Aside from being described as very fertile creatures, and jokingly pictured having large litters if they walk anywhere near a male, female hamsters and their reproductive cycle remain an interesting but not very well known subject.
When it comes to the question of whether female hamsters bleed when in heat, there seems to be a lot of confusion. Some people seem to think that the answer is yes, while others are convinced that the answer is no. So what's the real story and what does it mean for hamster owners who want to give the best care to their little friend? Let's take a closer look.
Table of Contents
Do Female Hamsters Have Periods?
Female hamsters do not have periods like humans do, but of course they do have a regular reproductive cycle like any other mammal, and basically they do go into heat as often as every 4 days.
They do not bleed, but have been known to have a stronger smell. The smell can be worst with younger females. No need to worry about having to do extra cleaning of their enclosure if you adopt a female hamster. Even if the female has a stronger scent when in heat, it is not something that will create a mess in the enclosure, or will stay well after the heat period is finished.
Do Female Hamsters Bleed on their Period?
Hamsters do not bleed on their periods.
If you see any blood it's very likely a sign of an injury, illness or infection, or any reproductive problem. It could be for example the sign of a UTI, or bladder infection. You need to book an appointment with a specialist vet urgently, do not try to self-treat your hamster, and do not mistake the bleeding with periods.
Because it is neither normal nor healthy for female hamsters to bleed, it is very important to recognise any bleeding as a medical emergency requiring urgent vet visit.
In conclusion, female hamsters do not bleed when in heat.
Do Syrian Female Hamsters Bleed on their Periods?
Syrian hamsters, which are the most common pet hamster, do not bleed when in heat or during their reproductive cycle. Bleeding could be a sign of a more serious problem, and it should always be immediately checked out by a vet.
Do Dwarf Female Hamsters Bleed on their Periods?
Dwarf hamsters, which are the second most common pet hamster, again do not bleed when in heat or during their reproductive cycle. As with Syrian hamsters, bleeding could be a sign of something more serious and should be checked out by a vet.
How Can You Tell When a Female Hamster Is In Heat?
Not all Female Hamsters will behave the same, you might have adopted one that shows absolutely no sign and has no change of behaviour.
However, other female hamsters will show some signs of being in heat. Some females may become more active and hyperactive during this period. Female Syrian are notoriously difficult to please, and as well as needing an enclosure exceeding the minimum recommended sizes, they require an endless supply of boredom breakers, chew toys and games. They might become even more restless and agitated when they are in heat.
They may also exhibit a stronger smell, or “musk”. Some owners have also noticed a stronger smelling urine.
When patted on the back, the female tense up and freeze in place for a moment, meaning they are ready for matting. It's quite cruel to willingly pat them then, because it's very stressful for them.
The Female Hamster reproductive system
There is little published information about the reproductive system of female Syrian hamsters.
It's interesting to note that their reproductive cycle is actually photoperiod sensitive. It means that during the winter (when days are shorter so there's shorter daylight), hamsters stop any reproductive activity.
What Is The Estrus Cycle?
Female hamsters do experience estrus, which is their version of heat. The estrus cycle is simply the period of time during which female hamsters become sexually receptive to mating.
The estrous cycle of hamsters is short and consistent and lasts 4 days, a calculated and regular time of ovulation, and a short gestation period which lasts 16 days.
Sexual maturity
The reproductive maturity of a female hamster is normally reached between 8 and 10 weeks of age , when the body reaches an average weight of 90–100 g.
Before this age, as the female hamster is not physically ready for it, any pregnancy could lead to a stillborn or premature babies. The younger the mother, the riskier the pregnancy.
It's not advised for anyone to try breeding hamsters, it is a much more complicated process than people think, and could lead to the loss of multiple babies or even death for the mother. It's best left to professional breeders that have proper knowledge in this matter.
It's very important that you understand all about the reproductive cycle of the female hamsters before attempting to breed them. Additionally, it's also essential that you have knowledge of genetics if you wish to create healthy hamster lines. Breeding two hamsters with the same genes (ie from the same family) can lead to birth defects, so be sure that you research your Syrian hamster’s lineage before deciding to breed them.
Sadly, because hamsters are still seen as disposable pets , many people don't put too much thought in adopting them, but there are many hamsters in urgent need of rehoming in rescue shelters or even pet shops. If you want to adopt one, or several hamsters to be homed in separate enclosures, you do not have to go through the complicated process of breeding them. There are many hamsters in need of a home and a loving family, so please consider rescuing one (or more!) instead.
Remember that all hamsters, regardless if you brought them or adopted them, will always require love, attention and provide us with lots of joy. They deserve the best life.
Hamster Gestation Period
The gestation period for a female hamster is 16 days. It's quite short compared to other mammals. During this time, the female should not be disturbed or handled too much if possible, as it can lead to premature births and miscarriages.
Because it's near impossible to guess the age of a hamster, owners must be aware that their female might be pregnant if coming from a shop or rehoming if they have been in contact with other hamsters.
How to Recognise When your Female Hamster is in Heat and How to Separate Male and Female then
Because Female hamsters do not bleed and their behaviour don't necessarily show when they are in heat, it is very difficult to pinpoint the exact time.
However, this is not really important to know as it is advised to always keep males and females separated. Hamsters are solitary animals, and need their own enclosure. Syrian hamsters will fight for dominance which will sadly result in serious injuries or death to their cage mates. They must never be housed with another hamster.
Dwarf hamsters (Russian hamsters, Roborovskii and Chinese) might in exceptional circumstance live together (if they are from the same litter, have always been living together) but need constant monitoring to be ready to separate them at the first sign of aggression. It really is advised to house them separately.
In conclusion
Female hamsters do not bleed on their period, and that applies to any species, Syrian or Dwarf. However, if you see any blood it is likely a sign of an injury, illness or infection, and should be checked out by a vet immediately.
It is actually quite uncommon in the animal world for females to bleed on their period, even among female mammal very few species have menstruation the way humans do, aside from a few primates, some species of bats, and the spiny mouse and elephant shrews. So hamsters (and most other animals) are not an exception.