizing a rodent. In addition, due to the small size of the animal and the poor perception of anesthesia, this procedure is practically not used.

But if there are indications for castration of hamsters - a tumor of the testis, pyometra, a tumor of the uterus, then it is necessary to find out in which veterinary clinic sterilization is performed and carry out this procedure.

Hamster breeding: reviews

In principle, the care and breeding of hamsters is not a difficult task. The main thing is to choose the right couples, be attentive to your pets and provide everything you need. It should also not be forgotten that hamsters are solitary animals and they should be provided with separate accommodation, and combined together only for mating during estrus in the female.

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Some aspects of mating

To avoid unscheduled breeding of hamsters, individuals of different sexes must be kept separately. It is necessary to plant a female with a male only for mating.
These little rodents can breed between three and six weeks of age, and some species, such as the Dzungarian, even earlier.

But do not mate hamsters in such early age. This may adversely affect the female and her future offspring. The optimal age for mating hamsters is from three months to one and a half years, and the first mating must be done at the age of the female from 3 to 6 months.

Between mating should pass a certain period of time. The female needs to recover from pregnancy and accumulate strength for the next one. The most optimal period is three to four months. The second time the female can be mated for 8-10 months of her life. Some individuals already in 12-14 months lose the ability to reproduce.

Males are ready for mating from the age of five weeks. The ability to produce offspring they retain throughout their lives.
For the mating of these rodents, not only age, but also an individual of the opposite sex matters.

How to choose a pair for a hamster, we told in this article.

What to do before mating

Before mating two hamsters, it is necessary to determine their gender so that it does not turn out that you want to bring two boys or girls together.
It will be possible to happen animals only during the period of estrus, also called sexual hunting or estrus, in the female, which occurs every three to five days. Estrus, as a rule, begins in the evening and lasts from four hours to a day. It is at this time that the hamster is ready for intimacy with the male. If you try to bring the couple together at another moment, most likely, everything will end in a fight.

How to determine the beginning of estrus in a hamster? It's pretty simple. Often the behavior of the female changes. She may become restless, lose her appetite. During sexual hunting, the female emits a specific pungent odor that attracts males, and mucous secretions can be seen in the tail area.

The hamster behaves differently - raises her tail, spreads her paws, arches her back and reacts more loyally to the approaches of the male. But sometimes it happens that the female does not like the cavalier and she drives him away. If you want to mate the female with this particular hamster, then perhaps the next time she will agree to it.

You should know that in winter, some females do not have sexual hunting, because in the natural environment hamsters sleep at this time of the year, and do not breed. But when kept in an apartment or house, rodents breed all year round.
It should also be noted that estrus in hamsters of different species manifests itself individually - in some females, estrus is clearly conspicuous, while in others it is almost invisible. In Syrian hamsters, the female becomes very active, mucus is secreted from the genitals, and a specific smell appears. But in Campbell's hamsters and jungars, signs of estrus are difficult to determine.

Males always show interest when meeting with a female. But their sexual desire intensifies during the female's oestrus, when she is ready for mating and lets her boyfriend approach her.

We carry out mating

In order for the mating to be successful, you must first introduce the hamsters. Hamsters should be introduced to neutral territory or in the home of the male.

A good place for mating would be a cardboard box, because if the hamsters start fighting in a cage, you will not be able to quickly separate them, and the animals will be able to harm each other during this time. And from the box it will be possible to quickly get the fighters and return them to their cells. But you should not separate the beating hamsters with your bare hands. You can wear leather gloves to protect yourself from hamster bites.

Not only the lack of sexual desire in a female is the cause of a fight between two individuals of different sexes. In their natural environment, hamsters are loners, so conflicts often arise between them. There are cases when a young and inexperienced male gets a lot from a female who uses her teeth and claws, causing serious wounds.

Often, hamsters end the feud very quickly and mate successfully. This process most often occurs at night and lasts about 5 minutes. Usually, these rodents mate several times with short breaks. Sometimes males are so active that after mating they lie exhausted, like dead ones.

Hamsters are seated after mating, as soon as they lose interest in each other. Otherwise, if the female is pregnant, the fights will continue.

There are times when the female does not get pregnant the first time, so the mating process must be repeated until a positive result is obtained.

