Reproduction of Syrian hamsters at home. Syrian and Dzungarian hamster - reproduction and mating

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A rodent of the family, because of its natural reddish-sandy color, popularly called the “golden hamster”. The color of this breed is not only golden, but also white, brown, black, silver, etc. Initially, Syrian hamsters were short-haired, but now there are many long-haired ones on sale. Their body length is 13-13.5 cm, and their weight ranges from 100-125 g. Syrian hamsters are considered the longest-lived species of decorative hamsters - life expectancy is on average 2.5 years, but with proper care and maintenance it can reach 4 years . In contrast, they are less whimsical, distinguished by endurance and cleanliness. Very active and kind creatures that will calmly enjoy the warmth of their master's hands, without showing a single drop of aggression. Female golden hamsters practically do not smell, the males, guided by the desire to assert themselves, have a tendency to carefully mark the territory.

The Syrian hamster has a thirteen-centimeter stocky body with short legs, medium rounded ears, a short muzzle, bead-shaped eyes and a small tail that can barely be seen under its thick coat. The belly of the rodent is light, and its back has an ocher-gray or brownish-gray color. The hind feet of the animal have five toes, while the front feet have four toes and a rudiment of a fifth. The rodent lives in shallow minks, leads an active life at night. The Syrian hamster uses conveniently fitted cheek pouches to transport nest building materials and food.

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For the first time in 1797, the Russell brothers wrote an article about the Syrian hamster. This species of rodents has been considered extinct since 1839, after Waterhauser made their first scientific description. On April 30, 1930, after a long search, the zoologist Israel Ahoroni discovered a hole in which, along with a female, there were eleven newborn rodents, he transported them to the Hebrew University. Of all the individuals brought, three males and one female survived. After unsuccessful attempts to find wild nature other representatives of this species, Ahoroni produced a related mating of a female with one of his brothers, who became the progenitors of this species in captivity. Their descendants in 1938 first came to the territory of the United States of America. Simultaneously with this event, pundits concluded that Syrian hamsters are completely extinct in the wild.

However, this turned out not to be the case. The Syrian hamster lives in croplands, meadow steppes and foothill steppe landscapes, which are located on the territory of: Iran, Western Asia, Turkey, the Balkans.

Syrian hamster - maintenance and care

Cage for a hamster
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Housing for hamsters of this species is best served by a cage with a deep plastic tray and metal rods, as well as an aquarium made of organic or ordinary glass. The dimensions of the cage for the animal must be at least 30 × 40 cm, and the minimum height of the aquarium is 30 cm.

As a bedding, it is most optimal to use large dry sawdust, the layer thickness of which should be approximately 3-4 cm. For long-haired representatives of the species, it is not advisable to lay sawdust, as they can tangle the wool. You should purchase a special natural wood filler, combining it with colorless paper napkins. Pieces of paper, hay and straw are good for building nests.

Inside the cage, you need to put a house where the animal will hide and rest. It is also important to take care of the active life of the pet in order to avoid problems with weight and well-being. In addition to a bowl for food and a drinker, given the frisky nature Syrian hamsters, it is necessary to place a large wheel for jogging, perches and various obstacles to be overcome in the cage.

Cleaning should be done every 4-5 days. The drinker and bowl should be washed daily. Once a month, be sure to wash the cage and all the "furniture" of the hamster with a special detergent which contains bleach.

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The cage should be equipped with a bedding, which can be used as pressed sawdust of the middle fraction, which absorb moisture well and perfectly absorb odors. It is strictly forbidden to use cotton wool, napkins, rags and newspapers as bedding. A toilet for small rodents is needed with a special absorbent material that is used as a filler. A wheel with transverse projections and a bottom without a grate, which is selected according to the size of the hamster, will come in handy. You need a drinker with a volume of fifty milliliters, the water in which is recommended to be changed daily. As well as a house that can be attached to the wall of the cage. Well, a feeder with a width of three to ten centimeters, which must be selected taking into account the size of the rodent.

