Could Our Little George Actually be a Georgina? How to Determine the Sex of Your Hamster
TLDR;
Male hamsters: penis, testes, scent gland (for dwarves)
Female hamsters: nipples, odour (for syrians)
Trying to identify a hamster’s sex/gender can be confusing even for experienced pawrents, so do not fret if you are having trouble.
When we first rescued Elsa (right), we thought he was a girl because his testes were not visible. After two whole months, we gradually realised that dear Elsa might actually be a Kristoff.
With this article, we hope to help pawrents identify their hamsters’ sex/gender more effectively. Of course, the anatomy of each hamster might differ, but we hope to cover as many variations as possible so that you can be sure if your hamster is a boy or a girl!
Syrians
Syrians being the largest hamster species means it is also easiest one to check for sex.
However, it may still be tough to determine a baby Syrian’s sex because the anatomy might not be immediately visible.
Male Syrian
Testes
Penis
Male Syrian are known for their visible testes, especially when sleeping or relaxed. Looking for the testes is the most foolproof way to determine the sex of your Syrian hamster.
If your Syrian is still a baby, its testes may not be immediately visible. If so, try holding your hamster on its back and searching for its penis. The penis itself is not visible unless the hamster grooms itself but the area around the penis looks like an “out-y” belly button.
In this case, it is hard to spot the same male Syrian’s testes, but you can clearly see the belly button-like lump above his anus.
Female Syrian
Nipples
Female Syrians sport two rows of nipples along the sides of their bellies, although you will have a harder time spotting the nipples with a long haired female Syrian.
The presence of dark pigmentation near the anus is another trademark feature of female Syrians.
Last but not least, adult female Syrians are known to emit a strong musky odour when they are in heat/ready to mate.
Male Dwarves (Winter Whites, Campbell, Hybrids, Roborovskis)
Scent gland
Penis
Testes
Odour
The best way to identify a male dwarf is by locating its scent glands, which are almost always visible. They look like a tiny yellow patch on the fur, and can be spotted easily on hamsters with a white bellies.
If you can’t seem to find a scent gland, it does not mean that your hamster is necessarily female. Just like with male Syrians, you can try searching for the belly button-like lump that is the penis. Please note that the penis of a dwarf may be a bit harder to locate, especially if it has thick fur. Hold the hamster on its back and gently part its fur to get a better view. You may use a damp cotton bud to slightly dampen the fur to make the process easier.
Of course, many dwarves, unlike Elsa/Kristoff, have very visible testes.
Contrary to their Syrian counterparts, among dwarves, it is the males that tend to emit stronger odours than the females!
Female dwarves
Nipples
The only distinct feature of a female dwarf is its nipples. These nipples can be found in the usual location along the sides of the belly. However, due to the density of the fur and the diminutive size of the dwarves, the nipples of female dwarfs can be a lot harder to find than in the case of female Syrians.
Once you’ve read through the anatomy of a male dwarf, it is easy to determine whether or not your dwarf is an Elsa or a Kristoff. The absence of testes, a yellow patch of fur (scent gland) or a belly button-like lump are good indicators that your dwarf is female.
Have fun trying to figure out your hamster’s gender! It can be a rollercoaster ride sometimes, and if you’re really unable to figure it out on your own, you can always let a professional do it for you (find our recommendations for hamster-savvy vets HERE!).
References
ErinsAnimals. (n.d.). Sexing Hamsters. Retrieved April 3, 2019, from https://erinshamsters.wixsite.com/hamsters/sexing-hamsters