My Syrian hamster is nesting. Is she pregnant after being with a male?

Hello. I would guess that Smidge is indeed pregnant. Hamsters reach breeding age at 6-10 weeks & are pregnant an average of 13-22 days. Since she is new to you & her environment, it is important to not disturb her too much once she has her brood. Hamsters will often kill their litter if they feel threatened, so observe her carefully before reaching in to grab her. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

With these pictures, I would guess she is pregnant. Gestation for a hamster is 15-18 days. On the third photo, it appears as if her mammary glands are developed. Usually hamsters start building a nest site in a corner. I would definitely separate her from the male as they can be aggressive during birthing. It is important to allow the female to have a quiet, minimally disturbed environment, especially during their first litter, to decrease the chance of rejection of babies by the mother.

It will be difficult to tell if she is pregnant until the last week or so. You will generally see an enlargement of the abdomen and her mammary glands becoming more prominent. Right before she gives birth, she will lose her mucus plug and you may find that as well. Provide her with a clean cage, and material to make a nest. You may also provide her with a box (make sure it has a lid or no bottom so that you can check on things without disturbing the babies and mother). Mother hamsters can become stressed out easily and will fail to care for the young or even eat the young so it is very important not to handle the babies and mother after birth for the first 2-3 weeks. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If Bean is building a nest, I suspect she may be pregnant! Their pregnant is only about 22 days, so you should know soon if she is pregnant or not. If there are other hamsters in the cage with her, move them out so she has her own space.

Thanks for reaching out about Hazel and including photos. I assume she has had access to a male in the last 2 weeks. If labored breathing and pregnant, than probably close to delivery. All other hamsters should be removed to allow her to have quiet. If not pregnant, a respiratory disease, abdominal mass or infection need be considered and a veterinary visit is highly recommended, ASAP. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Esther and including photos. She does appear large. Keep her quiet and warm, do not disturb her. Don't change her diet now. Wait until she is less stressed. Good luck.

It definitely sounds like Red may be a pregnant female, but he should be seen by a vet if he is not eating/drinking or urinating/defecating normally. Though it is unlikely, this drastic increase in size could be due to a growth within the abdomen or gastrointestinal disease. You can tell if a gerbil is a male or female by looking at the distance between the anus, located just under the tail and the genitals. In males, this distance is longer than in females. If the distance between Red's anus and genitals is shorter than his cagemates, he is most likely a female. The length of a gerbil's pregnancy is about 24 days, and it sounds like Red is nearing the time to give birth. As long as Red is eating, urinating, and defecating normally, you should not need to intervene with the process. Try to interfere with the new family as little as possible, and only spot-clean the cage, as gerbils are easily stressed and may eat their young. The mother and pups should also have free access to food and water. Keep in mind that gerbils can mate immediately after giving birth and become pregnant again, so consider separating Red from the cagemate as soon as possible if (s)he is pregnant.