The main component of the diet of the Syrian hamster is considered grain food, in addition to which it is recommended to give crunchy treats that give him not only pleasure, but also bring great benefits by grinding down his ever-growing incisors. In addition to solid food, apples, raspberries, pears, carrots, pumpkins, zucchini, turnips, radishes, persimmons must be included in the diet of an individual. Syrian hamster is recommended to feed no more than twice a day in the morning and evening. In this case, the individual must be given such an amount of food that the rodent can leave a small part of it the next day. This is due to the fact that the individual's need for food depends on the individual properties of his organism. Bean grasses - clover and alfalfa - will become real delicacies for them. Animals need vegetables salad, carrots, fruits, root crops and berries.

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Representatives of this species are very fond of White bread, pasta, cereals and other flour products. Happy to eat milk. Be sure to include boiled meat and multivitamins in the diet of pets. It is very important to have drinking water at room temperature in the hamster's cage.

Syrian hamsters have cheek pouches into which they stuff excess food, if any. They carry all their prey to nests, so you should establish the approximate amount of food eaten, and while cleaning the cage, be sure to inspect the nest, eliminating pet supplies that can deteriorate.

It is strictly forbidden to include citrus fruits, sunflower seeds, nuts, any oils, lard, fish oil, cabbage, yogurt, kefir and chocolate in the diet of the Syrian hamster, the use of which will very badly affect their health.

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You can’t bathe Syrian hamsters, they themselves perfectly monitor their cleanliness, washing and brushing their fur several times a day. Long-haired representatives sometimes need to put a special bath with sand so that they can brush their long hair. You also need to take care of their fur, combing it with a small brush or comb with frequent teeth. Short-haired individuals are quite satisfied with combing with a toothbrush or massage brush.

When releasing the animals to walk around the house, the owners should be especially attentive and careful, because a small animal can face dangers at almost every step.

Syrian hamsters have one common health problem: obesity. It is in order to avoid it that running wheels are installed in the cages. If the owners prefer to let the kids run around the apartment, then you should be especially careful here, since the animals are in danger at almost every step. There is a risk of being crushed by the foot of a careless family member, pinched by a door, or falling from a great height, such as an open balcony.

Syrian hamster - breeding

Blue Syrian hamsters, cubs
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When mating Syrian hamsters, it must be borne in mind that the female must be at least four months old, and the male must be three months old. Pregnancy in these rodents lasts for eighteen days, and the number of young animals in one litter is from four to fifteen pieces, which are fed with mother's milk for twenty-eight days.

Before giving birth, it is recommended to make a complete disinfection of the cage, and for childbirth use a glass one-story cage measuring 40 cm x 25 cm. During pregnancy, as well as feeding, it is necessary to separately and in small quantities include protein foods in the diet of the female, which may include non-fat cottage cheese, boiled egg yolk, boiled chicken meat.

Color option
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To prevent the female Syrian hamster from eating her offspring, she needs to ensure complete calm, a shaded and quiet location of the cage, separate keeping of animals, an unmistakable determination of the age of the female that is supposed to mate, and a proper diet.

How to determine the sex of a Syrian hamster? To do this, lift it by the scruff. In males, already at 4 weeks, the testicles are clearly visible, swollen at the root of the tail. In females, the distance between the anal and genital openings is about 3 mm, and in males - 1-1.5 cm. In sexually mature males, the glands on the tummy work much more actively, so the abdomen is constantly wet.

Diseases of Syrian hamsters

A healthy hamster is mobile and curious, while a sick hamster tends to hide, retire and lie down. He does not eat or drink, he is lethargic and slow, he does not play. His coat is dull, sloppy and disheveled, his eyes are slightly closed, the hamster is losing weight.

If you find any of the above symptoms in your pet, then this indicates that the hamster is sick. Many diseases of a pet are provoked by poor maintenance, malnutrition, and stress. Therefore, if possible, avoid incorrect positioning of the cage, frequent disturbance of the animal’s sleep, long trips, inappropriate cage neighborhood and other actions that provoke stress in small pets. Unfortunately, sometimes even well-cared for Syrian hamsters get sick. Recovery depends on the disease itself and how quickly it is detected.

You should not treat the hamster yourself, so that it does not lead to irreparable consequences. The most reasonable way out is to consult a veterinarian.

