Hamsters & Gerbils

Question
I have a male hamster and 2 female hamsters. We have seperate cages for them, and i put my hamster with the male and i really want to get her pregnant but how can i tell if she is or not?!?! please give me some advice! thanks for reading my question, brittany

Answer
Hi Brittany,

First, make sure your female hamster is in heat.  Females come into heat every 4 days.  Then, either put the female in with the male, or put them both into a different cage.  Just don't put the male in with the female - she'll attack him.  Let the hamsters mate for about 15 minutes, or until they've stopped.

It's difficult to tell when a hamster is pregnant.  She will begin making a large nest and hoarding food in it.  A few days before she is due to give birth, her belly will be larger.  A couple of days before she is due, clean out the cage, and then fill it with plenty of Aspen or Carefresh bedding.  (Avoid Pine or Cedar, which are dangerous.  Also avoid Bed Fluff.)  And, remove the wheel.  Be careful not to touch the mother or the babies until the babies are 2 weeks old.  Once the babies are 2 weeks old, then you can handle them for short periods of time.  You can also clean the cage at this time.

When the babies are 3 weeks old, they're weaned and ready to move into another cage.  After another 2-3 weeks, then you should separate the boys from the girls.  If you have Syrian hamsters, each hamster will need his/her own cage.  If you have Dwarf hamsters, then they can be in same-sex pairs.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kelly