First pregnancy. Although hamsters are ripe for reproduction at 3-6 weeks of age, this early age is not suitable for a first birth. Weeks 3 to 6 are the age at which the hamster’s body begins to develop very intensively. Pregnancy of females at this age can therefore cause rickets and other difficulties. In addition, young females very often eat all their offspring. The best time for mating is 4-6 months.
How long does a hamster pregnancy last
Over the years, hamsters have several litters of 4-12 hamsters each. Gestation lasts about 14-19 days (can be up to 30 days for female junglefrogs).
Hamster mating
To mate, the female hamster is placed in the hamster’s cage and after mating is lifted out of the cage. Hamster can only be mated during the female’s fertile period, otherwise they may become very close. Fruiting days are every 3-5 days in the evening and can last from 4 to 24 hours. On fertile days, the female produces a strong musky smell and the tail area the female begins to ooze mucus. Some females do not have fertile periods in winter.
The female does not become fertile until 3 months of age. When the female becomes pregnant, the hamster must be kept separate from her to prevent it from destroying the nest and eating the offspring it brings.
How to tell if a hamster is pregnant
The female does not always become pregnant on the first try. Sometimes mating has to be repeated several times (the main sign that a female is not pregnant is a resumption of flow after 3-5 days). The pregnancy of the female is already evident by day 10.
Birth
A few days before giving birth, the cage should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Fresh bedding and feed should be added, fresh water should be added to the watering can and the house should be built. Deep bowls should also be removed from the cage to prevent the growing chicks from accidentally falling into the water bowls.
It is better to use a single-storey cage for the birth of females. If the cage has a raised tray and a grate on the bottom, the bottom of the cagethe fire is filled with sawdust. Better not add perishables! The female will hide them and the food will spoil.
Introduction
Hamsters are born small, naked, blind and deaf, and feed exclusively on their mother’s milk for up to 18-20 days.
During the first few molts, the female eats several weak and even healthy babies. Strangely enough, the reason for this is to preserve healthy offspring. The female eats her young if she does not have enough food, if the babies have any birth injuries, or if the female is feeling anxious. This is the reason why the female and the offspring should be provided with a healthy diet and sufficient clean water for a period of 2 weeks after birth. The cage should not be opened during this period either. The only time the female should be examined is when she needs to be fed or when the water in the watering can needs to be changed.