Many owners of these cute rodents simply love to watch them, and such a small pet suits them. However, some people also prefer to earn money by breeding hamsters. This material is useful to both categories of owners. The correct maintenance of a pregnant female, caring for her after childbirth, the nuances of breeding for professionals - all this will be discussed in detail below.

Breeding rules

It is important for a future hamster breeder to know that the story of their fertility is a kind of myth. These animals are evolutionary loners. If you want to breed them, you will have to take into account many nuances. For example, they cannot be planted in one cell initially.

Hamsters are conflict animals, they will fight until they die.

Terms? Not as much as I would like. We can say that increased fertility is directly related to the short life span. A kind of protective mechanism of evolution that protects the species from extinction.

Therefore, two heterosexual rodents are not enough for reproduction. You will need two cages with dwellings. This rule does not apply to Roborovsky hamsters. This species lives large groups. When breeding them, the other extreme is obtained: a flock will require a large cage with enough space for each individual. Otherwise, fights for free space will begin. According to the recommendations of experienced breeders, this type of hamster is ideal for trial breeding.

Breeding popular Djungarian hamsters will require a lot of effort and investment (like almost all rodents). Several cells will be required: separate for adult males and females, one more for the grown litter (1–2 months), and then a few more for the resettlement of young animals without exception.

The breeder needs to remember that hamsters, regardless of breed, will breed 3-4 times a year. This is not the limit, but more litters will have a bad effect on the condition of the female. Therefore, immediately after the birth of the male, it is better to resettle in his cage. You also need to be prepared for the fact that the hamster can destroy some of the offspring if she realizes that she cannot feed everyone (this is natural for rodents).

Time of onset of puberty

Hamster females can become pregnant already at the age of 1–1.5 months, and some males are capable of fertilization as early as the third week of life. Because of this low maturity threshold, hamsters are separated until the time of completion of active growth and bone formation.

The recommended age for first mating for females is 4-6 months. The next one is at 8-10 months. The animal between births should recover from 2 to 4 months. The ability to give birth in females persists for one and a half years. Males are capable of fertilization throughout their lives. They can be allowed for the first mating after 5 months. In males, frequent mating is also undesirable, since there is a high probability of exhaustion and deterioration in the quality of offspring.

How hamsters mate

The whole mating process of these rodents takes about half an hour, although sometimes 5 minutes is enough. Within 30 minutes, the male makes several cages, if the female allows it. Keeping a couple in the same cage for more than 45 minutes is not recommended. If mating has not occurred, then mating is postponed for some time.

The complexity of mating hamsters is that young males do not have experience. In this case, pregnancy may not occur the first time. If the female is in heat, after 3–5 days the couple is brought together again.

Hamsters are energetic animals, so the males get very tired during the mating process. If the hamster lies and does not move after mating, then there is no need to panic: he is just tired (may even seem dead).

How to breed hamsters

Syrian and Djungarian hamsters are best kept in a separate cage, where none of the pair has been yet. This will reduce the possible level of aggression due to the need to protect their territory. Hamsters will be calmer, they will not have to be driven around the cage to catch them. If there is no neutral cage, only the female is placed next to the male, but never vice versa. The mating should be organized late in the evening, as hamsters are nocturnal.

Syrian hamsters should not be left unattended during mating. So it will be possible to avoid fights and control the result of mating. They, like jungars, are best seated immediately after losing interest in each other. Some breeders offer to move the cages a few days before mating so that the animals “get to know each other”. Experienced zoologists say that this is the maximum that is acceptable. A variety of "dates" and meetings of hamsters before mating will not bring any result.

Pregnancy in hamsters

The gestation period for the Syrian breed is 16–20 days. The last week before giving birth and 2-3 weeks after it is categorically not recommended to take the female in your hands. So you can avoid the fact that she will eat her offspring. Cannibalism can be provoked by a large offspring, weakness of the litter, and other factors. Therefore, you should be prepared for the fact that you will have to limit the communication of the child (most often, children persuade parents to buy animals) with a pet for a while.

