Picking out the right male for breeding

Question
QUESTION: I have a female teddy bear hamster with a pretty good temperament and perfect for breeding how do I choose a good partner for her? Should I take her to the pet store and see how she reacts to the different males and what age range should I try for? Any help would be great! Thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Olivia,

    How old is she and would this be her first litter?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Shes near 4-5 months old and this will be her first litter.

Answer
Hi Olivia,

    She is at a great age for breeding. Taking her to the pet store really wouldn't help much, if she isn't in heat, she will more than likely fight with all the males and if she is in heat, then all the males (old enough) are going to be interested.
    When picking a male for her, the most important thing is to make sure he is healthy. Check his eyes and nose, there should be no drainage coming from them. Check his body, there should be no bumps or lumps on it. His coat (fur) should be well groomed, not dull looking. Check his bottom, it should be clean not dirty looking. Also check the other males bottom that are in the same cage. If any are dirty looking, it would be best not to pick a male from this cage.
    Since you will be breeding your female for the first time, it would be best to get a male that has bred before (hopefully the pet store can tell you if any of the males have bred before). The female will tolerate being bred better if the male knows what he is doing as to opposed to one that does not. If the pet store does not know for sure which males have mated, then pick a male who is about 5-6 months old.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thank you for writing and best of luck!