How Can You Tell Male & Female Baby Hamsters Apart?

If your hamsters have had babies, it is vital to be able to tell the sex of the babies as soon as they are one month old and weaned from their mother. If you delay, you may end up with even more hamsters than you bargained for. However, it can be very difficult to get your baby hamsters to allow you to look underneath them, as holding them on their backs can cause them stress. To avoid possible biting and danger to the baby hamsters (if you should drop them while they wriggle), use a clear tube to get a peek and determine their sex.

Things You'll Need

  • Line drawing of hamster genitalia
  • Two cages
  • Clear plastic tube
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare two cages complete with water bottles, wheels, food dishes and bedding. Clearly identify which cage is for which sex.

    • 2

      Gather together all of the baby hamsters, the plastic tube and the line drawing of hamster genitalia. Make sure you're familiar with how far the genitals are to be from the anus based on the drawings.

    • 3

      Place the first baby into the tube. You may have to hold both hands on the ends to prevent it from escaping. However, since these tubes have holes for ventilation, this will pose no danger to the hamster.

    • 4

      Lift the tube above you and look for the hamster's genitals from underneath. A male hamster should have pronounced testicles, and the distance between his anus and genitals is greater than that for a female. A female will also have more pronounced nipples. Double check against the line drawing if you aren't sure.

    • 5

      Place the sexed baby hamster into the appropriate cage.

    • 6

      Repeat until all of the hamsters are appropriately placed.