Domestic rodents are perceived ambiguously as family pets. Someone compares them with the wild fighters of food and grain, pests of the national economy. Others at the sight of a cute guinea pig are delighted. Often domestic rodents appear in families with small children. When purchasing a pet, owners, as a rule, do not wonder about its gender. And the appearance of offspring becomes a complete surprise for the owners. When choosing a rodent, it is important to know how to determine the gender of the dzhungarik, chinchilla or domestic rat.
Types of Domestic Rodents
Small animals are quite beneficial pets in every respect. They take up little space. For comfort, a small aquarium or cage is enough. Grain, greens, nuts and seeds will be an excellent food for a small pet. As care, you can do with periodic cleaning of the housing and filling the feeders and drinking bowls. In a word, rodents are the best solution for acquiring a pet.
Today there are many varieties of tamed small animals. The most popular of them are:
- Guinea pigs.
- Decorative rabbits.
- Chipmunks.
- Decorative rats
- Chinchillas.
- Chilean squirrels.
- Gerbils.
But the most frequent guests of the family are hamsters.
Hamster breeds
Among the types of data of rodents, the following are considered the most popular:
- Syrian hamster. The breed is also known as royal or golden. A cute animal is a favorite of adults and children. The animal is quite large. The length of his body is 13-19 cm. The easily tamed pet has a calm and affectionate character. The animal is rarely sick, but, unfortunately, does not live long - only 2-3 years.
- Angora hamster is a long-haired fluffy. The fur of the animal is very soft and delicate. The color of the hamster is usually plain and varies from cream to black. Spotted or tortoiseshell individuals are very rare.
- Campbell's hamster can compete in size with the dzungarik. How to determine the gender of a small animal? Yes, just like all hamsters, having carefully studied its appearance. A characteristic feature of Campbell are the bare hind limbs, as well as the stripes on the barrels. This is the wildest kind of hamsters by nature. Under the mood, they can bite the owner or fight with other pets.
- Taylors are one of the tiny hamsters. With a length of 8 to 10 cm, the animal weighs only 8 g. Taylors are an example of selfless parents: both parents are involved in caring and raising offspring.
- Rudda, perhaps, can be called giant hamsters. Their sizes reach up to 30 cm. Almost wild, radde is a rare guest in the house. He is poorly tamed and has a rather aggressive character. This is not surprising, because in natural conditions the hamster has to fight for survival.
- Roborovskaya breed is the smallest in the family of hamsters. Their content does not imply a solitary option. There should be several such babies in the cage. The animals are active, independent and very sociable. Their funny tricks will be interesting for both children and adults. True, the small size of the animals makes it somewhat difficult to answer the question of how to determine the gender of a hamster. Dzhungariki in this situation are brothers in misfortune of rodent rodents.
Most hamsters have a small appendage instead of a tail. But there is a breed of long-tailed rodents. Hamsters have a dark gray coat with white lumps of ears and a light belly. Animals are affectionate and active. The long tail makes them look a bit like decorative mice. But upon careful examination, the difference between the rodents is visible.
Dzhungarik - a mini-hamster
Dzungarian hamster is a cute fluffy animal of miniature sizes, which has recently become popular as a pet.
The homeland of the dzungarik is the steppe regions of Western Siberia, Central and Central Asia, and Northeast Kazakhstan.
The size of the animal varies within 10 cm and weighs 10 g. Such miniature proportions make it difficult to answer the question of how to determine the gender of dzhungarik hamsters. And nevertheless, that the females that the males bribe with their good looks and good nature. Dzungarian hamsters can rightfully be called animal hobbits due to their soles, covered with thick long wool.
The pet is a beast leading a nocturnal lifestyle. During the day, he prefers to sleep off after active nightly vigils.
Fertile animals can breed up to 4 times in the spring-autumn period. In one litter, from 8 to 12 babies can appear. Hamster fertility begins at four months of age.
What do jungariks eat?
Like all other hamsters, mini-animals are almost unpretentious in nutrition. The best and easiest way to feed your pet is to purchase special food in specialized stores. The composition of the mixtures includes corn grains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, cereals, peas, nuts. As a natural feeding, you can use fruits and dried fruits, zucchini, carrots, cabbage and lettuce leaves, plantain. It is categorically not recommended to introduce citrus fruits into the food of dzhungariks due to the possibility of allergic reactions.
But bananas, apples, apricots, peaches, animals will absorb with great pleasure. As a source of protein, low-fat cottage cheese, boiled eggs, and even boiled chicken can be introduced into the diet. Also, dzhungars should like earthworms, dried gammarus, boiled shrimp. Since hamsters are thrifty creatures, when feeding an animal, it is necessary to ensure that it does not hide food in its hiding places. Otherwise, the products may deteriorate and clog the pet’s home.
How to keep babies?
It’s very easy to take care of the dzhungars. The animal is extremely clean and prefers to independently engage in all hygiene procedures. The tongue and paws are excellent pet cleaning devices. With the help of them, as necessary, the animal thoroughly cleanses itself. A love of cleanliness is rooted in the rodent at the genetic level.
How to determine the gender of a dzhungarik hamster? It should be noted that both girls and boys will never shit all over the cage. They will choose one latrine, where they will celebrate the natural needs. As a result of this, it is necessary to equip the hamster's “toilet” accordingly. Do not forget to periodically clean the latrine, changing the special filler in it.
Dzhungariki, like all their other relatives, are subject to winter molting. The pet's winter coat has a white color with a dark strip along the back. As a rule, the animal changes its fur within six weeks. Dead shreds of wool need to be cleaned, otherwise the thrifty rodent will begin to form a nest from it.
Methods for determining the gender of a dzhungarik hamster
There are several ways to study a hamster's genitalia. It is noteworthy that the first sexual characteristics appear at the age of three to four months.
- To see the differences, you need to carefully take the jungar by the scruff of the neck and slightly raise it so that it spreads its legs. So to explore the hamster will be easier.
- In order not to injure the pet, you can put it on the palm of your hand on the back and hold it with your thumb. With your free hand we determine the sexual characteristics of the hamster, gently stroking the tummy and probing characteristic tubercles.
How to determine the gender of the dzhungarik: the main differences between the male
In boys, already at the age of one month, the testicles are well palpated at the very base of the tail. How to determine the gender of the dzhungarik? In the photo, characteristic tubercles in the corresponding area are clearly visible. The normal distance between the penis and the anus in an adult is 1-1.5 cm. For young dzhungars, this distance is no longer than 0.5 cm.
In the center of the male’s tummy, the navel is groped well. With the help of this characteristic gland, the dzhungarik marks its territory.
Of course, it is easier to determine the gender of the dzhungarik in adults. But even in babies you can feel small swelling in the groin - future testes.
Female sex differences
Girls are much larger than males. However, if there is no pair nearby for comparison, you can use the following method to determine the gender of a dzhungarik hamster. The photo captures that the distance between the genitals and the anus of the female is much smaller than that of the male. Two holes are located close to each other.
An additional sign of how to determine the gender of the female dzhungarik are two rows of tiny nipples from the breast to the bottom of the tummy. The navel in girls is practically not felt. Males have an abdomen densely covered with wool.