If you constantly keep a pair of opposite-sex hamsters in the same cage, they will mate as soon as the female starts estrus. With such free mating, lactation and pregnancy can occur in the female at the same time, which greatly weakens the body of this rodent.

Features of mating Syrian hamsters

This type of hamster needs to be brought together late in the evening - first you launch the male into the cardboard box, and then the female. It is necessary to reduce rodents only during the period when the female begins sexual hunting. Otherwise, the female will run away from the male, drive away or attack him. If this happens, place the hamsters in cages and try again the next day. Do not leave hamsters unattended, get ready to separate the fighting animals. If the female allowed the hamster to come to her, leave them to mate for 15-30 minutes. As soon as the female starts chasing the male and attacking him, seat the hamsters.

Campbell's Hamsters and Jungariki

In dwarf species, the mating process is not as fast, but more friendly. The female is placed next to the male and the reaction is observed, because to determine the sexual desire of these hamsters by outward signs almost impossible. During estrus, the hamster will be supportive of the male, at other times it may show aggression, hiss and chase him. And if the female is pregnant, it can even cripple the male.

Roborovsky hamsters

This type of hamster is very difficult to breed, as they only mate at certain times of the year with good care and nutrition. Rodents live well together, but in order to get them to mate, certain conditions must be created. It is best to mate this species in the spring, in which case you can get good healthy offspring. After the female is pregnant, the male should be removed. Males of this species do not pose a danger to newborn hamsters. Replanting is necessary to prevent unwanted mating.

As you can see, mating hamsters can take some time. Hamsters must be healthy, mature and ready to breed. Before mating hamsters, think about where you will put the little hamsters and whether it is worth doing it. After all, small pets need to be given attention, feed and clean up after them. And your hamster will feel great even without offspring.

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How do hamsters reproduce

If heterosexual hamsters are kept in one cage, reproduction is a matter of time. The fertility of these rodents is legendary. At home, the animals bring numerous offspring all year round, and the young reach maturity in a month. At 1.5 months of age, hamsters will go to a new owner.

The female can become pregnant already in the first day after birth. Considering how often hamsters breed, you should find a market in advance.

How to breed hamsters at home

Breeding hamsters at home is not as profitable as people think. If done responsibly, the process is costly.

If the owner wants to regularly receive offspring, they acquire one male and at least two females. All of them are kept in different cages, they prepare additional cages for seating young animals.

They select producers in different pet stores or in a nursery to avoid closely related ties.

It is unacceptable to cross different species: Djungarian hamsters with Campbells. The mating of a brother and sister is also undesirable, it will result in non-viable offspring.

When do hamsters start mating?

These prolific rodents are able to become pregnant at the age of 1-1.5 months, sometimes male hamsters begin to breed from 3 weeks. It is necessary to prevent mating of animals until active growth and skeletal formation is over. Young dzhungaria may have complications of pregnancy and childbirth, they often devour the offspring.

Knowing at what age hamsters begin to mate, the breeder must have time to seat the young by gender in different cages.

The optimal period for the first mating is from 4 to 6 months. The second mating is 8-10 months (for the female). The animal is allowed to recover after childbirth for at least 2 months, and preferably 3-4 months.

Hamsters breed up to 1-1.5 years, after which the female loses the ability to give birth.

Males retain their reproductive abilities all their lives, and they can be bred as early as 5 weeks. But frequent matings are also undesirable - it exhausts the producer, and many females do not become pregnant after mating.

How hamsters mate

Hamsters mate several times with short breaks. The whole process takes 20-30 minutes, and sometimes even 5 minutes is enough for the animals. It is not necessary to keep the couple in the cage for longer than 45 minutes: if during this time the female did not allow the cage to be made, the mating is postponed.

When the coquette is ready to breed, it stands motionless with its hind legs apart and its tail up.

It can be difficult to mate hamsters if the male is younger than the partner and inexperienced. But if you choose the right time, the fight may well end in intercourse. Hamsters do not always get pregnant after the first mating. If the female is in heat after 3-5 days, she is brought down again.

Mating hamsters is a short process, but sometimes energetic frictions weaken the animal, and the male lies motionless for some time.

