Generally speaking, male hamsters become capable of breeding at 1.5 months old, and females at 2 months old. But we can’t rule out the possibility of early maturity and premature estrus. So how do you know if your hamster is in heat? Let’s find out together with Dr. Oxygen Pet about the symptoms of hamster estrus.
I. Symptoms of Hamster Estrus
- When male hamsters are in heat, their testicles enlarge, making them look like they have a big, red, swollen butt. During this time, their scent glands emit a unique smell, and they’ll rub their scent all over the cage to attract females.
- When female hamsters are in heat, they’ll frequently lift their tails—this is how they entice male hamsters. If a male hamster sniffs the female’s rear, they’ll proceed to mate.
II. Hamster Estrus Cycle
Adult male hamsters can be in heat every day, while female hamsters need a 3-4 day interval after each estrus before going into heat again. So male hamsters can seem pretty lustful. If you keep males and females together, the male will pester the female every day. However, if the female isn’t in heat, she won’t cooperate. So you’ll often see chase scenes in the hamster cage, with the male pursuing the female. Sometimes, the female gets fed up and fights back, letting out a few “Hamster Roars from the East,” but the male is only briefly stunned before going back to his usual antics. He’ll only take a break when he’s tired or hungry, lying down to rest or eat, but soon he’ll start pestering the female again—he just can’t sit still for a moment.
Therefore, if you, as the pet owner, don’t want your hamsters to produce too many offspring, it’s best to separate male and female hamsters during estrus. Otherwise, their breeding ability might surprise you. Although not every mating results in pregnancy, it’s better to be safe than sorry. After all, even a few successful matings can lead to a lot of baby hamsters. Since each litter usually has 5-7 pups, their breeding capacity is astonishing. If you keep too many hamsters, the time and money you’ll need to invest will increase accordingly. If you don’t want too much pressure in taking care of them, make sure to keep male and female hamsters separately.
