Syrian hamster breeding is selective breeding on Syrian hamsters. The practice of breeding requires an understanding of care for the Syrian hamster, knowledge about Syrian hamster variations, a plan for selective breeding, scheduling of the female body cycle, and the ability to manage a colony of hamsters.
| Trait | Syrian hamster value |
|---|---|
| estrous cycle | 4 days |
| breeding age and weight female | 56 days or 90-110g |
| breeding age and weight male | 63 days or 100-120g |
| duration of estrous | 4-23 hours, 20 average |
| postpartum return to estrus | 5-10 minutes |
| gestation | 16 days |
| weaning age and weight | 21 days, 35-40g |
| age beginning dry food | 7-9 days |
| litter size | 4-12, with 7-8 average |
| age beginning dry food | 7-9 days |
| mating scheme | pairs or 1 male to 2-4 females |
Mother hamsters younger than 13 weeks old are likely to have a high number of babies, which can lead to complications in pregnancy and less healthy births. [2] Mother hamsters that are older than 8 months for their first litter may have other kinds of pregnancy problems. [2] Mating a mother who is between 4-6 months old is a standard recommendation. [2] The age of the male hamster is less important, except that young males may have no interest in the female and older male hamsters may not be fertile. [2] Any adult male hamster will typically always be ready to mate with any female hamster. [2]
"Satin coat" and "white-bellied" are technical terms among hamster breeders that refer to hamsters with certain genes giving them characteristics that pet owners desire. [2] When hamster babies with either of these traits are desired, then breeders make sure that only one and not both hamster parents have one of these characteristics. [2] If both hamster parents have the Satin gene, then their offspring are likely to have fur problems including baldness, and have poor health. [2] If both hamster parents are white-bellied, then the offspring are likely to be born without eyes. [2]
There is a certain genetic defect that can give a hamster a kinked tail instead of the usual straight tail. [3] The tail will have a bend that can be felt by touching, but is not usually visible. [3] Hamsters with kinked tails are not bred at all. [3]
In hamster shows, hamsters with physical defects are disqualified. This discourages such hamsters from being used in breeding. [3]
For preserving the health of Syrian hamsters and advancing ethical breeding methods, a thorough understanding of these genetic and breeding dynamics is essential. [4]
If a female hamster encounters a male when her estrous cycle is not at the point for mating, then the two hamsters will be aggressive to each other and could be injured or killed from fighting. [3] When a female hamster is in season to breed, her estrous cycle spans four days. [3] Every fourth day between sunset and sunrise she will be in heat and receptive to mating. [3] She will be more receptive later in the night. [3]
In the wild, hamster mating season is spring and summer, so hamster mothers only go into heat in those seasons. [3] In typical domestic settings, female hamsters will breed year-round. [3] The triggering factors that make year-round breeding are 12 hours of daily light and absence of cold in the winter. [3]
Progression of the estrous cycle includes different vaginal discharges. [5] On the morning of the day 1 the female is sexually dormant. [6] In the evening of the first day, she will become sexually receptive. [6] On the morning of day 2, the sexually receptive period ends. [6] By the evening of day 2 the female is sexually dormant. [6] At this time the female will have a large discharge of thick white fluid that gives the hamster a particular strong smell. [5] [6] On the morning of day 3 the hamster's discharge will be waxy, and by evening the discharge ends. [5] By day 4, the hamster has been sexually dormant since day 2. [6] She may have clear mucous discharge. [5] Day 5 is a repeat of day 1, as the cycle repeats. [5] A female hamster who has had an unsuccessful mating on day 1 can be identified by her regular discharge on days 6 and 10 of this schedule. [5]
When the time is right, the breeder introduces male and female hamsters with supervision because of fear of aggression and fighting. [7] They are separated after mating. Until this time, the hamsters will separately housed, as Syrian hamsters are strictly solitary. [7] The male hamster must not be placed in the female's home. [7] Either the female may be brought to the male's home, or a small box of neutral space may be outfitted with hamster bedding and presented as the mating area in which the breeder places both hamsters. [7] A male typically will be ready to mate and not defend himself initially. [7] If the female is not receptive, then she will attack him, in which case the hamsters must be separated to perhaps try again another time. [7] If the hamsters fight for any other reason, they must be separated. [7]
