female syrian hamsters/mating-pregnant

Question
ok i hope you know this how many times do hamsters have to mate to become pregnant like can they just mate three times and become pregnant? if not then how many times do that have to mate? i really want to know ive been wanting pups since i was 3 years old!!

Answer
Hi Lyndsey

Thanks for your question.

Syrian hamsters come into season every 4th day.  They can be sexually active from 4 weeks of age, although the best time to mate a female is when she is between about 3-6 months of age.  The mating process only takes a few seconds, but it is vital you get the right day.  If you place the female on the top of the male's cage and let them sniff each other through the bars, then scratch the female's back.  If she is in season she will go rigid and raise her rear end.  Also, if you handle the male first, then handle the female once she smells the male's scent on your she should go rigid if she is in season.  If there is no response, or if she is very jumpy, then that definitely isn't the time to try and mate them.

Put them in neutral territory - I use a dry washing up bowl and watch them all the time.  Don't risk leaving them together on their own.  If they look as though they are going to fight separate them immediately.  After mating separate them - the female usually washes herself and this is a sign that something has happened.  Never put the male in the female's cage for mating otherwise she will injure/kill him.

The usual gestation period is 16-18 days.  It is really a case of waiting to see if she is pregnant.  Often there are no real signs other than she might increase water consumption, store more food than usual, relocate nest a few times and gain weight around her hips.  The important thing after mating her is to assume she is pregnant and remove any enclosed spaces in her cage, i.e. small plastic houses etc. as it is much safer for her to have a litter in the open or under a platform, and if she has a wheel which bars or a drainage slit, to swap this for a solid wheel.  Don't over-feed her during this time - just the usual amount of food.  If she produces a litter then you can increase her food amount and supplement with baby food.

Whilst some hamsters do fall pregnant, they can reabsorb/miscarry during the 16-18 days so you never really know until you have reached that date.

Remember that Syrian litters can be as many as 14 (I have known some to have more than this) and therefore you need to make sure you will be able to rehome them.  At 4 weeks the babies need sexing and the males need to be removed.  At 5-6 weeks all the babies will need a home of their own.  Never introduce dad to any of the babies or leave him in with the female otherwise it will end in disaster!

One other point is that you should only mate hamsters that are healthy and have a good temperament.  Highly strung hamsters will produce nervous offspring which will be difficult to tame.  If you do succeed with a litter, please get back in touch and I can talk you through what to do etc.

I hope this helps you.

Regards
Sheila