How to breed hamsters

It is better to bring hamsters - Dzungarians and Syrians - on neutral territory, in a carrier or a simple cardboard box. The absence of the need to protect the native cage reduces the likelihood of aggression, the animals are easier to seat (no need to catch), you can quickly get it if you see that they are fighting.

In the absence of a carrier, the female is put in a cage with the male, but never vice versa. Given the nocturnal lifestyle, mating is carried out late in the evening.

Syrian hamsters should not be left unattended. So you make sure that the pairing of the Syrians took place, and avoid injury. It is also better to seat the Dzungarians after they stop paying attention to each other.

Sometimes it is recommended to move the cages for a few days to introduce the boy and the girl. Others release the animals to run together in pleasure balls. You should not humanize furry pets by arranging romantic dates for them.

The main condition is that the female should be in heat. Then she will allow the male to mate with her.

Hamster in heat

It is very important to determine in time that the hamster begins the hunting period for successful mating. Otherwise, the animals will seriously harm each other in a fight. Estrus in hamsters happens every 4-5 days, lasts a day, and sometimes less. Sometimes owners wonder if hamsters have periods. Their reproductive cycle is fundamentally different from the human, but the secretion of mucus accompanies estrus.

Signs of estrus in a hamster:

• specific musky smell from the animal;
• anxiety, loss of appetite;
• in response to stroking on the back, it freezes and raises its tail;
• loyal to the male.

External manifestations of sexual hunting are clearly visible in Syrian individuals, but the owners of dwarf rodents sometimes doubt whether hamsters are in heat. In Dzungarian females, estrus can only be determined by reaction to a partner.

Estrus may disappear in older individuals (1.5 years and older) or under adverse conditions ( low temperature indoors, little food).

Why don't hamsters breed?

If, in the case of joint keeping or regular "dates", the animals did not acquire offspring, there is usually a more reasonable explanation for this than "did not like each other."

same-sex animals

Even if the seller assured you that it was a boy and a girl, you need to carefully examine the crotch area and determine the gender of the rodents. It is not uncommon to find that two males, or two females, were required to make children.

Obesity

Excess weight is a common problem of Djungarian hamsters. Adipose tissue affects the level of hormones and the female cannot become pregnant. Checking a dwarf pet is simple: when a fat animal sits, the paws are hidden under the folds, the stomach touches the floor when walking.

Insufficient diet

Unbalanced feeding and deficiency of certain vitamins disrupts reproductive function, and also provokes cannibalism (the female eats children).

Diseases

If the hamster has suffered a serious infection (pneumonia, enteritis), then for a long time organism will not be able to reproduce. You won’t get offspring if the couple lives in conditions of constant stress: the sounds of the TV, drafts and Sun rays, cramped cage, annoying cat.

Is it possible to castrate a hamster

Hamsters are solitary animals, and frequent estrus does not cause concern to either the female or the owner. Due to their small size and poor tolerance of anesthesia, sterilization of rodents is extremely rare.

If the owner considers the operation necessary, you need to check with the veterinary clinic if the hamsters are castrated by their surgeons.

Hamsters are not ferrets that do not go out of heat until they mate or die. Chemical sterilization with hormones (Suprelorin) has been developed for ferrets. There is no such drug for hamsters. These animals are castrated only for medical reasons: a tumor of the testis, pyometra.

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Cohabitation of hamsters

By their nature, dzhungars are solitary animals, therefore it is better to keep even heterosexual rodents separately from each other. Despite gender differences, hamsters will compete in one way or another, and in competition for territory they can injure each other. Although in the event that the dzhungars were acquired at the same age and immediately placed in the same cage, they can live in peace and harmony. However, even under such circumstances, one should observe the behavior of pets, and as soon as between them begin to arise conflict situations- to settle in different houses, uniting them on the same territory only when it is time for the breeding of hamsters.

Preparing for mating

Age and readiness to breed

Puberty in these rodents begins 4-6 weeks after birth, but you should not rush to mating. During this period, the animal's body still continues to grow and form, early conception can greatly harm the young body, and childbirth will be completely dangerous for your pet's life. On top of that, the female may not be ready to feed and raise offspring at all.

