Females 'Standing'

[Basia]

I handle my hamsters every day and my females have always 'stood' fairly regularly except for the depths of winter. However, Cara hasn't 'stood' since Christmas and Posh hasn't stood once since I bought her 2 weeks ago either.
Does this mean that they are not coming in heat? Both are very lively, excitable girls.
I have given up on Cara now really because with Truffle's litter in the nest I won't be able to mate her before she is 6 months old but I am really wanting to mate Posh next month.
I have tried handling the males first, standing them on top of the males cages and letting them freerun in the playpen after the boys have been in there and running in their balls at the same time as the boys - usually guaranteed to get the girls standing.

[Mollz]

Ah Gill, I can't help you, but I am so glad you asked this as I have been wondering the same. Amelie (only 8 weeks old) has never stood, not matter when i handle her, how I stroke her or who I have been playing with before. She does however release the distinctive 'on heat' smell every so often.
Is it the time of year, her age or something else? (sorry for hijaking your thread, but it is the same question)

[Basia]

Hijack away Molz! I forgot the smell. Ours do get the smell. I will be really worried if that is all I get to indicate she may be ready for mating though. Sumo Posh will probably flatten Becks if shes not in the mood after all!

[Matty Day]

this advice is aimed at chinese but it may work for you.Well what I would recommend is let them meet through a grill put them in a playpen with 1 in a show pen that’s what I do with Chinese if they fight through the grill don’t release them or however if they tolerate each other or are indifferent I release them into the pen ( with water pistol and gardening glove on hand) I don’t care if they play with each other etc as long as they don’t fight
I would just leave them together under supervision until something happens
I know this is aimed at Chinese but it may work for you.
I also give a female I am wanting to breed increased protein i.e. give her cheese or some plain omelette

[souffle]

I find the females do not come in to season at this time of year as regularly and also some females do not 'stand' until they actually have a male courting them rather than just a hand smelling of a male. Bailey was one of these and she stood when she had her man and had pups fine. I think you just need to try them for four nights or longer if necessary with a fine young fellow and you will find they go for it eventually. :lol:

[Basia]

I think you just need to try them for four nights or longer if necessary with a fine young fellow and you will find they go for it eventually. :lol:

Guaranteed to give me a few more grey hairs then! :roll:

Posh and Becks resemble the couple on the old seaside postcards! Hope he can run.

[PKK]

I've had some very reluctant females. The length of day does affect them even tho they are nocturnal. I've gone so far as having to place 3 cages side-by-side with the girl in the middle. Some needed to have a male within sight and smell to go into heat. My girls all were extremely active the nights they were in heat. Almost like they wanted to get out and find a guy!

[Bunsey]

this is what i'm scared of when i come to breed! if my female won't stand i'm too scared to just try putting the male in incase he gets an eye ripped out! :shock:

[Moosley]

Females can be sooooo stubborn! Non of our females have come fully into season alll winter which isnt surprising really but others we bought as youngsters and have never once come into season and they are no longer breedable :cry:

Our one frustration was our Dark Grey female! Didnt come into season until she was 9 months old, or rather, we always missed it! She came into season at 11am ever monday and friday! We were never around to notice and when tried at night she was never in season, that was hugely gutting!

[Spacemonkey]

I've never really noticed my females coming into heat any less in the winter to be honest, two are looking for male attention tonight and are super manic. I find they tend to synchronize with each other too, utter madness at times :roll:

[Matty Day]

does it help f you leave light on in the room were you keep your hamsters and leave the heating on i wonder? just thougth i would ask as i am planning a december litter for next year

[Basia]

Well the light's always on in here. Someone is usually using the computer and the boys are often in here until the early hours of the morning (and me :oops: ). I think they just 'know' it is winter.
Cara was standing as regular as clockwork over Christmas though. It just wasn't the right time for me, we had family staying and she was a bit too young. In January when I wanted to mate her she didn't want to know.
I have moved Posh's cage next to Becks so she can get acquainted. That's if he wakes up as he spends most of his time sleeping. :roll:

[Moosley]

It's not really the light as such for ours as they get a good amount of light and the temperature is consistant. They just *know* a lot of them still turn into little tarts and will still mte but just not ovulate or get pregnant.

