Differentiating a male hamster from a female is not always easy. For this reason, it is one of the first questions that guardians ask themselves when they have just adopted a small rodent, or when they still do not know whether to choose a male or female hamster. To verify this, the most effective way is to wait until the animal in question is sexually mature and examine its genital area. How? Very simple, with delicacy, softness, care and without stressing the animal, since an inappropriate movement can lead to a bite or, in the worst case, lose the little one. Read on and learn in this article on our site how to tell if a hamster is male or female
Tips to recognize if a hamster is male or female
Before explaining how to know if a hamster is male or female, it is necessary to clarify some general recommendations to avoid confusion and, above all, to guarantee a positive experience for the animal. Holding the hamster inappropriately, for example, can make the animal feel insecure, uncomfortable, upset and even try to attack us to free itself, damaging the relationship we have established with it up to now. That said, let's see what to take into account to determine the sex of a hamster.
To know for sure if a hamster is male or female, it is necessary to wait for it to reach sexual maturity Thus, in general, a hamster is usually considered sexually active from 30-50 days of life, males being later than females. Of course, the definitive period of time can vary depending on the species and, therefore, if we have difficulty identifying the sex of a hamster, it is best to wait a little longer or go to a veterinarian. Likewise, it should be noted that the fact of being sexually mature does not imply that they can already have offspring, since a pregnancy before 10 weeks of life is totally inadvisable. However, we'll talk about playback later.
When recognizing whether a hamster is male or female, it is necessary to guarantee a relaxed environment, totally free of stress. To do this, we can start by gently caressing the animal, offering it a piece of food and letting it sit on the palm of our hand. Little by little, we can try to catch it, always placing ourselves on a soft surface in case it escapes and taking it without damaging it or making it nervous. When we realize that it is time, we will not turn the hamster completely over to leave it face up, we will simply limit ourselves to trying to put it diagonally so that it does not lose its security or freak outWe repeat, all gently and respecting the times of the rodent. Once the position is achieved, we will observe the genitals.
How do I know if my hamster is male?
Recognizing whether a hamster is male or female based on its size can often be inconclusive, since in some species the male is the largest while in others it is the female. For example, if we are looking for how to know if a Russian hamster is male or female, we must know that, in general, the male is larger than the female. With the Chinese hamster the same thing happens, however, with other types of hamster the opposite happens.
To know if your hamster is male, it is best to observe the perianal area of the animal, just below the tail, exerting slight pressure and separating the hair. Males are characterized by a greater distance between the genital papilla (penis) and the anus In addition, the rear part of their body, corresponding to the tail, It usually ends in a point due to the location of the testicles. In this sense, some species have them more protruding than others, such as the Chinese hamster, which is one of the easiest to sex.
La umbilical gland can also help us know if a hamster is male or female, since in males it ismuch more visible than in females. To see it, we must hold the animal gently and separate the hair from the part that would correspond to the navel.
How do I know if my hamster is female?
In the same way that the body of male hamsters tends to end in a point at the testicles, the body of females tends to be rounded due to their absence. However, the best way to tell if a hamster is male or female is through its genitalia, since females have a very short distance between the anus and the genital papilla (vulva), placing one hole very close to the other. In addition, in females it is possible to notice the presence of nipples in the lower part of the abdomen, although in young specimens it is not always easy.
Summarizing, to recognize if a hamster is male or female we will check the perianal area, located under the tail, and we will check the distance between the anus and the great hole; if they are practically together, it is a female, and if they are considerably separated, it is a male. This usually works in most cases, as long as the animals exceed three weeks of life, although many are those who wonder how to know if a roborovski hamster is male or female because it is the most difficult to sex because it is the smallest of all. For these cases, if the observation of the mentioned points does not work, it will be necessary to wait a bit or visit the veterinarian.
What is better a male or female hamster?
Depends on each situation and if you intend to have one or more than one hamster. If you only want to live with one of these adorable little animals, the decision to choose a male or female hamster is totally personal. Now, if the idea is to share with two hamsters, here are some recommendations:
- In general, males often fight with each other for territorial reasons, so it is not advisable to have two in the same space.
- Females, on the other hand, tend to have a quiet coexistence.
- Hamsters are very receptive and active animals, since females usually come into heat every 4-5 days approximately, so that if we have a female and a male together, it is most likely that in a very short period of time we will have an entire population of hamsters.
- Some adult hamsters do not tolerate the arrival of a new one, so it is advisable to introduce both at the same time.
And when you are sure if you are going to choose a male or female hamster, don't miss our article on "Basic hamster care" and discover the "List of fruits and vegetables good for hamsters".