As mentioned above, the pregnant female is placed in a separate cage. Usually 10-12 cubs weighing 2-3 grams are born. They are born completely bald, but with developed teeth. On the 5th day, their ears open, on the 15th, their eyes. During the growth of babies, it is better not to touch with your hands and not change the bedding in the cage. After 6-8 weeks, the young should be weaned from the female, as they are already sexually mature. You also need to separate the hamsters by gender.

After separating young hamsters, you need to take them in your hands for some time every day so that the animals get used to the person. An adult should do this, as young animals can bite and show aggression. The taming process will take time, but such an adapted hamster will find new owners easier.

Hamster hygiene

Long-haired animals need to be combed regularly. You should pay attention to their hind legs and stomach, as tangles often form in these areas. In hamsters with short hair, it is cleaned with a damp brush. Bathing these rodents is necessary only with very strong pollution using a special shampoo.

To maintain the normal condition of the teeth of hamsters, it is recommended to leave twigs of fruit trees in the cage. Mandatory solid food for grinding incisors. If the teeth grow too much, you will have to contact the veterinarian. Claws in healthy and mobile individuals grind themselves. They have to be trimmed only in old and little moving animals.

Contraindications for pregnancy

It is strongly not recommended to mate hamsters weighing less than 120 grams. Such animals will not be able to fully bear offspring. The pet will either die during childbirth, or the offspring will be with pathologies. If the female has already given birth, the "ceiling" by age for pregnancy is 12–18 months (nulliparous individuals live 3-4 years).

Outcome

The problem of breeding Syrian hamsters is that only a few will make money on this, and the costs of breeding are many times higher. With a quick and abundant offspring, you can try yourself in breeding and breeding individuals of non-standard colors. Victories at exhibitions and competitions are a positive charge of emotions, but practically no material profit. As a result, hamsters simply have to be distributed to friends or given to pet stores.

All Syrian hamsters are capable of producing offspring in captivity. Reproduction is very responsible and important point for those who decide to have a rodent at home. Need to provide proper care and caring for the female and her offspring. The offspring that was born will grow up healthy and delight you and your children. By presenting small healthy hamsters as a gift, you will pleasantly surprise and delight your friends and relatives immensely. In this article, we will look at preparing for breeding, caring for hamsters during and after childbirth.

How do Syrian hamsters breed at home?

Caring for a hamster is very easy, even children can handle it. It is only necessary to explain all the nuances of feeding and care. Breeding Syrian hamsters at home requires responsibility and care from a person.

Room equipment

It is necessary to choose a place for placing the cage in such a way that it is spacious, away from noise and dust. The cage should be located away from direct sun rays. It is necessary to ventilate the room often, but at the same time categorically avoid drafts.

In order for the reproduction of Syrian hamsters to be successful, several cages must be prepared:

• A large and spacious cage where the female will be with her offspring after giving birth. In this cage, you need to equip a mother liquor where childbirth will take place. At the bottom you need to pour a small layer of sawdust. It is imperative to equip the active zone so that there is a place where the kids can frolic. The spinning wheel, rungs and ladders are perfect for outdoor activities.
• Cage or box for mating. Here you can get by with a small box, it is necessary that there are no distracting objects in it (wheels, stairs). At the bottom, you can pour sawdust or a special filler. It is important to place the box where it will be inaccessible to children, dogs and other pets.
• An additional cage, where, if necessary, it will be possible to place a Syrian hamster in case of any aggression from other animals.

Acquisition of rodents

A lot depends on the choice of a partner for mating. Breeding Syrian hamsters is a responsible business and must be taken seriously so as not to endanger the life of the entire Syrian hamster family. A pair of the opposite sex must be selected the same as your pet. Hamsters should not be closely related to each other, otherwise brother and sister can give weak offspring with signs of pathology and physical inferiority.

It is important at the same time to be able to distinguish the male Syrian hamster from the female. Only healthy rodents without diseases and transmitted infections are allowed to mate. The coat of the purchased animal should be shiny, thick, without bald spots. Eyes and nose should be clean and free of discharge. It is also worth paying attention to emotional condition hamster. In the normal state, the animal behaves actively, showing interest in everything new, not being afraid of an outstretched hand. However, too energetic behavior of the animal should alert, as well as too apathetic.