It is best when hamsters start mating at around 4-10 months of age. By this time, the body of the animals is fully formed, you will be able to determine for sure whether they are suitable for breeding, and not worry about the health of your pets and their future offspring.

Also, if you are planning on mating Djungarian hamsters, it is important to know that the weight of the female should not be less than 35-40 grams, since she can lose about 40% of her body weight when carrying and feeding cubs.

Selection of a partner and time for mating

Readiness for mating, or the so-called "estrus", occurs approximately every 4-5 days. During the breeding season, female jungars change their behavior pattern, due to which it is often possible to determine the right moment for mating. But in the event that the behavior of your ward has not changed in any way, you have no choice but to arrange dates for your pets for several days in a row.

Since the female individuals of the Dzungaria are rather intolerant of the appearance of “strangers” on their territory, the acquaintance of future partners should be carried out on a neutral territory where there are no extraneous odors, or in the dwelling of the male, who, most likely, will be calmer, accepting the “guest”.

Most rodents prefer to be active at night, so hamsters also often mate at night. Given this fact, mating should be arranged in the evening, when the animals are already alert and ready to perceive the world around them.

After placing potential partners in one cage, at first carefully monitor their behavior. If hamsters begin to quarrel, fight and make all sorts of attempts to get rid of the imposed neighborhood, then it is better to give up the idea of ​​making new attempts to reunite the couple - the animals do not fit together. Well, if the acquaintance was successful, and the hamsters breed, then soon you can expect offspring.

Pregnancy period

The gestation period of Djungarian hamsters lasts an average of about 20-26 days.

Necessary conditions of detention

Even if your pets initially lived in the same cage, without experiencing hostility towards each other, then as soon as the female became pregnant, the male must be moved to another dwelling. Under influence maternal instincts the character and behavioral reactions of a female dzungarian can change dramatically - she becomes aggressive, irritated, harsh. Such metamorphoses can provoke fights between animals, which will immediately lead to injuries and mutilations.

The expectant mother needs to be provided with maximum comfort and protected from nervous shocks, since under conditions of constant stress, the female is able to kill her newborn babies.

Food

Food for a pregnant female dzungaria is somewhat different from the usual daily diet. All food must be fresh and clean, without rot. Make sure that the vegetables and fruits you buy do not contain pesticides or other chemically active compounds that can harm your pet. Remember to regularly check for fresh and clean water in a drinker.

From succulent feed, the following will be especially useful:

• young lettuce leaves;
• carrot;
• pumpkin;
• zucchini.

Also in the diet you need to include foods containing protein:

• boiled egg protein;
• low-fat cottage cheese;
• boiled chicken (without spices and salt).

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How do hamsters mate?

First you need to determine the period of estrus in the female. Estrus happens every 3-5 days, its duration is from four hours to a day. Its occurrence can be recognized by the following signs:

• during estrus, the female secretes a substance that has a sharp musky odor;
• mucous secretions are observed in the tail area;
• she becomes restless, can run around the cage from corner to corner;
• may refuse the most favorite delicacy;
• makes specific sounds.

As for males, everything is simple here, they are able to mate from the fifth week of life, and this ability is maintained almost throughout their entire life.

As already mentioned, mating should take place on neutral territory, so prepare a cage or just a cardboard box in advance. Keep in mind, if the female has not yet come into heat, a conflict may well arise between her and the male - be ready to separate the fighting, and in this case it is better to prepare a pair of gloves.

If the time for mating is chosen correctly, and the hamster is quite friendly towards the gentleman, mating will occur, which can take 5-20 minutes. After everything has happened, the hamsters are seated in their native apartments.

If the female does not go into heat 3-5 days after mating, then the mating process was successful and the hoyachiha is pregnant. However, pregnancy does not always occur immediately after the first attempt. In the next period of estrus, you can try again to mate until the desired result is achieved.

Most often, for breeding, it is recommended to start 1 male for 2-5 females. In some literary sources, cages with females are advised to be placed around the male's cage. The male cell is connected to the female cells with the help of special connecting pipes. The diameter of the pipes is selected so that the male can easily move along them (approximately 4 cm). So that only the male can get into the cages of the females, and the females could not get into other cages, they put on a collar made of synthetic material. This ensures that there will be no fights between pets.

