Mis-sexed? Urgent!

Snowman · 07-01-2010, 04:38 PM

I'm so scared, my hamsters right now seems to be fighting or love-making. They are kind of chasing each other in circles, then Fatty will leap on top of Giggles like love-making style, and looks like she's biting Giggles on the back while humping (fingers crossed not) although no squeaks are heard. They seriously look like they are mating. I'm so scared right now! They were both checked at the pet shop when I bought them that they're both females, but upon looking at some sexing videos, Fatty appears to have testicles?! Only slight bulges. But maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. I've tried looking for the two holes that's supposed to determine their sex, but they wouldn't let me flip them over and I've tried looking through the hamster ball, but its not too clear. Fatty's behaviour is really weird tonight - running around etc when she'ss usually the lazier one. Maybe both the females are in heat and are getting sexually confused? Not sure if they are fighting or love-making - don't want either to happen! Don't even have a separate cage to put them in

.

Edit:
They have stopped for now but while it lasted I've taken a video (youtube link). Any suggestions to what it looks like?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-kg5Ms7x-g

lisab · 07-01-2010, 05:55 PM

that looks like mating to me. you need to seperate them now to prevent babies

Snowman · 07-01-2010, 06:03 PM

They've been doing it for an hour with breaks in between - would it be worth separating them now, or wait and see if babies come?

eye of the divine · 07-01-2010, 07:51 PM

well if you seperate them now and she is it won't make much differance but if you don't and she wasn't then the longer they mate the more likely it becomes she will fall pregnant.

fluffymunchkins · 07-01-2010, 11:16 PM

Well the male will need to be removed before the babies appear if she is pregnant anyway!
Otherwise she'll get pregnant again as soon as she gives birth!

eye of the divine · 07-02-2010, 12:25 AM

I have a random question...

If its only safe for the females to have a certain amount of litters per year or summut how can they limit themselves if the male is always there in the wild?

internet_nobody · 07-02-2010, 12:44 AM

Yes, that is mating, split them now. From the colouring, they look hybrid (the female more like a campbell, the male like a pearl winter white), so that's setting yourself up for issues. She will not necessarily be pregnant after one night of mating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye of the divine

I have a random question...

If its only safe for the females to have a certain amount of litters per year or summut how can they limit themselves if the male is always there in the wild?

In the wild they breed seasonally because of the weather, so although they will be having babies back to back it is in a short window and doesn't add up to many litters. In captivity some people have observed that winter whites seem capable of limiting the number of litters (they take a break after 2 if left together) but i've always been a bit scared to do that in case no one told my girls, and take the male out when a female shows as pregnant.

**Hope** · 07-02-2010, 01:30 AM

Yes split them now, the male will be ok on his own, and prepare for possible babies. Signs to look out for with the female to tell if she is pregnant is enlarged nippled, lots of digging about and nest making, and tumming getting bigger - although this is not always that obvious.

It is possible that she is not pregnant, but best to separate now, as the longer they stay together the greater the risk of babies.

Buy a cheap plastic storage tub for now and drill or melt some holes in the plastic and pop the male in there untill you can get another cage, best to leave the female where she is, as if she is pregnant she will need to be kept nice and quiet and relaxed.

Hope it all works ok ok for you, whatever happens. If you need any more advice just ask!

Snowman · 07-02-2010, 03:13 AM

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I've split them last night and Fatty is inside a storage tub we have connected to the main cage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by internet_nobody

From the colouring, they look hybrid (the female more like a campbell, the male like a pearl winter white), so that's setting yourself up for issues.

The pet shop told me they are both campbells, just the white one is platinum.. Well I wouldn't trust the pet shop now! I'll be taking her to a more local pet shop later today to see if they will sex my little Fatty. Fingers crossed?

In my frenzy last night I was looking on the internet and saw that female hamsters can display mounting behaviour to establish dominance. Could this be it? Anyone else seen this happen in two female hamsters? How happy would I be if this is true

**Hope** · 07-02-2010, 03:49 AM

Yes they can but I am pretty sure that they were um . . . .getting down and doing it there!

One easy whay to tell if you have a male is to look at the scent gland on the belly - it should be a yellowy staining to the fur.

Prob best to get a second opinion though if you are not sure.