If the female is receptive, then she will run in front of the male a few steps, then freeze her body. [7] The female then exhibits lordosis behavior. [8] In response, the male will typically groom the female hamster's rear, then mount the female. Mating lasts several seconds. [7] After mating, the male may groom himself or the female. [7] Then he will mount the female again. [7] The mating pair should be left to repeat this for 20-30 minutes or until one of the hamsters loses interest. [7]
When supervising the mating, the breeder seeks to separate the hamsters if either becomes aggressive. [7] During mating the male is likely to lightly bite the back of the female's neck, but if he is overaggressive, then they may fight. [7] Sometimes the male may get distracted and groom the female's ears or become confused and try to mount the female from the front or side. [7] If necessary, the breeder may poke the male to get his attention, which will usually prompt the male to try again from the beginning. [7] If the male loses interest in the female, even without aggression, breeders will separate the hamsters. [7]
There are established general practices for record keeping in animal breeding. [9] These practices can apply to any breeding program, and are commonly applied to Syrian hamster breeding programs. [9]
Larger breeding operations almost certainly must be managed with a digital database. [9] Smaller breeding operations still use paper records. [9] Minimum record keeping typically includes the following information: [9]
Record keeping might include details about environmental and care conditions. [9] Records might be kept for environmental temperature, humidity, light cycles, when pens are cleaned, what sort of food is provided, and who has access to the animals. [9] Health records might include medical observations, diagnosis of any medical conditions, and notes about any health care animals have received. [9]
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses. Furthermore, modern breeding management and technologies can increase the rate of conception, a healthy pregnancy, and successful foaling.
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera. They have become established as popular small pets. The best-known species of hamster is the golden or Syrian hamster, which is the type most commonly kept as a pet. Other hamster species commonly kept as pets are the three species of dwarf hamster, Campbell's dwarf hamster, the winter white dwarf hamster and the Roborovski hamster.
The golden hamster or Syrian hamster is a rodent belonging to the hamster subfamily, Cricetinae. Their natural geographical range is in an arid region of northern Syria and southern Turkey. Their numbers have been declining in the wild due to a loss of habitat from agriculture and deliberate elimination by humans. Thus, wild golden hamsters are now considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, captive breeding programs are well-established, and captive-bred golden hamsters are often kept as small house pets. They are also used as scientific research animals.
Dog breeding is the practice of mating selected dogs with the intention of maintaining or producing specific qualities and characteristics. When dogs reproduce without such human intervention, their offspring's characteristics are determined by natural selection, while "dog breeding" refers specifically to the artificial selection of dogs, in which dogs are intentionally bred by their owners. Breeding relies on the science of genetics, hence a breeder who is knowledgeable on canine genetics, health, and the intended purpose of the dogs attempts to breed suitable dogs.
The winter white dwarf hamster, also known as the Russian dwarf hamster, Djungarian hamster, Dzungarian hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. It is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the Syrian hamster, so is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species. Features of the winter white hamster include a typically thick, dark grey dorsal stripe and furry feet. As winter approaches and the days shorten, the winter white dwarf hamster's dark fur is almost entirely replaced with white fur. In captivity, this does not usually happen as animals maintained as pets are generally housed indoors and exposed to artificial light that prevents the recognition of short winter daylengths. In the wild, they originate from the wheat fields of Kazakhstan, the meadows of Mongolia and Siberia, and the birch stands of Manchuria.
Campbell's dwarf hamster is a species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. It was given its common name by Oldfield Thomas in honor of Charles William Campbell, who collected the first specimen in Mongolia on July 1, 1902. It is distinguished from the closely related Djungarian hamster as it has smaller ears and no dark fur on its crown. Campbell's dwarf hamster typically has a narrow dorsal stripe compared to the Djungarian hamster and grey fur on the stomach. This hamster may be raised in captivity and kept as a small pet.