To give your pet time to get used to the new territory, you need to buy a Syrian hamster in young age. After purchasing a partner, hamsters must be kept separate from each other so as not to suffer as a result of aggression from the partner. Mostly females show aggression, not letting the male approach them. They are favorable to a partner only during estrus, which lasts 3-4 days.

Syrian hamster: breeding

Syrian hamsters reach sexual maturity when they are 1 to 2.5 months old. But at this age it is not recommended to arrange mating, as a belated physical development females can adversely affect the bearing and feeding of offspring. The female may not have enough milk for large offspring. Therefore, for the first time, it is worth attracting a female to reproduction no earlier than when she reaches the age of three months. If the first birth takes place after she reaches the age of six months, there is a risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. The male is capable of healthy fertilization at the age of 3 months to one and a half years.

Before mating begins, you need to find out when the female is in heat, it is on such days that a male can be planted next to her. The main signs of estrus in a female Syrian hamster are similar to other animals. She becomes more active than usual, can stand up, bending her back and spreading her legs. Under the tail, you can notice mucous discharge with a pungent odor. Syrian hamsters are nocturnal animals, they lead vigorous activity mostly at night, including mating. Estrus can begin in the evening and last until the morning. It is necessary not to miss this moment and plant a male to her. The next chance will be only in 4-5 days. If you are sure that the right moment has come right now, you must carefully bring the male to the female. After sniffing each other, the girl can stand up, thereby showing her consent. Now you need to leave a couple for the duration of mating in a quiet, calm place and not disturb them. Half an hour will be enough for conception, at this time you need to be careful and in case of aggression of the female, urgently isolate the male from her. There were cases when the female bit her partner to death.

What to do after mating?

When the process of mating Syrian hamsters at home comes to an end, you need to immediately transplant the male. The female herself will make it clear with her restless behavior that it is time for the partner to leave. In cases where the mating of this pair does not occur for the first time, the hamsters get used to each other and can behave calmly. Even if the female behaves with restraint after mating, it is still worth protecting the male and seating the hamsters in their cages. During this period, the male behaves actively and spends a lot of energy, therefore, after mating, he must be fed to restore strength. From this point on, the girl should be given food with a high protein content for a healthy development of the pregnancy.

We determine pregnancy

Syrian hamsters are pregnant for 16 to 18 days. 10 days after conception, the stomach becomes more round. You may also notice enlargement of the nipples. There is a change in the behavior of the female, it can change from overly aggressive to gentle and calm. The hamster gains weight due to improved appetite and fetal growth. She is less likely to approach the wheel and other game items. The cell needs to be prepared for the appearance of offspring, more often to clean it, pour large sawdust. Care must be taken that the cubs cannot fall out through the bars of the cage, covering the bottom with a layer of glass or cardboard. Before giving birth, it is better not to disturb the female at all, so that she can calmly arrange a place in the house. The calmness of the female and the absence of stress during childbirth is very important.

How does childbirth take place?

Childbirth lasts for 1-3 hours, depending on the number of babies. Newborn hamsters are born one after another in 10-15 minutes. It is important not to distract or interfere with the female at this moment, she hears everything perfectly, and any noise can interfere. You can not touch the babies after childbirth, otherwise, smelling a foreign smell on her children, the female can eat them. Protein-rich foods should be added to the diet: cottage cheese, boiled egg yolk, boiled chicken.

In the first 7 days, the babies do not appear in the open, and are always in the nest. Only after two weeks the hamsters begin to crawl out of the nest little by little. During this period, they open their eyes and begin to grow hair.

In order not to harm the health of the female, the next mating should be planned no earlier than in 3 months. She should fully recover after childbirth and fattening offspring. During their lives, females give birth on average 4 to 5 times, bringing a litter of 6-12 cubs. When they are one and a half years old, Syrian hamsters lose their ability to reproduce.

