Reproduction of Syrian hamsters (mating and breeding)

Breeding Syrian hamsters at home is a fascinating process, not too difficult if you know the characteristics of these animals. Those who decide to become a breeder of decorative rodents need to calculate the consequences of such a decision in advance. The offspring of Syrian hamsters can be so numerous that finding a market is not easy.

How do Syrian hamsters breed at home?

Room equipment

Even before buying pets, you need to prepare cages and a room in which up to 20 hamsters will be at the same time. It maintains an air temperature of 21-25 C, if necessary, equipping it with air conditioning. Eliminate sources of noise, cells protect from drafts and the sun. Cages should be spacious, equipped with a drinker and a running wheel. Quantity – according to the number of adult animals, plus cages for seating young animals by gender.

You will need a small mating carrier and spare cages in case the hamsters cannot be housed in time and they start to show aggression towards each other.

Acquisition of rodents

Breeding Syrian hamsters begins with the selection of producers. The animals should be approximately the same age and belong to different breed lines to avoid inbreeding. It is not recommended to buy a male and a female in the same pet store: it can be a brother and sister. Usually animals for breeding are purchased at exhibitions or from professional breeders. Future parents should have good health and an ideal exterior. It is important to select producers according to temperament, receiving offspring only from individuals that are calm and friendly to humans.

It is impossible to predict in advance whether the animal is suitable for breeding. The female may be cannibalistic or have too little milk to feed her young.

Then neither she nor her offspring are allowed to re-mating. It happens that a couple is genetically incompatible, and the offspring is weak, with genetic deformities, or simply small. Having only one male and one female, one has to hope for luck and be ready to acquire other individuals.

Syrians differ from dwarf hamsters in a variety of colors, which provides room for creativity.

Syrian hamster: breeding

These rodents reach puberty already at the age of 1-1,5 months, but the process of growth and development of the organism does not end yet. The first mating is carried out when the animals are 4-6 months old. The record short pregnancy lasts 16-19 days, depending on the number of fetuses. Lactation – 21-28 days.

After giving birth, the female should be allowed to recover for 2-3 months, so they plan about 4 litters per year. If a female gives birth more than 6 times a year, this will negatively affect her and her offspring. At the age of 12-15 months, the ligaments of the pelvic bones become inelastic, and the hamster loses the ability to give birth. From one female receive an average of 3-5 litters. But this is also a lot, Syrian hamsters are prolific, and bring 6-12 cubs, sometimes up to 18 pieces.

Planning

The reproduction of rodents is a rapid process, and the exact fixation of significant dates will allow you to prepare for them in a timely manner. Record the date of mating, childbirth, the number of cubs. The calendar marks the date of separation of the young into boys and girls, and then the date when the babies can be distributed to new owners. It is better to start looking for good hands for them in advance, even before the birth.

Syrian hamster mating

Males and females should be kept separately, meeting only for mating. Mating takes place under the control of the owner, since the animals can be aggressive and even injure each other. To avoid a fight, mating is carried out in the cage of the male or in neutral territory.

The female must be in heat. The period of sexual hunting occurs every 4-5 days and the external signs are quite characteristic.

The animals are not left unattended, which is not so difficult: mating lasts no more than 20-30 minutes. After that, the couple needs to be seated and provide the female with a calm atmosphere.

Before bringing animals together, make sure of their gender, without relying on the statements of the seller. This will avoid embarrassment when the owner realizes that he wanted to force two males to breed.

Arguments against reproduction

Bad for the health of the female

If a Syrian weighs less than 120 g, she may not give birth and die, especially if the partner was noticeably larger. Pathology of childbirth is inevitable in “age” rodents at 12-18 months, while a hamster that does not give birth lives 3-4 years.

Bearing and feeding cubs, the female loses up to 30% of her weight, even with full and proper feeding. This seriously depletes her body. If the animal does not die, the owner will have to provide for the hamster “in retirement”, when she will no longer be profitable.

The animal cannot play the role of a pet

In the last week of pregnancy, and most importantly – 2-3 weeks after childbirth, the female should not be disturbed, picked up. This is necessary so that she does not eat her own offspring.

Cases of cannibalism can be for reasons beyond the control of the owner – a large litter, weak cubs. For a child, a lot of stress is to see how a hamster bites her children. This should be taken into account by adults who decide to breed hamsters in order to let their own child cuddle fluffy lumps.

Young hamsters are recommended to be picked up daily for a few minutes so that they get used to the hands. But it is undesirable to entrust this to children: small hamsters are fragile, they can show aggression, bite and slip out of their hands. It takes a lot of time and patience to tame each baby. But it is easier for socially adapted young animals to find good owners.

Big investment of time and money

There are several ways to breed Syrian hamsters. Somewhere there are people who have hamsters sitting together in a cramped cage, but manage to bring offspring. But if you approach the process responsibly, you will need a lot of high-quality food and other provisions, and most importantly – time.

The cages need to be cleaned and the bedding changed, the water in the drinking bowls changed every day, fed and cooked (boiled meat without salt, an egg, soaked greens, peeled chopped vegetables). Tame and seat the young, bring together and pick up pairs. Consult a veterinarian with a narrow profile in case of health problems. Photograph and attach the kids. Answer calls and advise future owners. There is enough work.

Conclusion

Breeding Syrian hamsters can be an interesting activity, a favorite hobby, but it will hardly bring a lot of income. Because rodents reproduce very quickly, it’s easy to experiment with genetics. Enthusiastic breeders exchange experience, participate in exhibitions.

It is rare to sell offspring profitably. There are often situations when you have to give away cubs for free or take them to a pet store, to the market, hoping that Syrian hamsters will not become food for snakes. The cost of money and time for the nursery is significant, and the return is small.