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Old 04-27-2018, 11:52 PM   #1
bootymeats
 
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Unhappy Does time of year change # of pups

I found this post from a hamster breeder saying that hamsters give birth to fewer pups during the winter. Is that true??? Can someone tell me the science behind this because it seems odd that time of year can affect the amount of pups being born? I've always thought it was random? Sorry I'm just really curious now

Last edited by souffle; 04-28-2018 at 12:45 AM.
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Old 04-28-2018, 02:06 AM   #2
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Default Re: Does time of year change # of pups

It's true there are rarely pups during the winter, I don't know if there is any specific reason other than with most animals breeding takes place when food is abundant so spring & summer, although our domesticated hamsters are quite far removed from their ancestors they still retain instincts, some natural behaviours & are aware of the changing daylight hours & so the time of year.
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Old 04-28-2018, 07:14 AM   #3
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Default Re: Does time of year change # of pups

Yes this is true - I am not a breeder myself from what I have read before on the forum it has something to do with the light intensity/levels in winter months being lower which can cause a female hamster not to come into heat or be less fertile if she does go into heat

Like cypher has mentioned it due to natural instincts too as hamsters haven't been domesticated for as long as other common pets so still rely a lot on natural instincts - in the wild hamsters would also hibernate in the winter months therefore wont want to conceive as the survival of both the mother and pups would be affected by the harsh winter weather although domesticated hamsters don't hibernate this natural behaviour may still be present in our domesticated hamsters.
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Old 04-28-2018, 09:05 AM   #4
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Default Re: Does time of year change # of pups

I think OP's question isn't so much about achieving conception during Winter i.e how many pups are overall born in Winter. Moreso that if you did achieve a pregnancy in Winter, if you should expect less pups than perhaps say, a spring litter?

The difficulty is that everyone varies in their seasonal adjustments to husbandry. Some folks might keep their Hamsters in outdoor sheds year round, some indoors, others might swap and change based on the weather. I know some that maintain year-round conditions by use of thermostats, and timers that control lighting.

Drickamer, 1986 found that the same strain of house mice birthed an average of 14.3 pups per litter in August, compared to 12.4 in December. Interestingly, these mice were kept in static laboratory conditions year round, i.e same light, heat, water and food. I wonder then, if light and heat were representative of a natural winter, if the litter size would have reduced further? My hunch is yes.

That said, it's all for naught anyway, as litter size in Syrians appears to vary wildly. Perhaps because they are not of the same controlled strain, like the mice. Different litters born in the same week (in the same hamstery even) regularly demonstrate differences of 5 (or 10!) without any discernible reason why.

I think the seasons do impact litter size, but I also think that it isn't terribly important practically. Particularly I suspect, if you maintain warm and light conditions throughout the year. Whereas age of the female, overall genetics of the pairing, and availability of nutritious food are probably far more relevant.

Last edited by Pixel Hamstery; 04-28-2018 at 11:28 AM.
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Old 04-28-2018, 01:58 PM   #5
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Default Re: Does time of year change # of pups

I think most hamsteries notice a reduction in the amount of litters conceived during the winter months but I’m not sure if the numbers within the litters have been any less than those born in the spring. My first litter were born in October 2016 and consisted of six pups, my third were born in November 2017 and consisted of 7 which is on the larger side for a Chinese litter. Both had more males than females with the third litter consisting of six males and just one female which is interesting as I once read something which suggested that litters born in the latter part of the year consisted of more males and ones in the early part of the year consisted of more females.
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Old 04-30-2018, 04:17 AM   #6
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Default Re: Does time of year change # of pups

Most of it has already been said so I am just going to leave a short response. Yes- expect less pups in the Winter
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