There are also Russian hamsters, winter white hamsters, and other varieties. If you’re buying from a breeder, talk about the different varieties and discover whether they are social or not, to have some sense of the breeding process.
At a pet shop, you will often find siblings or hybrid breed hamsters that are less desirable for breeding. Also, pet store workers often have a difficult time telling the difference between males and females.
If the female is not in heat, trying to breed them can be very dangerous and counterproductive. The female will often fight and kill the male. When you’re planning on breeding them, place the two cages side by side for a few days, so they can see and get used to each other, and so the pheromones can do their work.
Keep following these steps until they mate. If you miss the “heat” window, wait for a few days until it comes back around.
If you’re breeding dwarf hamsters, the time to reach sexual maturity and the gestation period are slightly longer. It takes one month to 5 weeks for a dwarf hamster to reach sexual maturity, and the gestation period is about three weeks. However, no hamsters under 5(for males)/6(for females) months should be bred as this increases the risk of something going wrong.
You will know the babies will be born soon when the female becomes particularly restless. She wanders around her cage, gathering food and nesting material for her nest. Then labor begins: you see her sides starting to heave and tiny pink bodies begin to emerge. One by one, they are born while she is on the move in her cage, and one by one, she carefully picks them up in her mouth and brings them back to the nest. When the hamster gives birth, do not attempt to interfere or help in any way. Birth, especially the first birth, is often difficult on the hamster, but there’s nothing you can do to help at this point. Just avoid interference and let nature take its course.
Don’t assume the mother is eating the babies if she puts them in her mouth. This happens if she is startled and thinks they are in danger.