Arguments against reproduction

Breeding Syrian hamsters is very costly, both in terms of time and finances. It is necessary to provide animals with high-quality and healthy food, to purchase comfortable and spacious cages. Get a supply of clean sawdust and filler. And of course, you need to pay a lot of attention at this time to the female and young. Monitor the health of the offspring and, if necessary, contact the veterinarians.

It is also worth abandoning the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbreeding if your pet is already over 15 months old. At this age, she may die during childbirth. Small body structure and low weight can cause pathology during pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, the female lives longer if she does not give birth, since each birth depletes her body by a third.

Great stress will be the fact that the female can bite her offspring, sensing danger or at the time of stress.

Hamsters are very prolific small animals.

There are legends about the fertility of hamsters. At home, these animals are ready to breed all year round.

It will seem to inexperienced breeders that breeding hamsters is not a troublesome business, it is enough to buy a cage, put a boy and a girl together and wait for the offspring.

However, the real situation looks different. Hamster breeding will require not only huge time costs, but also material. Consider all the nuances of reproduction of offspring in small rodents.

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. 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-matted 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.

None birth control pills also not released 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 released from the genitals, a special musky smell appears that 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:

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.

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.

In contact with

They are highly prolific and reproduce easily. But in order to obtain strong offspring and maintain the health of the pets themselves, some nuances should be taken into account. Let's consider them in more detail.

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.

Important! Many people keep hamsters in pairs, and this is wrong. These rodents are loners by nature and do not respond well to neighborhoods. Same-sex individuals can start a struggle for territory, which can lead to the death of one of them.

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 used often for conception, since with frequent mating, their ability to reproduce decreases, and the expected pregnancy does not occur in females.

Did you know? Hamsters differ from other rodents in the presence of cheek pouches that can hold up to 50 g of food or building materials. Their thriftiness is well known, hamster stocks can reach 90 kg. These animals sometimes cause considerable damage to agricultural land.

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 in the cold season, estrus is not observed in females, since in 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:

Did you know? Hamsters are quite active and mobile animals. IN vivo they travel long distances (up to 10 km) in search of food. Therefore, for pets, you need to ensure sufficient activity by placing a wheel in a cage.

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.

Allows the hamster to move freely around the territory of the room or apartment. This allows him to maintain the necessary activity, as well as periodically change the situation, which is important for the psychological state of the rodent.

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 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.

Important! Immediately before childbirth, it is important to control the presence of a sufficient amount of water in the drinker, since immediately after childbirth, the mother hamster is very thirsty and, in the absence of drinking, can eat her cubs.

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 a hamster is provided with building materials, then she on your own furnish housing. 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.

Did you know? On the territory of Russia, 12 varieties of hamsters live in the wild. All of them are carriers of 30 infectious diseases, some of them may end lethal outcome for a person. So the bite of wild individuals is dangerous to health.

Hamster breeding: reviews

Hamsters will live a wonderful life without children. And if you force her to give birth, a girl may die during childbirth, bleeding may open, you won’t save her, including after a month, or even a year. And all because of childbirth. And if a boy does not know that girls exist, he will be doubly happier and calmer.

Svetlana

https://zoodrug.ru/topic350.html

You now know the main rule - you should never keep hamsters together! In nature, hamsters never live together, they each have their own separate territory, and if another hamster enters it, there will be a big fight. For reproduction, they converge and immediately scatter back to their territories. Therefore, now that you have forcibly locked them in one cage, they are under tremendous stress. And you may not see it. They don't fight yet, but it's only a matter of time. It will seem to you that they live quietly and peacefully, and then you wake up in the morning - and you have bam! - one corpse, and the second gnawed-beaten. If they don't kill each other, they'll cripple each other.

anna.stasi

http://hamster.ru/forum/threads/razvedenie-dzhungarskix-xomjakov.28940/#post-643547

Golden rules: 1 hamster=1 cage (no matter which hamster) 2-Pallet size: length 50 cm, width -30. 3- breed from 4 months, not earlier. 4- and not relatives, otherwise all genetic sores will come out in children and sick or frail, small children will be born.

http://hamster.ru/forum/threads/razvedenie-dzhungarskix-xomjakov.28940/page-2#post-664892

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 living, and combined together only for mating during estrus in the female.