[Holly]

Most of my girls stand every four days, regular as clockwork even in winter (they are in a very warm, light and small room with several boys so that might have something to do with it).

Having said that Caramel, who's coming up to a year old, hasn't stood for ages and Aero, 11 weeks, is very hit and miss.

You trying for another litter then, Gill? :wink:

[Spuds Mum]

Some of mine, after they first start coming on heat, seem to not be fooled by the tricks of trying to get them to stand, and only seem to stand when mating is actually 'on the cards', ie the male and female are placed together.

[Matty Day]

Some of mine, after they first start coming on heat, seem to not be fooled by the tricks of trying to get them to stand, and only seem to stand when mating is actually 'on the cards', ie the male and female are placed together.

athena was exactly the same she tolerated louis for ages until about11.30 when they mated

[Mollz]

So would you say to just be very cautious and introduce them over 4 days to see which one is "the day"?

God, I hope she starts standing soon :shock:
I hope the same with you too Gill, as I know that you will be nervous as me!

[Spuds Mum]

That's what I have found Molly, and sometimes at this time of year their cycle goes to 6 or 7 days we have been told. a book I have read has suggested that it shoudl be tried for up to 9 nights! :?
good luck anyway, it is worth it in the end and in the main all goes swimmingly with no problems :D

[Matty Day]

i would have a water pistol and gardening glove handy for a quick seperatoin should any mating go wrong :x

do you have a show pen mollz put them i the playpen with one in the show pen and judge the reactoin i only release if they ignore each other or show postive reactoin beetween each other :x

[Basia]

I think I will put the female in the playpen and let the male run outside of it. The room is hamsterproof.
We have the hamsters in the small bedroom, our house is a very warm house (belonged to pensioners before us) but none of my girls except for Cara have 'stood' over the winter.
Well Posh is very excited to be next door to Beckham. I don't think he has noticed though. :roll:

[Mollz]

Oh ok then :shock:
She is still only very young and will not be mated until at least May, so I am hoping that she will be standing by then.
Let us know how it goes Gill!

[Basia]

Oh ok then :shock:
She is still only very young and will not be mated until at least May, so I am hoping that she will be standing by then.
Let us know how it goes Gill!

I'm planning to mate her next month Molz. I was asking the question because when Cara stopped standing she never started again so I was a bit concerned whether Posh would. If she does start to stand as the spring comes on and she matures it will be a huge relief. If not I will have to try the introducing bit. :shock:
In the meantime I am leaving her and Beckham side by side on the shelf to encourage her.

[souffle]

I find feeding them with extra foods such as bean sprouts, broccolli and other leafy greens and tofu in particular helps improve the fertility. They contain natural phyto eostrogens and minerals which can help balance their hormones. :lol:

[helenp]

Am resurrecting an old thread here to get some advice.

Daisy whenever she is on heat is a complete and utter fruitloop. She always has her bum in the air and chews her tubes frantically and can shred a loo roll in five minutes. Any advice on how to calm her down or do we just have to go with the flow? Bella is not nearly so crazy at that time of the month.

[louise_81]

Its a case of go with the flow. Syd would go mad too rubbing herself against anything and everything and chewing the bars. I tended to put her in her ball a lot more (with big breaks) on those nights, and she was out and about on the bed, my computer table etc, more for my own sanity than anything else

ETA: just make sure everything is safe, no sharp edges on toys that could harm her

[helenp]

Thanks Louise, I thought that may be the case. She is bombing about the flat in her ball as we speak though it took ages to get her into it. Just makes her even cuter though when she is like this.

Will double check for sharp edges, thanks :)