Dwarf Hamster Breeding - What You Should Know
So you were sitting there watching your Dwarf hamster play one day and you thought
, "Gosh, wouldn't it be cool to breed them?" Well, there are a few things you need to do before you act on that thought. Really, breeding any animal, whether its for profit or just for kicks, is a very serious business. What will you do with the babies if your efforts are successful? Which breed do you plan to work with? Do you have a proper environment for them?You may be thinking that you can just sell your baby Dwarf hamsters to the local pet store. Well, you may want to ask that pet store first. They most likely already have a breeder supplying babies for them. It would be wise if you contact several pet stores so that you can possibly have more than one ready to take your babies. You will likely have far more to sell than just one pet store will be willing or able to take. You could also look into other ways of dispersing your hamster's offspring. Perhaps petting zoos or other similar venues would be interested in seeing what you have to offer.
The point is, you should not just assume that because there is a pet store near you, they will be interested. While hamsters are very cute, they are also prolific breeders. You want to make sure you stay within their own breed. For example, you wouldn't want to cross breed a Siberian hamster with a Dwarf hamster. You also want to be as sure as possible that you have a male and female with acceptable genetic histories. In some cases, the limited genetic history of a breeding pair will result in genetic abnormalities in the babies such as blindness and even being born deaf. Ideally, the age to start breeding your female hamster is between 4-6 months.
Breeding her at a younger age may cause her to produce a smaller litter, and may even end badly, as she could begin cannibalizing her young. Male hamsters can begin to breed at about 6 weeks old, but you should keep them away from females until they are at least 2-3 months old. Dwarf hamsters kept in the same living space and left to their own devices will typically begin to breed at 2-3 months of age.
Once your female Dwarf hamster becomes pregnant, you should separate her from the rest of your hamster population. She will need extra food and there are certain things that will keep her healthy and even aid in her delivery, like wheat germ. She can still be handled, but it would be best if you don't handle her unless its absolutely necessary. You should keep her cage in a warm, quiet location, and at about day 14 you should remove any toys, and also provide her with some extra nesting material.
There are many reference books you can purchase to give you more information on their diet, needs, etc so be sure and research breeding Dwarf hamsters fully before you begin. Good Luck!
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