Hamsters
Housing
Several types of cages are available which are suitable for housing hamsters. Many of these units come equipped with cage “furniture” such as exercise wheels, tunnels and nest boxes. These accessories contribute to the pet’s psychological well-being.
Hamsters do very well in solid bottom cages with deep bedding and ample nesting material. Bedding must be clean, nontoxic, absorbent, relatively dust free and easily acquired. Shredded paper or tissue, wood shavings and processed corncob are preferred beddings. Be sure that the wood shavings and ground corncob are free from mold, mildew or other contamination before using. Cotton and shredded tissue paper make excellent nesting materials.

Adult hamsters require a minimum floor area of 19 square inches and a cage height of 6 inches. Female breeding hamsters require much larger areas. Optimal temperature range for hamsters is between 65&Mac176; and 80&Mac176;F, with babies doing best at 70&Mac176; to 75&Mac176;F. The relative humidity should be between 40% and 70%. Twelve hour light cycles are preferred, with hamsters being more active during the night.

Pet hamsters are generally housed singly. Mature female hamsters tend to be very aggressive towards one another and should never be housed together. Females are also larger and more aggressive then males, thus males usually need to be separated immediately after breeding. Males may also fight when housed together, but tend to be less aggressive than females.

As a rule of thumb, the cage and accessories should be thoroughly cleaned once to twice weekly. An exception to this schedule is when newborn babies are present, then wait until they are at least two weeks old. Other factors that may require increased frequency of cleaning are the number of hamsters in the cage, the type of bedding material provided and the cage design and size. Cages are sanitized with hot water and nontoxic disinfectant or detergent then thoroughly rinsed. Water bottles and food dishes should be cleaned and disinfected daily.

Breeding Considerations
The sex of hamsters can be easily determined. Mature male hamsters possess large, prominent testicles, which often alarm owners who first notice their size and mistake them for tumors. In addition, the genitourinary to anal separation is much wider in males than females, making it possible to differentiate genders of young hamsters.

Male hamsters should be first bred at 10 to 14 weeks of age. Females can be bred at the age of 6 to 10 weeks. As the female comes into “heat”, she will begin assuming a breeding stance with her back swayed and body stretched out. When petted over her back, she will remain motionless and sway her back even further. A thin mucus will be noticed coming from her vulva. For breeding, place the female into the male’s cage about one hour before dark. Closely observe the pair for mating activity or fighting. Females can be very aggressive towards males and can cause serious injuries. At first sign of aggression by the female, remove the male; then try again the next night. Also, remove the male shortly after a successful mating has taken place.

Pregnancy is of very short duration in hamsters, lasting only 15 to 16 days. Just before delivery, the expectant mother will become restless and may discharge a small amount of blood from her vulva. Do not handle or disturb her at this time. It is wise to clean her cage two weeks following breeding, so her cage is relatively clean when babies arrive. Litter size ranges from 5 to 10 pups; larger litters are not uncommon. The pups are born hairless with their eyes and ears closed. However, they do already have their front teeth, the incisors.

Provide ample nesting material and bedding for the new mother and young. Plenty of fresh food and water should be available before the babies are born. DO NOT disturb the mother and young for any reason during the first week after birth. If a mother hamster seems threatened for any reason, she typically will kill and cannibalize the young. In other instances, she may stuff the young into her cheek pouches and frantically carry them around the cage looking for a safe place to establish a nest. Occasionally, pups will suffocate as a result of this activity, especially if the disturbance is prolonged.

Young hamsters usually begin eating solid food at 7 to 10 days of age, but are not weaned until 21 to 25 days. Provide food on the cage floor for the young, and also have soaked, softened pellets available for them as well. Make sure that the water bottle is low enough for the weanlings to use and make sure they are strong enough to use it; or provide an alternative water source during this time.
© 2004 Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital