Can't tell when female is in heat

[GreySyrian]

As some of you may know from my other thread considering breeding I'm hoping to breed at the end of this month.

However my female hasn't been giving the signs she's in heat for a while, I do the rubbing the back and she has done the stance before so I know what to expect and I've been doing his everyday to check but for the past 2 weeks at least there hasn't been a single day she's done it again! I usually do this check around 9/10pm so could it be she's going into heat later in the night?

Does anybody have any ideas why this is or other ways I can check? I've heard of test mating but this sounds too risky.

I've also been holding them up to each others cages so they can get each others scent and they both seem interested in each other, they usually make this sound which is like a heavy breathing/squeak when they see each other and I was wondering if firstly anyone knows the sound I'm on about and what it means in hamster talk! (I think both of them make the same sound and it's only when they see each other so not a breathing problem in case anyone was concerned )

[WinnieTheHam]

Have you tried putting the female up to the males cage and then rubbing her lower back? This sometimes works but Myrcella hardly stood for me until I did a test mating. My hams always make that sound, even if they aren't in heat. But it's usually much louder when they are in heat, Winston starts squeaking really loud and everyone gets super excited

I can usually tell when mine are in heat by their behaviour, the females are usually much more hyperactive which makes the males desperate to come out as well. Sometimes you will have to hold the male to the females cage for a while, she will run around a lot and eventually stand if she is in heat. Sometimes a test mating is the only way you'll know, you just need to be prepared for her to turn on him. Try observe her behaviour daily and see if a pattern occurs, they come into heat around every 4 days but it can vary a little.

I recorded the days I knew Myrcella was in Heat and then listed every 4 days, the dates which she should be in heat to see when to mate her. She came into heat 1 day before the date she should have, and I did a test mating for this (she wouldn't stand for Buddy though, so I had to trick her with Winston)

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I have a Cream carrier Melanistic yellow girl here who will not freeze if any human touches her. So I have to put on the heavy duty gloves and get out the mating bin and place the male in and then the female and watch wait and be ready to grab one out if she shows signs of attack. Other thing is what time of day are you trying to breed her?

[GreySyrian]

Forgot about this thread so sorry for late reply Winnie! Now you mention she does have 'hyper' days! Will have to pay more attention to how she acts.

They usually wake up at about 8pm Nancy, so I'd think to breed them around 9pm to 10ish or is it a case of the later in the evening the better?

[WinnieTheHam]

Test her every hour by doing all the safer ways of testing, they only come into heat for a couple of hours I believe, it's usually shorter, lasting around 1 hour in winter months. I started testing Myrcella from 7pm and she came into heat around 8pm (This was in autumn)

[souffle]

Yes you need to keep trying her - some females will not stand till they are actually with the male and you have to keep them standing by back rubbing even during mating as they wake up and wander off. Males can usually tell though and tend to be up and running furiously when they smell her. The can also give whiffly wheezy squeaks and call to the female. We find the females are more intent on escaping and run more when in heat. Some we have mated at 1pm and others ended up staying up till 1am so they are very variable but only receptive for a couple of hours.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I'd try later, on a day you think she is in heat by her activity level. Most of mine are late night breeders so often I am up till the wee hours chaperoning a pair in the mating bin.