How to Distinguish the Gender of Hamsters

“I’d like to have a hamster in near future, but I’m not sure whether to get a male or a female.”
“I want to reconfirm the gender of my hamster.”

To solve such like questions, This page introduces how to distinguish the gender of hamsters, differences in personality, and recommended genders for keeping them as pets.

How to distinguish the gender

Physical differences

You can distinguish between male and female hamsters by observing around the belly area.
Males are characterized by the following two points

• There’re testicles.
• The distance between the anus and the genitalia is far apart.

Females are characterized by the following two points

• There’re nipples.
• The distance between the anus and the genitalia is far apart.

The following photo clearly shows the nipples of the female hamster.

Golden hamsters are relatively easy to determine the sex, because their testicles and nipples are prominent.
On the other hand, it is often difficult to determine the presence or absence of testicles and nipples in dwarf hamsters such as the Campbell’s dwarf hamster, especially in those shortly after birth, differences other than the distance between the reproductive organs and the anus are hard to discern.
Even for pet shop clerks, determining the sex of dwarf hamster pups can be challenging to the extent of making mistakes.

Trait differences

When you stroked on the back or touched around the waist, female hamsters may arch their bodies, lift their bottoms, and stiffen their tails, a behavior known as “lordosis.”
This state is specific to females in heat, so if observed, your hamster is female.

Differences in personality between males and females

Although there are individual differences, males and females tend to have the following personality traits.

Which gender is better for keeping hamster as pet?

• If you’re getting a hamster for the first time, a FEMALE hamster is better
  For beginners in hamster care, it’s common to inadvertently cause stress to the hamster due to being inexperienced in their care. I recommend starting with a female hamster, as they tend to be relatively more resilient to stress.
  
  
• If you want your hamster to be affectionate, a MALE hamster is better
  If you desire them to become accustomed to human hands quickly, it’s advisable to keep a relatively docile male.
  
  
• If you wanna keep multiple hamsters together, FEMALE hamsters are better
  Hamsters are typically kept alone, but for Roborovski hamsters, which belong to a species with a weaker territorial instinct, it is possible to keep them in groups.
  When keeping multiple hamsters together, choosing females with even weaker territorial instincts further reduces the likelihood of fights.
  
  
• If you’re afraid of being bitten by a hamster, a MALE hamster is better
  If you’re afraid of being bitten by a hamster, the likelihood of being bitten is lower with males who have a calm temperament.
  
  
• If you tend to make a nose, a FEMALE hamster is better
  If you have small children or other pets, there is a high likelihood of startling the hamster with noises and such. Keeping a male hamster which is low stress tolerance might lead to premature death, so it’s better to opt for a female that can adapt well to the environment.