Instructions
Stroke your female hamster's back gently to see whether she is in heat. If so, she will flatten her belly on the ground and raise her tail.
Place the female hamster in the male hamster's cage or in a neutral cage, about an hour to 90 minutes after dark. If she is in fact in heat, she will assume the mating position and allow the male to mount her repeatedly for about a half hour. If she seems inclined to fight the male, remove her immediately. Do not leave the female in the male's cage after the pair has lost interest in mating.
Place the female in a breeding cage. The most important thing about a breeding cage is that it needs to be secure; hamsters begin to explore their environments while still very tiny. Solid clear plastic sides are a good idea. Feed the pregnant female a high protein diet; cheese and scrambled eggs make good supplements.
Black bear hamsters give birth after 16 days of pregnancy.
Give the hamster plenty of privacy after the birth. Do not touch the nest or the pups. Some may be born outside the nest; let the mother take care of relocating them. She may eat some of the pups; this is normal hamster behavior. After four or five days, the mother hamster may be handled; the pups must still be left alone.
Clean the cage when the pups are 14 days old; it is now safe to handle them very gently. Wash your hands first and remove first the mother, then the babies. Keep the nesting material intact and replace it in the cage after cleaning, with a little extra nesting material for the mom to use. In replacing the hamsters in the cage, return the mother first.
Start handling the pups a little at a time when they are 14 to 21 days old. At 28 days, males and females can be separated into two group cages. Two to three weeks later, each hamster will need a cage of its own.
How to Breed Black Bear Hamsters
Black bear hamsters, a type of Syrian hamster, have been bred for size and friendliness. Inquisitive and charming, these nocturnal creatures have a lifespan of two to three years and prefer a solitary life. For breeding, you will want to begin with hamsters raised by a loving owner and not in a large-scale pet shop breeding operation. You'll also want to make sure you know what to do with anywhere from six to 18 extra hamsters; pet shops don't usually buy from individuals.