Male vs Female Hamster: Reveal Their Gender!

Hamsters are peaceful little animals. But based on gender, you might find some differences. However, there is a lot to know to identify the gender in hamsters. 

So, a male vs female hamster, how to know the gender? Male and female hamsters can be differentiated by their physical and behavioral appearances. You can identify the male by the testis and penis and the female by the vagina and nipples. The most important technique is observing the distance between the anus and genitalia. Females have a smaller distance than males.

That’s not the end. You can get more information about differences like size, shape, behavior, and spots in this article.

Short Comparison

The male and female hamsters are almost the same to look at. They can hardly differentiate from each other. Take a glance at the following table about male vs female hamsters.

Traits	Male Hamster	Female Hamster
Size	Smaller	Larger
Weight	Less heavy	Heavier
Genitalia	Penis and testis	Vagina
Nipples	Absent	Present
Distance between anus and genitalia	Less Close	Close
Hair	Longer	Shorter
Aggressiveness	Less aggressive	More aggressive
Energetic	Less energetic	More energetic
Nature	More friendly	Less friendly
Smell	Always same	Smell more when heat
Heat	Less than female	Every four days
Reproductive diseases	Less prone	More prone
Scent gland	More visible	Less visible or can not be defined

This table is for you if you are in a hurry. But if you want to differentiate them properly, then read below.

Extended Comparison

Let’s have a look at the detailed information about both genders.

Size

Most male animals are larger than females. But in the case of a hamster, mostly the Syrian and Chinese female hamsters are larger than the male hamsters at the same age. You can easily identify them by their growth.

The growth of female hamsters is quicker than that of male hamsters. But if you have a dwarf hamster, you can not identify them by this method. Male dwarf hamsters are larger than female dwarf males.

Male Chinese hamsters can be detected by the size of their buttock. Their hind size is larger than a female hamster.

Weight

You might not notice this factor. But measuring the weight of your hamster is a part of their daily check-up. It not only tells you the weight but also helps to identify their growth rate. If you are checking both the male and female hamsters’ weight at the same age, you will notice that the female hamster is a little heavier than the male hamster.

You can see this difference in the case of Syrian and Chinese hamsters. But in the case of the dwarf hamster, it is quite impossible to tell their gender by their weight. Also, if your male hamster is getting more care and eating more food, it will be heavier than the female hamsters.

Genitalia

The most important and reliable point is to determine the hamster’s gender by seeing its genitalia. The male has two large scrota having two testes which are missing in female hamsters. Also, you can notice their penis which is hidden in the penile pore.

And the penile pore is almost similar to the vaginal pore of female hamsters. But during the time of copulation, you can notice their penis. Mostly in all species of hamsters, you can differentiate them by their testis.

You can notice this difference well in the case of male dwarf hamsters. Their testicles are larger than any other species of hamsters.

Nipples

The female hamsters have two series of nipples which are parallel to each other in the belly. But at any age, you can not detect any nipples in male hamsters. The nipples can be defined well in Syrian female hamsters. It is because they have less hair than other species.

Distance Between Anus and Genitalia

If you can not even identify your hamster’s testis, this option is for you. Look at the vaginal pore or penile pore. Then look at the anus. If you are holding the male, the distance between the two pores will be far from each other.

However, if you are holding a female hamster, the distance of the pores will be closer than the male. This method applies to Syrian and Chinese dwarf hamsters at any age.

Hair

Only hair size can not measure gender. But most Syrian male hamster hair is longer. In female hamsters, hair is shorter, mostly in the belly. For this reason, nipples are most visible in Syrian female hamsters. But in Chinese and female dwarf hamsters, hair can be shorter or similar.

Aggressiveness

The females are more aggressive than the male hamsters. It is common in all species of hamsters. Female hamsters can not easily trust anyone. So, to hold them or to become familiar, you have to struggle more.

On the other hand, the male hamster easily trusts their owner and you have to struggle less to make friends with your male hamster. Though this habit is common, your hamster can be exceptional. So, going through the other options is also important.

Energetic

In most animals, the male is more energetic. But in the case of hamsters, the females are a little bit more energetic than the male hamsters. If you are having both the male and female hamster, you could observe that in the exercise or playing time the female hamster is more willing to do.

But in the case of male hamsters, they might seem to be playing a few times and resting most of the time. 

Nature

The male hamsters are more friendly with their owner or with any new person. They are calm and, most of the time stress-free. But the female hamsters take a lot of time to become friendly.

Smell

Most of the time, both the hamsters smell bad. The male hamster always smells the same. But the female sometimes smells more and sometimes smells less. When the females heat, they give off a stronger smell than regular.

The stronger smell is given off to attract the male hamster as they are ready to breed. The smell is like a rubber-burning smell which is awful for most hamster owners.

Heat

The female hamster heats every four days. They are more willing to breed. In other animals, the males attract females for copulation. But in this case, hamsters are exceptional. The female attracts the male hamster by smell. In case you want to mate two different species of hamsters, you have to give them a lot of time to do so.

Reproductive Diseases

Female hamsters are more prone to reproductive diseases. They mostly suffer from pyometra, an infection of the womb. Also, they suffer from cysts and tumors in the womb. So, if you see your female hamster bleeding from its private parts, immediately go to see a vet. It can be treated with antibiotics. If not cured, a surgical operation may be needed.

Male hamsters can also develop testicular issues. But diseases related to the reproductive system are less common in males than females.

Scent Gland

Almost all male hamsters have a yellow spot on their belly. This is their scent gland. But this spot is not always clear. The female hamster also has a yellow spot, but in most cases, it is less visible or you can not see it at all. But in some female hamsters, the spot can be very clear, so keep that in mind.

In the dwarf male hamster, the spot is very clear. But in the dwarf female hamster, the spot is not visible.

All these are the possible ways to find out the gender, but you must focus on the genital parts most. Physical appearances are better than behavioral appearances.

If you’re interested in comparing different small pets, you may want to check out our article on hamster vs mouse, as well as our article on hamsters vs guinea pigs. Our article on hamster vs mouse examines the similarities and differences between these two popular household rodents in terms of their behavior, care requirements, and suitability as pets. Meanwhile, our article on hamsters vs guinea pigs explores the key differences between these two species, including their size, lifespan, and care needs.

FAQs

Take a look at the questions commonly asked by people about male vs female hamsters.

Q: Are male or female hamsters more cuddly?

Male hamsters are more cuddly. They love to create a friendly relationship with their owners and for this, they are easy to handle.

Q: Are female hamsters better than male?

Both male and female hamsters are good as they have different personalities. But considering the disease factor, the male hamster is better as the females are prone to reproductive diseases.

Q: Do male hamsters like to be held more than females?

Both of the hamsters do not like to be held. But in the case of a female hamster, you have to struggle more to hold it when you are unknown to her.

Conclusion

Now you can tell a male vs female hamster,  their characteristics, and their physical appearance by applying the above techniques. The female has a vagina, nipples, and less distance between the anal pore and vaginal pore. They are quite aggressive, tough to handle, and usually larger than males.

On the other hand, the male has two larger testes, a clear visible scent gland, and more distance between the anal pore and the penile pore. They are smaller in size, calm, and friendly. In both the hamsters, you have to give them equal love and care!