Pregnancy and childbirth of hamsters

The pregnancy of a hamster lasts on average only 14-19 days, and in Djungarian hamsters, the duration of pregnancy can reach 30 days. On the tenth day, obvious signs of pregnancy appear, it is from this moment that pregnancy begins. rapid growth weight of the expectant mother. If during pregnancy the weight of the female decreases, this may indicate illness or death of the embryos inside the womb.

Approximate duration of pregnancy for:

• Syrian hamsters and Roborovsky hamsters - 16-17 days;
• Campbell's hamsters and Siberian hamsters - 19-20 days.

Future mothers move very carefully, try not to make sudden movements. Do not disturb a pregnant female unless absolutely necessary! Include more protein in her diet (it can be egg white, cheese, cottage cheese, baby meat food, etc.).

3 days before giving birth, the female's thirst increases. At this time, you should change the water at least 3-4 times a day.

Childbirth usually begins at night. Arrange a house or nest in the cage in advance (you can use a cardboard box). Inside the nest, the hamster arranges everything herself, just remember to provide her with soft paper, napkins and hay. The cage where the hamster will give birth should be in a quiet and peaceful place.

Usually, the pet copes well with the process of childbirth on its own, and in the morning the owners find replenishment. Hamsters are born in the shell, the mother gnaws it in the head of the cub, and the baby takes the first breath. Each hamster litter can have from four to eighteen cubs. Babies are born completely helpless, deaf, blind, tiny, their skin is thin and red. The only thing that is perfectly developed in babies is the ability to distinguish smells.

Experienced breeders and veterinarians can assist in the birth process in cases where the female gives birth for the first time or at birth a large number cubs.

But there are times when the help of a veterinarian is needed during childbirth, namely:

• if with pronounced contractions and attempts after 15 minutes there are no results
• after the birth of the first baby, after 30 minutes, the rest of the cubs are not born.

Within 30 min. After childbirth, a healthy mother will definitely eat before starting to feed her cubs. Refusal to eat may mean the occurrence of any postpartum complications. The vaginal membrane closes in the first two days after childbirth, and at this time, slight bleeding can be seen from the birth canal.

The first time a hamster usually gives birth to 4-5 cubs, subsequent litters can have many more babies.

After birth, during the first week, hamsters cannot be picked up.. Having smelled someone else's smell on the cubs, the mother will most likely eat them. The desire to stroke the babies should be postponed until the appearance of wool, which will happen in a week.

For the convenience of mothers and babies, it is recommended to put a napkin or soft paper in the cage, with which the female covers the cubs when leaving them to eat. 5 days after birth, the cubs can already squeak demandingly, on the twelfth day of life, the hamsters begin to slowly crawl out of the nest and explore the surrounding space. The eyes of babies open only 2 weeks after birth, at about the same time they begin to eat on their own. At this time, you can put a little porridge and carrots, grated on a fine grater, in a cage for babies. A healthy mother with a lot of milk can feed her cubs for up to a month, and this has a positive effect on the health and strength of hamsters.

At the age of one month, hamsters are placed in cages: boys in one cage, girls in another. This is done in order to prevent early unwanted pregnancy. Hamsters live in a new home for another 1-2 weeks. During this period, hamsters are tamed and played with. To move to new house Hamsters can be brought to new owners at the age of 5-6 weeks.

Problems in breeding hamsters

Cubs can be born already dead, die in the process of childbirth, or become victims of a negligent mother.

Dead babies in a healthy female can be born for the following reasons: infection, illness, malnutrition, inadequate diet during pregnancy, lack of essential vitamins and minerals in food.

Often, pregnancy, especially the first, ends with the fact that the hamster eats the cubs. There are quite a few reasons for this:

• improperly composed diet during pregnancy, in particular, insufficient amount of animal protein in the diet;
• the failed mother is too young;
• stress or fear after childbirth;
• in the cage where the hamster gave birth, there is a male who poses a threat to her babies, and therefore she directs aggression either to the male, and if this fails, then to the cubs;
• regulation of the number of offspring (a female hamster has 5 or 6 pairs of nipples, and so many babies can be born that she will not be able to feed them all);
• if the cub was born weak, sick or with a birth defect;
• if a person took a small hamster in his arms in the first week after birth, because of which the baby has a strange smell.

