Hamsters, like other mammals, have a period of fertility when they allow a male to mate with them. But are that time and physical symptoms the same as a human’s menstrual cycle?
Hamsters don’t get periods, but female hamsters have a 3-day estrus cycle every 4 days. It’s during the first 12 hours of this cycle when a hamster is “in heat.” There are a few signs that your hamster is on her estrus cycle, including discharge, but bleeding is not one.
Whether you’re simply curious about this aspect of your pet’s life or trying to breed your hamsters, this article will cover what you need to know about a female hamster’s estrus cycle.
What Is a Female Hamster’s Estrus Cycle?
An estrus cycle is when a non-primate mammal is receptive to mating attempts and can become pregnant. A female hamster will get her first estrus cycle between the ages of six-to-eight weeks old, although neither sex can breed until they are a few weeks older.
Hamsters have very frequent year-round cycles, and they may go into estrus between four to seven times each month. As they are more active at night, a female hamster’s cycle will usually start in the evening.
Dwarf hamsters have the same estrus cycle as the larger Syrian ones but tend to have longer pregnancies.
Estrus Cycles vs. Menstruation
Three key differences exist between the human period and other mammals’ estrus cycles:
- Menstruation, and the resulting bleeding due to the shedding of the uterus lining, is only found in primates.
- Estrus cycles are regulated by more than hormones or reaching reproductive maturity. They can start in response to day-length changes, an animal’s circadian rhythm, and other external factors.
- Estrus cycles can happen only once a year during a species’ breeding season or multiple times a year, with hamsters being an extreme case of the latter.
How To Check the Sex of a Hamster?
If you want, or don’t want, a female hamster, you’ll have to wait until the mammals are between 7 – 8 weeks old before buying one. Before that time, you can’t tell the sex of a hamster. Once they are old enough, males will have a pointier rear due to the testicles, while females have a more rounded one, as well as nipples on their stomachs.
What Does “In-Heat” Mean?
While “in-heat” might be used to refer to the estrus cycle in general, the term, referring to when an animal can become pregnant, is technically only accurate for the ovulation part of the cycle. In hamsters, this is the first 12 hours, meaning the hamster can only become pregnant if she mates with a male on the first night of estrus.
Different species of hamsters will have their first heat at different ages. You can’t, and shouldn’t, attempt to stop your hamster from going into heat. It’s a normal, natural part of their life.
How To Tell if Your Hamster Is on Her Estrus Cycle?
As hamsters have such a predictable cycle, it’s easy to keep track of once you know when to expect it and what to look for.
Here’s a basic idea of what to look for when your hamster starts her estrus cycle:
- A slight change in odor. This shouldn’t be a significant shift, but if you notice your pet’s scent being stronger than usual, that can be a signal to males that she is in heat.
- Showing interest in males. Female hamsters are typically aggressive towards males and should be kept separately. However, when on her estrus cycle, a female hamster will be less aggressive toward them.
- Higher activity levels.
- Temperament changes, such as being grumpier.
Vaginal discharge is a primary indicator of when an estrus cycle is happening, though it might be hard to find. This discharge can occur on both days after estrus.
On the second day, right after ovulation has ended, the discharge will be thin and whiteish. The third day may have more wax-like discharge, but again, not much. There may also be a small amount of white, stringy discharge leading up to the estrus cycle.
If your hamster mates during estrus, there will be a copulatory plug in the vagina. Afterward, the discharge will be thicker but still white for five days instead of the thinner and waxy discharge on days two and three.
Do Female Hamsters Bleed During Their Estrus Cycle?
Female hamsters don’t bleed as part of their estrus cycle. While you may infrequently find a drop or two of blood, any more than those drops is a warning sign. If you find a lot of blood in your hamster’s discharge, you should immediately take your pet to the vet, as it can be a symptom of internal bleeding.
Another thing to watch for is if your hamster’s discharge has a more yellowish tint than white and smells bad, which can signal an infection in the uterus. The wet tail disease might be mistaken as part of the estrus cycle and includes diarrhea.
Both of these illnesses need to be treated by a veterinarian.
When Will a Female Hamster Stop Having an Estrus Cycle?
There are two main reasons a female hamster will stop having an estrus cycle. The first is simply old age, though things like malnutrition and being too cold can cause irregular cycles. Hormone treatment is an option if infertility is caused by something other than old age or disease.
The second reason is that the hamster is pregnant. Pregnancy can last between 16-22 days, depending on the species. While you may be tempted to try and breed your own hamster pups, female aggression and genetic health problems mean the process is best left to breeders.
After a mother hamster gives birth to her pups, you’ll need to not disturb them for at least 7 days, or she might feel anxious. This emotional state might lead her to eat her babies or abandon them, leaving you to care for them.
However, this is rarely successful, and it could end in disaster. The best thing to do is to provide the essentials, like food and water, and back off for the rest of the time until her pups are a bit older.
Do Other Small Mammals Have Similar Estrus Cycles?
Hamsters aren’t the only popular small mammalian pet, so what about other rodents? Like other non-primate mammals, rats, mice, rabbits, and guinea pigs all have an estrus cycle instead of a period.
Mice and rats have a similar estrus cycle to hamsters, lasting about four days.
Domesticated rabbits, on the other hand, have no set estrus cycle, while guinea pigs have a 15-17 day cycle every five-to-six weeks once they are around 500 grams (1lb). Guinea pigs typically reach that weight by the time they are two or three months old.
Conclusion
Female hamsters have an estrus cycle, not a period, that tends to start at night on the first day.
While the cycle lasts three days with a four-day break in between cycles, it’s only during the first 12 hours that the animal is in heat and can mate. White vaginal discharge is a regular sign that your hamster is on her estrus cycle, but there shouldn’t be more than a drop or two of blood.
The estrus cycle is a perfectly normal aspect of your pet’s life, and learning about it can help you better understand your hamster.