The estrous cycle is a set of recurring physiological changes induced by reproductive hormones in females of mammalian subclass Theria. Estrous cycles start after sexual maturity in females and are interrupted by anestrous phases, otherwise known as "rest" phases, or by pregnancies. Typically, estrous cycles repeat until death. These cycles are widely variable in duration and frequency depending on the species. Some animals may display bloody vaginal discharge, often mistaken for menstruation. Many mammals used in commercial agriculture, such as cattle and sheep, may have their estrous cycles artificially controlled with hormonal medications for optimum productivity. The male equivalent, seen primarily in ruminants, is called rut.
The rex mutation is a genetic variation in mammals that results in soft curly fur. These effects are due to changes in the structure of groups of hairs and cross-section of individual hairs. The Rexed coats are unusual but occur in cats, rats, rabbits, horses, and dogs. The mutations, infrequent and spontaneous, occur in a variety of genes and genetic regulatory structures. The diversity of genetic factors results in variable coat thickness/density and fur length.
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old. The word can also be used for other female equine animals, particularly mules and zebras, but a female donkey is usually called a "jenny". A broodmare is a mare used for breeding.
Canine reproduction is the process of sexual reproduction in domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes and other canine species.
In animals, infanticide involves the intentional killing of young offspring by a mature animal of the same species. Animal infanticide is studied in zoology, specifically in the field of ethology. Ovicide is the analogous destruction of eggs. The practice has been observed in many species throughout the animal kingdom, especially primates but including microscopic rotifers, insects, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. Infanticide can be practiced by both males and females.
Domestic sheep reproduce sexually much like other mammals, and their reproductive strategy is furthermore very similar to other domestic herd animals. A flock of sheep is generally mated by a single ram, which has either been chosen by a farmer or has established dominance through physical contest with other rams. Most sheep have a breeding season (tupping) in the autumn, though some are able to breed year-round.
Seasonal breeders are animal species that successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the optimization of survival of young due to factors such as ambient temperature, food and water availability, and changes in the predation behaviors of other species. Related sexual interest and behaviors are expressed and accepted only during this period. Female seasonal breeders will have one or more estrus cycles only when she is "in season" or fertile and receptive to mating. At other times of the year, they will be anestrus, or have a dearth of their sexual cycle. Unlike reproductive cyclicity, seasonality is described in both males and females. Male seasonal breeders may exhibit changes in testosterone levels, testes weight, and fertility depending on the time of year.
Colours of the Syrian hamster can be described in three ways: as "self", "agouti" or "combinations". Self colours are a consistent coat colour with the same colour topcoat and undercoat. Agouti hamsters have a ticked coat, where each individual fur is banded in different colours. Agouti hamsters also have "agouti markings" which consist of dark cheek markings, a dark marking on the head, and a light underbelly. Combinations are produced when two self or agouti colours are present.
Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium). It occurs on a regular basis in uninseminated sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species.
The challenge hypothesis outlines the dynamic relationship between testosterone and aggression in mating contexts. It proposes that testosterone promotes aggression when it would be beneficial for reproduction, such as mate guarding, or strategies designed to prevent the encroachment of intrasexual rivals. The positive correlation between reproductive aggression and testosterone levels is seen to be strongest during times of social instability. The challenge hypothesis predicts that seasonal patterns in testosterone levels are a function of mating system, paternal care, and male-male aggression in seasonal breeders.
A hamster show is an event in which people gather hamsters to judge them against each other. Hamster shows are also places where people share their enthusiasm for hamsters among attendees. Hamster shows feature an exhibition of the hamsters participating in the judging.
A hamster cage is an enclosure designed to house one or more hamsters. It is recommended that hamster cages contain at least 100 x 50 cm although there is some evidence that hamsters experience less stress if housed in larger cages. Commercially available pens are made of wire or plastic. Some pet owners house their hamsters in aquarium tanks, and some make their own pens out of wood. Laboratory hamsters, commonly known as Laboratory Syrian hamsters, are housed in pens designed for scientific use. There are also special pens designed for hamster shows.
The domestication of the Syrian hamster began in the late 1700s when naturalists cataloged the Syrian hamster, also known as Mesocricetus auratus or the golden hamster. In 1930 medical researchers captured Syrian hamster breeding stock for animal testing. Further domestication led this animal to become a popular pet.
Syrian hamster behavior refers to the ethology of the Syrian hamster.