There is also a situation when the cubs die because of the excessive care of the mother, when, worrying about the safety of the offspring, she constantly carries the cubs in search of a safer place.

Children can be born quite healthy, and, nevertheless, die in the first week of life. This can happen due to the fact that the female is not able to fully feed her children (insufficient milk or its complete absence).

Malnutrition, lack of drinking water, heat in the room where the cage with the pregnant female is located and stress can cause the death of the hamster just before the birth or at the very beginning of feeding newborns. This condition is often referred to as hamster pregnancy toxemia. Signs of toxicosis of pregnancy in females: lack or decrease in appetite, dull and disheveled hair, muscle spasm, salivation.

Attempts to cure this problem in most cases are unsuccessful. Prevention is important here - ensuring the most comfortable conditions for a pregnant hamster (constant humidity and air temperature, absence of drafts, peace and quiet, as well as a properly composed diet and access to fresh, clean water).

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Before you implement "I want a hamster", you should weigh the pros and cons. It is important to make sure that household members are not allergic to wool, animal saliva, hygienic fillers, determine the place where the cage will stand, and arrange with someone who will take care of the animal in case of your departure or illness. Also, do not give a hamster to people without their consent. Get ready for the fact that if a hamster is bought for a child, then you still cannot avoid participating in the care of the animal.

The advantages of hamsters over other pets are that they:

Take up little space;

They eat little and are unpretentious in food;

Caring for them is simple;

They do not need to be walked;

They are inexpensive;

Easy to breed;

Do not create noise in the apartment.

Do not leave countless tufts of wool on furniture, clothes.

Flaws:

Without supervision outside the cage, they can "try on the tooth" everything that interests them;

In winter, they hibernate - during this period they cannot be disturbed;

May show aggression when picked up;

Due to their small size, they are difficult to find if they have escaped their cage and hid;

With irregular cleaning of the cage, a specific smell appears.

The life expectancy of a hamster depends on the conditions of detention. On average, they live 2 years.

The best age for a hamster to buy is 1.5-2 months (during this period they are easier to tame).

Hamsters: care at home. How to choose a healthy hamster?

The criteria for the health of a hamster are its appearance and behavior. A healthy animal has:

Shiny fur without bald patches - bald spots can be caused by stress, subcutaneous mites, fungal diseases;

Clear clean eyes without any discharge;

Clean anus without traces of diarrhea;

Calm even breathing;

Clean nose without plaque and secretions.

It is better to observe the behavior of the hamster in the late afternoon. During the day, these animals usually sleep. In the evening, healthy hamsters become active, feed, start running and climbing on their territory.

Hamsters: care at home. Which cage for a hamster to choose: lattice or dune? Cell equipment

In pet stores, the range of cages for hamsters is quite wide. They are divided into 2 types: lattice or plastic.

Ordinary lattice cages are purchased for Syrian (golden) hamsters. The rods in such cages should be located horizontally. This will allow the animal to climb the walls. The lattice step depends on the type of hamster that will live in this cage: for golden - up to 1 cm, for smaller species - 0.5 cm. This will not allow the animal to stick its head between the bars and get stuck. The optimal cage parameters for large hamsters are: length - 0.5-0.6 m, width 0.4 m, height 0.3-0.4 m.

Cages, or rather, containers with plastic walls (dunes) are convenient for keeping dwarf hamster species (Dzhungarsky, Campbell, Roborovsky) - they are not prone to vertical climbing. The minimum dimensions of such a cage are 0.5x0.3x0.25-0.3 m.

Dune for small hamster species

Cage equipment

For a comfortable stay of a small pet, his home must be properly equipped.

The choice of bedding will determine the health of the animal and the amount of time spent cleaning the cage. It is not recommended to use newspapers as bedding - printing ink is harmful to the hamster. In addition, newsprint does not cope with moisture absorption and odor retention.

If you use clean paper or cotton wool, then again the issue of smell remains relevant. In addition, the animal, wrapped in cotton wool fibers, can pull and damage its paws.

In second place in popularity are pressed sawdust, wood shavings or hay. However, hamsters are allergic to softwood pellets.

