Ideal First-Time Breeding Age?

[Matty Day]

i wouldn’t recommend it for two reasons

1 with dwarfs if you mix same sex pairs from two litters together they are highly likely to fight due to different smells and as you might be doing this you may need to put them in single cages at a young age

2 what about pedigrees there is a chance you could mix hamster from the litter up and give people the wrong pedigree and could end disastrously if there were some nasty recessives lurking around. some one could get eyeless whites or somthing simular because of your mistake

I wouldn’t attempt it for the above reasons
and smartie has been througth a lot why not give her a week or to to rest before trying again

[Spuds Mum]

experienced breeders do it a lot though Matty, and of course if there are different litter colours then that would solve that for Holly.

What dangerous recessive genes were you thinking of for syrians Matty?

The main genes in the pet hamster that can cause problems applicable for syrians is satin, white bellied and Lethal grey. All of these are dominant genes and so would be visible on the litter and therefore not carried.

[Matty Day]

i thougth that the white bellied gene could be carreid on one hair and therefore not be visible

[Bourne Valley Hams]

Originally Posted by Holly

Thanks Sue - I was really hoping for your input.

I guess, if I don't manage to get Smartie mated and pregnant by 6 months (because she won't - I am going to try ASAP) if it's just a little later it will still be ok.

What about mating well-grown and large girls at just 4 months? Would you generally go ahead or do you prefer to wait a bit?

If she was already a big girl by 4 months then I would go ahead.

[Basia]

Sue, can I turn that question on its head and ask if she was a really big girl at 4 months is it still ok to wait? The satin golden I bought at Highworth is already 200g, she is a big, bossy girl but I don't think Beckham is really mature enough yet, bless him, he looks like a baby compared to her and he is a month younger.
I guess what I am asking is can they be too big?

[nooboo]

sometimes the boys dont reach, i have heard tails of males needing a yellow pages

[Bourne Valley Hams]

Originally Posted by Basia

Sue, can I turn that question on its head and ask if she was a really big girl at 4 months is it still ok to wait? The satin golden I bought at Highworth is already 200g, she is a big, bossy girl but I don't think Beckham is really mature enough yet, bless him, he looks like a baby compared to her and he is a month younger.
I guess what I am asking is can they be too big?

You would be surprised how determined little chaps can be!!
Perhaps better to get her standing before putting the little chap in so she doesn't flatten him though!

[Mollz]

So what would you class a good weight to breed at (whether 4, 5 or 6 months)?