Accepted Answer

Hello and thanks for researching this very important question!

Wet foods can cause diarrhea, so try tempting her with soft breads...any kinds...and add a few drops of water if she's not drinking.

Female Hamsters (and most females of other animal species) can have hormonal problems that cause the uterus to swell up and then become infected after ovulation. This would be a medical emergency.

However, it almost sounds like you have another male...young hammsters can be difficult to examine for gender. Inexperienced pet store personnel can often make mistakes in assigning gender to immature pets.

In female rodents, the openings for urine and dropping are very close together...you may not be able to even see two openings! A female (since she does not need room for testicles) is very pointed at the bottom, with the tail as the tip of the point. A female that is not pregnant will have a trim and slim outline.

In males, the openings for urine and droppings are comparatively farther apart and more easily seen. The "bottom" is flat or rounded with the tail sticking off like the stem of an apple. Mature males have larger testicles that can fall down and appear lumpy on the abdomen. This gives them an overall more heafty look and feel...they are somewhat more muscular and larger than females. Sexually mature males can have a prominently visible penile sheath.

Hamsters' testicles do change size from season to season, coinciding with age and with the breeding season. They can be pulled up into the abdomen on cold days to retain body heat.

Here is a link to a site that has a good photo of a male hammie that you can use to compare to what you saw the other day:

http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Animal,%20Hamster%20II.htm

 

Please be sure to read the information about "Wet Tail" diarrhea in the link above...a hammie that is disinterested in food may be sick and in need of medical help.

If you need additional support at this time, please click "Reply".

Expert:	Gen B.
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	9/26/2009

Retired Veterinary Technician

Dog, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Gerbil breeder / Reptile Keeper / Bunny-Ferret-Exotic Specialist