Temps
Stable room temperature is adequate. No special requirements.
Humidity
No special requirements
Lighting
Hamsters are nocturnal, keep out of direct sunlight. Use room lighting as needed.
Water & Accessories
Hamsters should be given a sipper bottle, hung from the side of the cage. They also need small toys to play with and a running wheel for exercise. Keep a food bowl; chew stick and nesting house as well.
BASIC REPRODUCTIVE INFORMATION
The sex of adult hamsters is easy to determine. Male have very large, prominent testicles. In fact, owners unaccustomed to seeing them are often astonished at the anatomic peculiarities.
Male golden hamsters should be first bred when they are 14 weeks old. Females should be first bred when they are 10 weeks old. As the time of copulation approaches, thin, stringy, cobweb-like mucus exits the female's vulva. The female is then placed into the male's cage about one hour before dark. The pair must then be carefully observed for mating activity and/or fighting. Females can be very aggressive to males in this situation and can harm them. The male should be removed at once if there is fighting. Because fighting is so likely, aggressive males are best hand-mated. In these situations, they are better able to defend themselves and "hold their ground". The male should be removed after mating.
Pregnancy lasts only 15 1/2-16 days. Before delivery, the female becomes restless and usually discharges a small amount of blood from her vulva. Litters usually range from 5 to 10 pups. The pups are born hairless, with ears and eyes closed. They do, however, have their front teeth (the incisors) at birth.
Availalbe Documents
Click on the PDF icon to download a PDF copy of this document.
Receive special offers and discount coupons, directly to your email box, type in the security code and submit your email address. Rest assured that Petware House will not share your email address with parties outside our company.