The best bedding option is corn filler (chopped cobs with a little grain residue). It is small, light, it is convenient for a hamster to run on it, the smell holds up to 10 days. Its minus is a higher price compared to other types of bedding.

There should be 2 feeders in the cage: one for hard grain feed, the other for soft (vegetables, fruits, greens).

So that the animal does not fill the drinking water in the cage with filler and does not spill it, it is better to use an autodrinker. Water should be changed daily.

Hamsters need to move a lot to keep fit. Therefore, it is necessary to put a wheel in the cage. It is better to choose a solid one, with transverse protrusions so that the hamster does not slip and damage its paws. For a variety of "sports activities" the pet will need labyrinths, slides, stairs.

Equipped cage for hamsters

Hamsters are nocturnal and for daytime rest they need a safe place - a mink. As it, a house is placed in the cage, which is easily opened for washing. Some hamsters build their own nest by raking bedding into the corner of the cage.

Hamsters: care at home. Feeding, diet of a hamster

The main food for hamsters is grain. In pet stores, you can buy ready-made grain mixtures. From succulent feed, furry pets are fed carrots, apples, cucumbers, corn, beets, hard varieties of pears, green beans, pumpkin seeds, zucchini, pumpkin. You can pamper them with some types of berries: raspberries, strawberries. From protein foods, animals are rarely given boiled lean fish and chicken, shrimp, cottage cheese, a boiled egg, purchased in a pet store forage insects (bloodworm, mealworm, grasshoppers and earthworms).

Important! Hamsters should not be given onions, garlic, white cabbage, citrus fruits, sugar, salt, cheese, fried and spicy food from the table, almonds, Exotic fruits, mushrooms.

Hamsters are fed in the morning and evening. To determine how much food your pet needs, at first leave enough food to last until the next day. After a short observation of the hamster's appetite, you can easily determine the daily rate.

Hamsters need to chew on something hard to grind down their ever-growing incisors. It is good to use tree branches for this (except for conifers) or a mineral stone purchased at a pet store.

Hamsters: care at home. Hamster breeding

Hamsters breed quickly and easily. For this process to be successful at home, certain rules must be followed. For the first mating, a female is allowed at the age of 3 to 6 months. Males are suitable as producers already at 2-3 months of age. The selected animals should not be immediately planted together in one cage - first you need to make sure that the female is in heat (she often licks the undertail region of the body). Otherwise, the female, not ready for mating, may start a fight with the "cavalier".

Potential parents need to get to know each other first. Put their cages next to each other: if the animals peacefully sniff each other and show interest, then you can put them in one cage or box (in case of a sudden fight, the animals can be quickly separated). After mating, the hamsters are seated back to their "homes". A pregnant female is provided with good nutrition: greens are added to the grain feed, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, vegetables and fruits, germinated millet and wheat are added in small quantities.

Bearing cubs lasts 16-20 days. On the eve of the expected birth, check the presence of fresh water in the drinking bowl, otherwise the newly born hamster, who is very thirsty, may eat the offspring.

Hamsters are born blind, deaf, bald

During the period of feeding the cubs (2-3 weeks), try not to disturb the family. Replace the soiled litter carefully, without touching the nest itself, put pieces of paper napkins in the cage - the female will “clean up” the nest herself.

A month later, grown up young hamsters become independent, they are placed in a separate cage.

Hamsters: care at home. How to tame a hamster?

To accustom a hamster to hands, it is necessary to act gradually. Hamsters do not see well, so they are guided by hearing and smell. Forcibly grab a hamster is not worth it - he will get scared and bite. Every evening, talk to the animal so that it remembers your voice. Offer treats to your pet in the palm of your hand.

Treat your hamster with something tasty to tame.

After a while, when the hamster becomes bolder and begins to climb into the open hand, you can try to stroke it. Gradually, the pet will get used to the touch and allow you to pull yourself together. However, remember that even a tame animal can bite if it gets scared. Therefore, before you pick him up, get his attention. Do not disturb a sleeping hamster.

Important! Hamsters are territorial animals, so they need to be kept one at a time. Otherwise, fights between animals cannot be avoided. The male is placed next to the female only during mating. This rule does not apply to Roborovsky hamsters - these animals are social, they are settled in pairs.